NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast took a dramatic turn during the Lions-Eagles clash, as veteran analyst Cris Collinsworth reacted strongly to a pivotal officiating moment. The Detroit Lions ultimately fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Week 11 matchup, dropping to a 6-3 record.

To Collinsworth, it wasn’t just a missed call. It changed the game. ”Oh, come on. Come on. That is terrible. That is an absolutely terrible call that it’s going to decide this football game. If anything, it’s an offensive push,” he said.

It began with a crucial fourth-quarter pass for the Eagles. Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin was flagged for defensive pass interference, giving Philadelphia a fresh set of downs. On the broadcast, Collinsworth strongly disagreed, calling it an “absolutely terrible” call and pointing out that A.J. Brown had made contact too.

Replays revealed exactly what Collinsworth was talking about: Brown extended his arm into Ya-Sin with as much force as the Lions defender, yet only the Detroit side of the interaction drew a flag. The timing made it worse.

The call arrived after Jalen Hurts had overthrown Brown on third-and-8 with just 1:51 left, which should have led to a Detroit possession with a timeout and a real chance to drive for the win. Instead, the penalty handed Philadelphia control of the ball and effectively took the game out of Detroit’s hands.

According to the NFL rulebook, pass interference is defined as “any act by a player more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage that significantly hinders an eligible receiver’s opportunity to catch the ball.”

The frustration was immediate on the Lions sideline, with Campbell arguing the contact was mutual and far beneath the threshold to determine the outcome of a game. But the officials would not reconsider, and the Eagles took the new set of downs to run out the clock.

To many watching, including Collinsworth, the penalty was the defining moment of the night, overshadowing both the Lions’ resilient defense and the closeness of the contest.

This controversy also added to the growing criticism of how games in Philadelphia have been officiated lately.

ESPN announcer Troy Aikman commented from the broadcast booth, “You can see the early movement. I thought they were offsides at the snap in real time, and this is what becomes a debate across the league, how it’s being officiated and handled.”

Sunday night’s moment brought those concerns back to the forefront.

Lions’ loss to the Eagles

Detroit started the night with momentum. Jared Goff connected early with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, but the Eagles quickly shut down the drive. Detroit’s defense held firm.

The Lions struggled to find offensive rhythm in the first half. Jaelan Phillips recorded a first-quarter sack, and the Eagles consistently won at the line of scrimmage. Head coach Dan Campbell stayed aggressive, going for it on fourth-and-1 near midfield, but the Eagles stuffed Gibbs for a turnover on downs.

Detroit’s explosive plays came late in the half. St. Brown hauled in a 34-yard catch, but Jake Bates missed a 48-yard field goal that would have given the Lions their first lead.

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By the fourth quarter, Philadelphia’s pass rush had fully exposed Detroit’s protection issues, ending any realistic chance of a comeback.

Despite staying competitive all night, Detroit’s missed opportunities, capped by a controversial fourth-quarter penalty, ultimately sealed their fate. As Collinsworth put it, the call didn’t just affect the game. It decided it.