Physical Address
Suite 5, 181 High Street,
Willoughby North NSW 2068
The Cincinnati Bengals have kept their slim playoff hopes alive after being the beneficiary of a freak late play in their 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Watch an average of 6 games each week during the regular season, plus every game of the NFL Postseason including the Super Bowl, LIVE on ESPN with Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
With the game tied at 20 with two minutes remaining, the Bengals were preparing to punt the ball away to the Cowboys after reaching fourth down.
Cowboys linebacker Nick Vigil made a great play to partially block the Bengals’ punt, however, Cowboys special teamer Amani Oruwariye wasn’t able to cleanly collect the ricocheted ball. He fumbled it and a Bengals player dived on it.
That meant that the Bengals received a new set of downs where the ball was recovered at their own 46 yard line.
“Had he (Oruwariye) not touched it before a Bengals player dived on it, it would’ve been Cowboys ball. But he did,” ESPN play-by-play announcer Joe Buck said.
The Bengals took full advantage in the ensuing drive, with QB Joe Burrow connecting with WR Ja’marr Chase for a 40-yard touchdown to give Cincinnati a 27-20 lead with a minute left.
That would be the game-winner, with the Cowboys’ final drive stalling.
Cowboys star Micah Parsons was visibly shocked and angry when the play unfolded. He would later storm off the field at the end of the game in a huff without shaking the hands of his opponents.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was happy with his team’s defensive performance against a high-flying Bengals offence, but said the special teams error in the final two minutes was extremely costly.
“That mistake we made at the end was very impactful. That’s all I have to say,” Jones told reporters.
The loss drops Dallas to 5-8 and dashes their playoff hopes.
