Cowboys-Giants refs are slammed by fans AND announcer Al Michaels over ‘garbage’ penalties
Al Michaels had seen enough.
The legendary announcer called his 20th Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants game Thursday in New Jersey, but had a hard time seeing the action through all the yellow flags.
“They should make a recording of that: There’s a flag out,” Michaels said of Clay Martin’s officiating crew, who spent much of the evening addressing fans over the MetLife Stadium PA system.
In the first two quarters alone, Dallas and New York combined for twelve penalties for 95 yards, several of which were questionable at best.
‘And for a change there is no flag. I never want to mess with this team,” Michaels said incorrectly just before another flag was thrown.
Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger is called for a face mask as his own grill is grabbed
CeeDee Lamb was celebrating a touchdown when an official reprimanded him for taunting
Al Michaels played his twentieth game between Cowboys and Giants on Thursday in New Jersey
The two penalties that were most egregious in the eyes of fans were a facemask call on Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger and a taunting flag on Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Bellinger’s face mask was particularly hideous because it was Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown who had actually grabbed his grill, not the other way around.
“REF WAS mixed up and got the face mask pulled back, named it after the wrong team, cost the Giants 15 yards,” former FS1 host Skip Bayless wrote on X in all caps. ‘UNREAL.’
New York still ended the drive with a field goal, but could have had a better chance at a touchdown without the flag.
Lamb’s taunting penalty came on a 55-yard touchdown reception from Dak Prescott that gave Dallas a 14-6 lead.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Lamb threw the ball back to his Giants defenseman, Deonte Banks, and drew the 15-yard flag.
“These harassing phone calls are getting out of hand,” one fan wrote on X. “Are you telling me this was worth a punishment?!”
“Weakest taunting flag in NFL history?” asked another.
One fan put it bluntly: “These referees are horrible. That’s bullying. LMAO.”