Tradition!
The Lions lost on Thanksgiving for the ninth straight year, writes Free Press columnist Jeff Seidel.
And he talks about the ridiculous NFL rule that may have cost the Lions the game.
In fact, he calls it "idiotic."
He writes that the 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans had a different flavor, more a fried turkey taste instead of the regular baked turkey one. So he gives the Fried Turkey Awards for the game 34-31 loss to the Texans....and there are plenty.
He writes:
The Lions had a 10-point lead in the third quarter, and all the momentum, but that disappeared because of a play that should have been reviewed, but it wasn't reviewed, because Schwartz asked for it to be reviewed.
Got that? It all started when Houston's Justin Forsett -- ALLEGEDLY! -- scored on an 81-yard run. Even though his elbow was down. Even though his knee was down. Even though half the Lions stopped for lunch.
BECAUSE IT WAS OBVIOUS HE WAS DOWN!
The play would have been automatically reviewed -- every scoring play in the NFL is reviewed -- because, well, so much is riding on these games between all the gamblers and the folks playing fantasy football.
But Schwartz got too excited -- "I had the flag out of my pocket before he even scored," Schwartz said -- and he threw out his red flag. The Lions were penalized for trying to review a play that was already going to be reviewed, so they couldn't review it.
In the end, Schwartz knew the rule but had a brain fart.
"I overreacted in that situation and it cost us a touchdown," Schwartz said. "That's my fault."
• And that brings us to another Fried Turkey Award, which goes to the refs. It was a horrible call. They blew it on the field.
• Another Fried Turkey Award goes to the NFL. It is a pathetic rule. Idiotic. And doesn't make sense. The NFL should be ashamed.
