Thursday night lights brought more drama than just a game in the Motor City. Yes, the Lions won 44-30, but the spotlight isn’t on the scoreboard; it’s on a controversial moment involving Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson. Fans and analysts buzzed, trying to make sense of the play. Now, Detroit’s linebacker himself has stepped forward to set the record straight. 

“Y’all are weird,” linebacker Alex Anzalone fired off on X but later deleted the post. “You can’t grab someone’s jersey and sling through like that. My body didn’t do that for no reason. We declined it anyway.”

What went down on the field was a tussle, leaving everyone confused. Late in the fourth quarter, with just under four minutes left, Ferguson seemed to grip Anzalone’s jersey with his left hand, pulling him slightly off balance. 

Despite this, quarterback Dak Prescott threw the ball towards Ferguson near the end zone. The catch didn’t come together, and Ferguson was quickly wrapped up by Lions cornerback Brian Branch. Meanwhile, the refs flagged the play, initially pointing toward offensive pass interference, a call that the Lions ultimately declined.

Instead of swinging momentum dramatically, the Cowboys settled for a 29-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey, narrowing the gap but failing to seize control. But that tussle between the two left many viewers scratching their heads.

The commentators seemed caught between what they saw and what was called on the field. But it was analyst Terry McAuley who channeled the confusion into clarity.

“I don’t see offensive passing,” Terry said on-air. “He swims through right there, which is perfectly legal, and then gets grabbed. I don’t see offensive pass interference at all.”

As the dust settled on the contentious play, the story didn’t end with Anzalone’s rebuttal or McAuley’s analysis. Prescott chimed in, defending Ferguson and stirring the pot with his postgame remarks. 

Dak Prescott’s bold defense of Jake Ferguson sparks a fine threat

Prescott was equally frustrated during the game, including a tense exchange with the officials over an offensive pass interference call, which set the stage for what might be more than just on-field disputes. After the game, the QB didn’t hide his feelings on the call.

“Do I get fined for talking about this?… I’m sorry, that was bad. I got to look at the film, maybe I can see it from their vantage point. I know I talked to the ref after, he said [Ferguson] aggressively pulled through. I’ve never seen a call like that,” Prescott said.

His words revealed both disbelief and an openness to revisit the play. But more importantly, Prescott’s candidness hinted at brewing consequences. The league maintains strict rules against non-physical offenses directed at officials. First-time violations typically cost $32,547, but repeated offenses can skyrocket to fines as high as $65,100.

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Amid all this, the Cowboys’ head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s reaction was more subtle. Caught on camera pulling off his headset mid-play, visibly frustrated, Schottenheimer chose to stay tight-lipped when asked for details.

“I’m not going to get into that. It’s not ultimately what decided the game,” Schottenheimer said as per Pat Doney of NBC 5.

Ultimately, Prescott voiced what many players felt deep down: the sting of defeat was sharp but not aimless. “The guys are pissed,” he said, adding that he hopes it’s ‘the right kind of pissed’ to fuel the Cowboys’ push for the playoffs this season. Despite all the chaos, the 6-6-1 Cowboys are still eyeing the postseason, and this loss might just fuel a needed fire.