The Cowboys lost in special fashion Monday night.
Dallas' slim playoff chances in this miserable season almost ended after a potentially game-winning punt block bounced off a Dallas player during a matchup against the Bengals, giving Cincinnati new possession. It might have disappeared.
The Bengals then scored a touchdown and ran away from AT&T Stadium with a 27-20 victory, dropping the Cowboys to 5-8 and three games back in the NFC Wild Card Hunt with four games remaining.
“Obviously, the way things turned out with the blocked kick, the locker room is really devastated,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “Obviously, the blocked kick was called and the play was decided…We all said, 'Why block the kick?' Just take a kick and make a field goal kick. I'll think about that later. ”
Needing a win to make the playoffs, the Cowboys forced a punt deep in Cincinnati's territory after the two-minute warning.
As Dallas went for the block, Nick Vigil ran down the line and deflected the punt, and the ball landed near the Cincinnati 33-yard line and bounced past the 40-yard line.
Cowboys cornerback Amani Oruwariye then made a critical mistake trying to handle the ball, but the ball went through his hands and into the arms of Bengals linebacker Maema Nyongmeta.
ESPN captured the range of emotions during the play through special teams coach John Fassel. Fassel jumped for joy after blocks and looked broken after turnovers.
Cowboys manager Mike McCarthy said, “AO was at a disadvantage, but when he heard the roar of the crowd and turned around, he understood the rule: if the ball goes over the line, cross it.'' “His reaction was, he turned around, he heard the crowd, the ball was there and he reacted to it.
“So it was obviously a big play in this game.”
Cincinnati was given a new lease of life when Ja'Marr Chase scored his second touchdown from 40 yards out with 1:01 left, gaining 57 yards in three plays to take a 27-20 lead.
Dallas couldn't fight back with a game-tying touchdown drive, and the Bengals improved to 5-8, keeping at least the door to the playoffs open — if only by a tiny crack — I was able to do it.
“That mistake we made at the end had a huge impact, that's all I can say,” Jones said.
