As if the Dallas Cowboys' heartbreaking loss on Monday night wasn't enough, DeMarvion Overshown's MRI confirmed he tore his ACL, MCL and PCL. While everyone sends prayers to Overshown, the manner in which Dallas lost to the Cincinnati Bengals needs to be discussed.
With the score tied 20-20, the Cowboys were about to take over inside Bengals territory after Nick Vigil blocked a punt. They were already in Brandon Aubrey's range. One first down could have iced the game.
However, cornerback Amani Oruwariye touched the live ball, fumbled it and the Bengals recovered. It took just three plays for Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase to hook up for the game-winning score.
Jerry Jones was understandably frustrated after the loss and he made sure to note the Cowboys' many special teams gaffes this season to the media. A new report from Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram hints Jones has lost patience with ST coach John "Bones" Fassel.
According to Harris, Jones confronted Fassel in the locker room about Oruwariye's gaffe. Jones asked whether Oruwariye was coached to avoid the live ball and why Dallas tried to block the punt when they were getting the ball back regardless with a chance to win the game.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones questioned S/T coord. John Fassel about the botched blocked punt in the locker room directly after Monday’s game, sources told @startelegram.
Jones asked why the play was called and if Oruwariye was coached to not touch the ball.https://t.co/ShM4XRzmtm
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) December 10, 2024
It is worth noting that Jones backtracked on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.
"Frankly, when I really reviewed it after the dust had settled, it was not a bad call and was executed on the front end of the punt block very, very effectively," Jones said, per Harris. "I had revisited the look on the way the ball hit and it really kind of bounced up in a way that was almost unavoidable. The players are coached up, they talk it up.”
Jones can backtrack all he wants, but it sure sounds like he has seen more than enough special teams blunders for one season. Only the Carolina Panthers (20), whom the Cowboys play this Sunday, have committed more special teams penalties this season than Dallas' 19.
Beyond the unit's undisciplined nature, Fassel has dialed up two fake punts that failed spectacularly. The first came in Week 9 when Dallas trailed 14-10 in the third quarter and faced a 4th-and-2 from their own 38-yard line. The second came with the Cowboys trailing 7-0 early vs. the Texans. Again, they were in their own territory.
Fassel's group has also surrendered a variety of blocked punts and field goals and safety Juanyeh Thomas did not have the awareness to go down when he returned an onside kick for a touchdown against the Commanders. That decision almost cost Dallas the game.
It has become second nature to criticize Mike McCarthy, but Fassel has been markedly worse this season. No Cowboys coach deserves to lose their job more than Fassel. If there was ever a time for Jones to send a message, it's after Fassel's unit cost Dallas a winnable game.
More Cowboys news and analysis