Ref: Official's 'better view' led to changed call

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The referee who overturned a crucial pass interference penalty against Dallas in a playoff win over Detroit says another official with a ''better view'' thought the call should be changed.

Pete Morelli said the back judge threw a flag on Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens on a pass to Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew in Dallas' 24-20 wild-card win Sunday. But the head linesman said there wasn't enough contact and that Hitchens was face-guarding, which isn't a penalty in the NFL.

Morelli acknowledged he should have waited longer to announce the penalty. He also announced that there was no penalty, but never explained why the flag was picked up.

Morelli says ''it probably would have been smoother if we got together.''

The Lions punted after the sequence, and the Cowboys drove to the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

---

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL