December 9, 2024
Cowboys CB Amani Oruwariye trying to field a blocked punt
The Dallas Cowboys’ home stadium misery continued Monday after the team’s 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
With the game tied at 20, the Bengals were facing 3rd-and-19 from their own 37 just before the two-minute warning. Cincinnati was forced to punt on fourth down after Joe Burrow got sacked for a loss of eight yards.
Cowboys linebacker Nick Vigil was able to block the punt, leading to the ball just barely making it past the Bengals’ 40-yard line. Dallas would have had possession had none of its players touched the ball as it bounced. However, cornerback Amani Oruwariye forgot the rules and tried to field the bouncing ball. Oruwariye completely muffed it, leading to the Bengals recovering the ball and retaining possession.
The Cowboys blocks the punt… but it was then touched by a Dallas player… and then recovered by the Bengals 🤯
Chaos. @Bengals ball pic.twitter.com/Uw0l4ebH3v
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2024
The Cowboys would have had excellent field position had Oruwariye just let the ball go. Even if he had caught it cleanly, he probably would not have gotten any additional yardage given the Bengals defenders converging on him.
Burrow and the Bengals capitalized on the mistake with the eventual game-winning touchdown to go ahead 27-20.
BURROW. CHASE. 40-YARD TD!
📺: #CINvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus & ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/fOGLjslBwO
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2024
After the Cowboys pulled off an unlikely two-game winning streak over its two previous contests, Monday’s loss all but ended any faint postseason aspirations in Dallas.