
"NFL Faces Scrutiny Over Controversial Officiating in Lions-Cowboys Game"
Referee Brad Allen and his crew were assigned to officiate the Steelers-Ravens game more than 10 weeks prior to the match, contrary to the impression that they were hand-picked for a high-profile slot. The assignment was made when the significance of the game could not be predicted, and regular-season games do not have officiating assignments based on team performance. Despite criticism for missed calls in previous games, the assignment process does not consider such factors, and the crew is deemed qualified to work any regular-season game.











