The Dallas Cowboys’ game against the San Francisco 49ers took a frustrating turn when questionable officiating decisions became a hot topic in the second half. The Cowboys, who entered halftime with a narrow 10-6 lead, quickly found themselves trailing after a flurry of 49ers’ scores. By the third quarter, the game had flipped, with San Francisco leading 27-10, thanks partly to critical mistakes and one crucial officiating call that left Cowboys fans and analysts alike scratching their heads.
In the third quarter, Dak Prescott threw his second interception, which quickly set up a 49ers touchdown. Brock Purdy connected with a wide-open George Kittle in the end zone after Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson got caught in a pick play. Both officials near the play initially threw flags for offensive pass interference, seemingly giving Dallas a chance to stop the scoring drive. But after further review, the officials picked up the flag, allowing the 49ers’ touchdown to stand.
The controversial decision left fans and analysts, including NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, in disbelief. Collinsworth pushed back on the explanation, highlighting that this non-call could open the door for more pick plays at the goal line if the league doesn’t address the inconsistency. “If that isn’t offensive pass interference, then the league can expect teams to spam pick plays at the goal line,” he remarked on the broadcast.
This drew two flags, but was later determined to not be offensive pass interference pic.twitter.com/4BLt2s0Nef
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 28, 2024
This critical officiating decision, coming at a pivotal moment in the game, dealt a major blow to Dallas. A 10-point gap might have seemed surmountable had the Cowboys forced the 49ers to settle for a field goal instead. But with the touchdown, San Francisco gained all the momentum, eventually scoring again after a Dallas three-and-out to put the game out of reach.
Admittedly, Prescott’s interception set up this chain of events, and the quarterback’s shaky performance played a significant role in the team’s downfall. Still, fans and analysts argue that the officiating overshadowed the game. As sports journalist Jon Machota noted in a slow-motion clip shared on social media, the Cowboys were dealt a short hand by the officials’ surprising decision to pick up the flag. The questionable officiating seems symptomatic of a larger trend in the NFL, as league officials face weekly criticism for calls that can drastically impact the game’s outcome.
In the end, Prescott’s interception and Dallas’ inability to hold back San Francisco sealed their fate, but the officiating decisions will likely fuel conversations about consistency in NFL calls and how such rulings affect the game.
