ARLINGTON, Texas — From the moment officials picked up the flag thrown on the Dallas Cowboys for defensive pass interference on a critical third down the fourth quarter Sunday at AT&T Stadium, criticism of the crew was rampant, starting with former NFL director of officiating Mike Pereira.

Pereira questioned the call on FOX’s television broadcast and further explained the crew also missed a defensive holding call in addition to botching the pass interference penalty.

“That’s pass interference — and actually it was defensive holding also. Pettigrew had his jersey grabbed and ripped at the line of scrimmage,” Pereira said. “The Cowboys caught a huge, huge break.”

On 3rd-and-1 in Cowboys territory, the Lions had a 20-17 lead when quarterback Matthew Stafford faked a handoff and lofted a pass to his left intended for tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens placed his left hand on Pettigrew’s right shoulder as the tight end turned to face the quarterback.

A flag was thrown, and the in-stadium announcement made was defensive pass interference that would have given the Lions a first down and put Detroit in field goal range at the very least.

Referee Pete Morelli discussed the call with a pre-assigned pool reporter Sunday night.

Question: Can you talk about the decision to overturn the call and why you overturned the call?

Morelli: The back judge threw his flag for defensive pass interference. We got other information from another official from a different angle that thought the contact was minimal and didn’t warrant pass interference. He thought it was face-guarding

Question: Which official?

Morelli: The head linesman (Jerry Bergman).

Question: What did you see?

Morelli: It’s not my responsibility. I’m a hundred miles away.

Question: Face-guarding is not a foul?

Morelli: Face-guarding is not a foul. It is a penalty in college but not in professional football.

Question: What is the process you go through after you announce the call? Should you have waited before you announced the call?

Morelli: Probably, yes. The information came and then the officials got together a little bit later, after it was given to me, the first information. It would have probably been smoother if we got together.

Question: Do you remember this type of play happening before?

Morelli: No, not particularly.

Question: So one more time on who the person was that had the better view?

Morelli: The better view was from the head linesman.