5 plays that shaped the Cowboys’ last second loss to the Dolphins

Well, that was a heartbreaker. The Cowboys lost again, their first time in over two full years losing consecutive games. However, unlike last week, the Cowboys were much more competitive in this one, losing on a last-second field goal from the Dolphins.

Dallas trailed for most of the game, but they never trailed by much. This was a close game that seemingly went back and forth, right up to the final play. That’s certainly an improvement from a week ago, but it still resulted in a loss. These five plays proved to be especially crucial in turning this game into a loss.

Tony Pollard comes up short of the goal line

The Cowboys started out with the ball, and their offense quickly moved the ball down the field. They even overcame a false start at one point, effortlessly moving the chains and, in a bit of a surprise, featuring fullback Hunter Luepke quite a bit.

Before long, they were in the red zone. Facing second and one at the Miami two, Dak Prescott ran a speed option that saw him pitch to Tony Pollard, who looked to be set up for a diving touchdown. But Pollard looked to cut back, which resulted in him being tackled just short of the goal line. Pollard gained the first down, but not the touchdown.

Then came the next play, where Luepke fumbled the handoff from Prescott and the Dolphins recovered it. While Luepke deserves plenty of criticism for not securing the handoff, this play wouldn’t have even happened if the veteran running back simply lowered his shoulder and reached out across the goal line. Given how close this game was in the end, this failure on the opening drive was massive.

Phantom penalty on Micah Parsons sets up Dolphins touchdown

Miami was moving the ball while the Cowboys were clinging to a 7-6 lead late in the second quarter. With less than 30 seconds remaining, they had crossed the Dallas 10-yard line and had a chance to lead at the half.

Tua Tagovailoa had to make a quick throw when he dropped back to pass on a second and one because Micah Parsons was closing in on him. An incompletion on the early toss created a massive third down. Not really, though, because roughing the passer drew a flag. the relevant punishment.

When the penalty was announced, Parsons almost lost his mind, and no one on the broadcast team, not even rules expert Dean Blandino, agreed with the call. Still, Miami got a free first down and extra five yards. Rather of being forced to settle for a field goal if they had failed on third down, they scored a touchdown on the very next play.

Illegal shift penalty wipes out Dak Prescott’s scramble

Midway through the third quarter, Dallas trailed 16-7, but the offense was moving. Determined to score some points and make this a one-score game again, the Cowboys reached the Miami 25 and had at least set them up for a field goal.

On third down and needing 11 yards, Prescott dropped back to throw. But after being flushed out of the pocket, he took off to run and gained 14 yards to move the chains. But a flag sat on the field near the line of scrimmage.

It was an unusual instance of the penalty that calls for both players, not just one, to be fully set; Jake Ferguson was moving when CeeDee Lamb was readjusting his location at the line of scrimmage, therefore it was ruled as an illegal shift.

The first down scramble was wiped by that tiny mistake, which had no apparent effect on the play itself, leaving the Cowboys at third and 16. Rather than going for a first down at the Miami 11, they were forced to settle for a field goal after picking up five yards.

Chuma Edoga misses block on crucial third down

The Dolphins’ next field goal extended Miami’s lead to multiple scores, and the Cowboys found themselves down again. They once more put together a strong drive to enter the red zone, with a little assistance from an illegal contact penalty on third down.

The Cowboys needed a conversion badly to avoid having to settle for yet another field goal when they faced third and three. However, left tackle Chuma Edoga appeared to completely ignore the presence of edge rusher Bradley Chubb as Prescott took the snap. Edoga went to assist Tyler Smith with a blitzing linebacker, not to block Chubb, and that allowed Chubb to get a free pass at Prescott.

That forced Prescott to bail on the play almost immediately, ultimately throwing a prayer to Rico Dowdle that never really had a chance. There’s no telling what the play could’ve been had Edoga even looked Chubb’s way, but the Cowboys had to settle for a field goal yet again.

Tyreek Hill picks up big first down

Late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys engineered a 17-play touchdown drive to take the lead for the first time since before halftime. That left the Dolphins needing a mere field goal with three and a half minutes left, and their offense was moving the ball well.

They soon found themselves in field goal range with a third and three at the Dallas 33-yard line. Dallas needed to force a field goal and regain possession of the ball in time to take the lead, and the two-minute warning had just gone off.

However, Tagovailoa quickly screened Tyreek Hill on third down, and Hill effortlessly cut past the defenders to gain 10 yards. It didn’t really matter that the Cowboys were then forced to utilize their first timeout. With the first down, the Dolphins essentially sealed the victory, and a few plays later, they kicked the game-winning field goal.

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