Tyler Guyton was not happy with the officiating after he was hit with three holding calls

Little doubt that the referees in Thursday night’s Cowboys win over the Giants did not shower themselves in glory. The pace of the game was slow and choppy, marked by an excess of whistles and stoppages, for a game that dragged on for well over three hours despite a low score of 20-15.

In the end, the referees called 15 accepted penalties on the night, and 11 of those went against the Cowboys. There were four penalties that were declined. From the Giants’ standpoint, one play stood out.

That was a first-quarter facemask penalty on a second-and-7 play from the Cowboys 37-yard line, in which Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger was whistled for a 15-yard facemask on DeMarvion Overshown. Replays, though, showed that, in fact, it was Overshown who was guilty of the facemask.

As CBS Sports writer John Breech noted, “The refs are off to a hot start. Daniel Bellinger got flagged for a facemask on a play where he actually got facemasked. #Giants #Cowboys.”

Cowboys rookie lineman Tyler Guyton

© Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

That play set off the usual complaints about the NFL and the referees being decidedly pro-Cowboys.

But try telling that to rookie tackle Tyler Guyton, who had an especially frustrating night, as he was called for holding three times.

Guyton, the Cowboys’ first-round pick out of Duke in 2024, let his feelings about the calls be known as he left Met Life Field after the game. Via a post on Twitter/X put up by WFAA anchor Mike Leslie, Guyton said, “The NFL needs better refs. Please!”

Guyton was not alone in that assessment. Veteran Tyler Smith was also called for a holding penalty, one of six called on Dallas.

After the game, Smith was asked about the referees and told reporters, “I’m not gonna say it. Roger Goodell protects those guys like John Gotti.”