By Moses Joshua 
Lions head coach stands firmly behind Rock Ya-Sin after a disputed call ends Sunday Night Football thriller
A Crushing Flag in a Crucial Moment
The Detroit Lions’ primetime clash with the Philadelphia Eagles was shaping up for a dramatic finish—right up until a single yellow flag pulled the plug.
With under two minutes to play and the Lions trailing 16–9, Detroit’s defense had done the hard part. They stuffed back-to-back “tush push” attempts. They forced Philadelphia into a third-and-8. They even got the incompletion they needed when Jalen Hurts’ pass to A.J. Brown fell to the turf.
Then came the whistle.
Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin was hit with a stunning pass interference call—one NBC’s Cris Collinsworth immediately blasted on air, saying, “Oh, come on! Come on! That is terrible… If anything, it’s an offensive push.” Instead of Detroit getting the ball back with roughly 100 seconds to orchestrate a final drive, the Eagles were handed a fresh set of downs and iced the game.
The ending felt abrupt, deflating, and—at least to many watching—flat-out wrong.
Campbell’s Immediate Response: No Regrets, No Second-Guessing
After the loss, Dan Campbell made his stance clear: Rock Ya-Sin played it exactly the way Detroit wanted.
“I thought he played defense like he did the whole game,” Campbell said. “I thought he challenged and played it like he did the very first rep that we played man to man. I wouldn’t tell him to do anything different. Get up and challenge, play your style, that’s it.”
No hesitation. No veiled criticism. Just full support for his veteran corner.
Campbell’s tone reflected what Detroit’s defense had shown all night—they were physical, disciplined, and consistently kept the Lions in the game despite little help from the offense.
The Officials Double Down
If fans were hoping for a moment of humility or reconsideration from the officiating crew, they didn’t get it.
Referee Alex Kemp defended the decision through the pool report after the game:
“The official observed the receiver’s arm getting grabbed and restricting him from going up to make the catch… there was a grab at the arm, restricted him and he called defensive pass interference.”
To many observers, the call looked far lighter than a “game-deciding” penalty. To the officiating crew, it was black-and-white.
Ya-Sin’s Strong Outing Overshadowed
What made the call even more painful was the fact that Rock Ya-Sin had played one of his best games as a Lion.
Per Next Gen Stats, he held A.J. Brown—one of the NFL’s most dominant receivers—to four catches for just 39 yards. His tight coverage repeatedly frustrated Brown and helped keep the Eagles out of the end zone all night.
It was the exact type of performance Detroit needed… until one judgment call nullified it.
Detroit’s Offense Shares Equal Blame
While the final flag stole the spotlight, the Lions didn’t lose this game strictly because of officiating. Their offense simply didn’t rise to the moment:
- 0-for-5 on fourth-down attempts
- 14-for-37 passing performance from Jared Goff
- Under 25 minutes of possession
Even if Detroit had received the ball back at the end, their struggles all evening suggested it would’ve taken a near-perfect drive to tie the game.
Still, as the final minutes ticked away, they’d earned the right to try.
Bottom Line
Dan Campbell isn’t pointing fingers at his player. The Lions aren’t hiding behind excuses. Rock Ya-Sin delivered a gritty performance against an elite receiver. Detroit’s defense gave the offense every opportunity.
And yet, their chance at the final word was taken away by a flag many believe never should’ve been thrown.
For a Lions team built on toughness and resilience, it was a brutal way for a winnable game to end—and a moment that won’t soon be forgotten in Detroit.