The Dallas Cowboys had a golden opportunity to defeat the Baltimore Ravens in the final 30 seconds of regulation. They had the ball at the Ravens 2-yard line in a first-and-goal situation with 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
But instead of a victory or even overtime, the Cowboys suffered an historic NFL loss in regulation.
Dallas’s final drive ended in a field goal to tie the game. The Ravens answered with the game-winning field goal despite starting their possession with seven seconds left.
I”n a thrilling 34-31 win in Rio de Janeiro, Jackson was able to set up the winning field goal because the Cowboys chose to send the kickoff into the end zone, which ran no time off the clock,” wrote ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “After the touchback gave the ball to the Ravens at their 35-yard line with seven seconds remaining, Jackson completed a 27-yard pass to wide receiver Zay Flowers. Tyler Loop then drilled a 56-yard field goal with no time remaining, redemption for the second-year kicker after his miss in last season’s finale ended Baltimore’s season.
“It marked the latest start to a game-winning drive off a kickoff since 1978 (including playoffs), according to ESPN Research.”
The painful loss dropped the Cowboys to 1-2 this season.
Cowboys Lose in Historic Way
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led an improbable field goal drive to force overtime against Josh Allen during the 2021-22 NFL playoffs. But even that impressive drive took 13 seconds.
To give up 27 yards on just one play was a crushing way to lose for the Cowboys. It made the defeat even worse that Dallas was two yards away from taking the lead with 23 seconds left in regulation.
Quarterback Dak Prescott couldn’t connect with George Pickens on first-and-goal from the 2-yard line. A false start penalty then moved the Cowboys back five yards.
Prescott scrambled for two yards and then threw another incompletion over the next two plays. The Ravens defensive stop appeared to force overtime, but clearly, 2-time MVP Lamar Jackson had other plans.
The Cowboys allowed Zay Flowers to post five catches for 84 yards, including the 27-yarder to end regulation, which was his longest catch of the day. Flowers was Baltimore’s only pass-catcher to eclipse the 40-yard mark.
Dallas outgained Baltimore 415-378. But the Ravens scored a touchdown in every quarter to overcome a 10-point first quarter deficit.
Because of its ending, this loss will likely be one the Cowboys think about for a long time.
Prescott lamented the loss after the game Sunday.
“Frustrated as hell. Embarrassed,” the quarterback said. “We don’t call us the best offense, Gotti, and get down to the 1-yard line and don’t put it in. It just sucks. Not a lot of words or a full explanation of it. Defense shouldn’t have even been in that position. Those guys over there are saying ‘It’s on us.’
“Absolutely not. We gotta put the game away.”
Dak Prescott, Cowboys Make Wrong Kind of NFL History With Week 3 Loss