ARLINGTON, Texas — Micah Parsons rocked forwards and backwards on the bench in agony after Cincinnati’s profitable landing that adopted a botched blocked punt from his Dallas Cowboys.
The star go rusher could not bear to observe the top, so he left the sector earlier than the clock hit zeros within the Bengals’ 27-20 victory Monday evening.
Joe Burrow’s tiebreaking 40-yard landing go 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 received’t want this on anyone. You may’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 area 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 obtained so far as its 48-yard line earlier than a turnover on downs with 24 seconds remaining.
The Cowboys (5-8) have been a protracted shot for a fourth consecutive journey to the playoffs. These hopes are all however gone now. Dallas had received two in a row going into the Cincinnati sport after dropping the earlier 5.
“This one harm me greater than any loss this yr, most likely even worse than a playoff loss to be sincere, due to the place we have been going, how we have been enjoying, enjoying good soccer,” Parsons stated. “I’m going to sit down on this, however I’ve to discover a solution to maintain 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 area to attempt to recuperate a blocked area aim within the last seconds that will have given Dallas a victory over Miami. The Dolphins recovered and kicked a area aim 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 sector.
These Cowboys have been ok to recuperate and win a second consecutive Tremendous Bowl, a part of the NFL’s first run of three championships in 4 seasons.
These Cowboys try 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 towards us, and all of us would say, ‘Properly, why block the kick? Simply take the kick and get the sector aim 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, saved reporters away from the sixth-year participant within the locker room.
“None of us performed an ideal sport,” Lewis stated. “We will not choose anyone by one determination. He thought he might make a play. All we are able to do is be taught from it and assist him.”
McCarthy did not take challenge with Parsons leaving the bench earlier than the sport was over.
“All people’s pissed off, indisputably, and rightfully so,” McCarthy stated. “I’d anticipate it. These guys poured their hearts out tonight. All people’s disenchanted.”
