ARLINGTON, Texas — Micah Parsons rocked backwards and forwards on the bench in agony after Cincinnati’s profitable landing that adopted a botched blocked punt from his Dallas Cowboys.
The star move rusher could not bear to look at the tip, so he left the sphere earlier than the clock hit zeros within the Bengals’ 27-20 victory Monday evening.
Joe Burrow’s tiebreaking 40-yard landing move to Ja’Marr Chase with 1:01 remaining was doable solely as a result of the Cowboys touched a blocked punt that will have put them in place for the victory within the last two minutes.
“Oh, I harm,” Parsons stated within the locker room, the usually loquacious two-time All-Professional pausing to attempt to discover the fitting phrases. “I gained’t want this on anyone. You possibly can’t even put that in phrases, bro, to be sincere.”
The Cowboys have been about to get the ball again with the rating tied on the primary play after the two-minute warning when Nick Vigil blocked Ryan Rehkow’s punt.
Amani Oruwariye tried to subject the bouncing ball when leaving it alone would have given Dallas possession. Oruwariye couldn’t maintain on, and the Bengals’ Maema Njongmeta recovered on the Cincinnati 43-yard line with 1:53 remaining.
The Burrow-Chase winner got here three performs later with 1:01 to go. Dallas solely received so far as its 48-yard line earlier than a turnover on downs with 24 seconds remaining.
The Cowboys (5-8) have been an extended shot for a fourth consecutive journey to the playoffs. These hopes are all however gone now. Dallas had gained two in a row going into the Cincinnati recreation after dropping the earlier 5.
“This one harm me greater than any loss this 12 months, most likely even worse than a playoff loss to be sincere, due to the place we have been going, how we have been taking part in, taking part in good soccer,” Parsons stated. “I’m going to sit down on this, however I’ve to discover a option to preserve these guys alive. There’s nonetheless soccer available.”
For the Cowboys, Oruwariye’s gaffe was hauntingly acquainted to a snowy Thanksgiving Day in 1993 at Texas Stadium.
Leon Lett inexplicably slid in on the snow-covered subject to attempt to get better a blocked subject objective within the last seconds that will have given Dallas a victory over Miami. The Dolphins recovered and kicked a subject objective on the ultimate play for a 16-14 victory.
On that bitterly chilly day 31 years in the past, proprietor Jerry Jones was proven celebrating on the sideline after the block, and the smile slowly disappeared as he realized one thing was nonetheless occurring on the sphere.
These Cowboys have been ok to get better and win a second consecutive Tremendous Bowl, a part of the NFL’s first run of three championships in 4 seasons.
These Cowboys are attempting to win with out star quarterback Dak Prescott and seven-time All-Professional proper guard Zack Martin, amongst others. Prescott had season-ending surgical procedure on a torn hamstring final month, and Martin is ready for season-ending ankle surgical procedure subsequent week.
“That locker room is absolutely devastated by the flip of occasions on the blocked kick,” Jones stated. “Clearly, we had a block kick name made, after which had one and so many odds that flip in opposition to us, and all of us would say, ‘Properly, why block the kick? Simply take the kick and get the sphere objective and kick it.’ We’ll all be second-guessing that one.”
Particular groups coach John Fassel frantically waved from the sideline for all his gamers to get away from the ball after the block, however Oruwariye by no means hesitated to attempt to seize it.
Two of Oruwariye’s fellow defensive backs, Jourdan Lewis and particular groups ace C.J. Goodwin, stored reporters away from the sixth-year participant within the locker room.
“None of us performed an ideal recreation,” Lewis stated. “We won’t decide anyone by one resolution. He thought he may make a play. All we are able to do is study from it and assist him.”
McCarthy did not take situation with Parsons leaving the bench earlier than the sport was over.
“Everyone’s pissed off, no doubt, and rightfully so,” McCarthy stated. “I might anticipate it. These guys poured their hearts out tonight. Everyone’s disenchanted.”
