Lions coach Jim Caldwell issues teamwide gag order over controversial play

Gabrielle McMillen

Lions coach Jim Caldwell issues teamwide gag order over controversial play image

For those looking to know more about the Seahawks' controversial batting no-call at the end of Monday night's game, don't expect to hear a peep from Lions players.

Detroit coach Jim Caldwell has instructed his team to not say a word about the call, which ultimately resulted in the Lions' 13-10 loss.

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"Now, you can take that situation and drag it out through the week with your players more focused in on that particular play than the opposition that we have to face in just a few days in a very, very good Arizona team," Caldwell said, via ESPN.com. "Or you can act 'Woe is me' and 'bad call' and 'That went against us' and look at all those kinds of things and that can distract you, you'll get your ears kicked in come Sunday afternoon.

"We don't plan to let that happen. ... You'll know, when you talk to them (Wednesday), I'm going to tell them not to talk about it, just so you understand that," he said. "Because of the fact that we can't be hanging on something that happened a night ago that we can do nothing about. There's nothing we can do about it."

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Officials botched a call when Kam Chancellor punched the ball out of Calvin Johnson's hands, causing it to tumble into the end zone. Linebacker K.J. Wright then intentionally tapped the ball out of bounds, which should have been a penalty on Seattle. Instead, the referees ruled the play a touchback.

Caldwell said he spoke to NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino on Tuesday, but didn't reveal what the pair discussed.

Gabrielle McMillen