After winning their last two games with quarterback Cooper Rush leading the charge, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys lost in heartbreaking fashion on "Monday Night Football," falling to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-20.
Coming out of the two-minute warning in the final quarter, the Cowboys had forced a Bengals punt before linebacker Nick Vigil blocked the kick in their own territory. However, cornerback Amani Oruwariye, in his fifth game with Dallas, made a costly mistake that led to the loss.
As the ball bounced toward midfield, Oruwariye tried to field it in an attempt to give his offense better field position. But, the former Penn State standout did his best Leon Lett impression, mishandling the ball after an awkward bounce.
The Bengals recovered it afterward, giving them a fresh set of downs. Less than a minute later, Joe Burrow hit Ja'Marr Chase for a 40-yard touchdown, giving Cincinnati the seven-point advantage.
After the game, Jones, the Cowboys owner and general manager, was asked by a reporter, "What do you say to a kid like Amani Oruwariye?" Jones gave his blunt response.
"I don't know if we say anything to him," Jones said. "We made the mistakes out there. That mistake we made at the end... it was very impactful, is all I can say."
Had Oruwariye just let the ball go and not touched it, Dallas would have likely received it in prime territory, well within the 65-yard range of kicker Brandon Aubrey.
Now, the Cowboys have fallen to 5-8 on the season, and their playoff hopes have started to dwindle even more. They will look to keep their postseason dreams alive in the final four weeks of the season but will likely have to win out to have a chance of making it.
Next up, Mike McCarthy and company will hit the road to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 15.
Related: Cowboys Star Asking For Prayers After Loss to Bengals
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This story was originally published December 9, 2024, 11:40 PM.