Cowboys Skip Challenge After Missed Tipped Ball on Roughing the Punter Call
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The Dallas Cowboys didn't challenge after getting penalized for roughing the punter, even though Ryan Flournoy got his fingertips on the ball before Marist Liufau crashed into Philadelphia's Braden Mann.
The call kept alive the Eagles' second touchdown drive of the first quarter on their way to a 21-point lead Sunday before Dallas rallied for a 24-21 victory on Brandon Aubrey's game-ending field goal.
NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth told a pool reporter that replay assist didn't have immediate access to what he called an "enhanced replay" showing Flournoy getting a piece of the football. Flournoy was rushing at an angle before Liufau ran into Mann while coming straight at him.
Without replay assist, the Cowboys were on their own in determining whether to challenge. Coach Brian Schottenheimer said he and game management coordinator Ryan Feder didn't believe they had strong enough evidence that Flournoy touched the ball.
"So we looked, we talked, Flo said, `I hit it,´ and when (Feder) and I talked about it, he goes, `I don´t think it´s clear that they´re going to turn it over,´" Schottenheimer said. "So we made the decision, and sounds like that they have evidence that he did touch it. Kudos to Flo for making that play. And the worst thing Flo could have done was lie. So he didn´t lie, and I trust him."
Butterworth said officials always check replays when roughing the punter is called to make sure the ball wasn't touched. He said the clearer replay from the Fox telecast came after the game had resumed.
"We don´t have access to that enhanced shot until they show it," Butterworth said. "By then, it was too late. If we would have had that shot previously, we would have been able to assist prior to the ball being snapped."
Schottenheimer said Flourney was adamant about touching the ball, but the coach didn't think that would be enough to win the challenge.
"We just didn´t feel like it was conclusive," Schottenheimer said. "And even if he says he hit it, which he probably did, if they´re not going to see it or if we can´t see it, they´re probably not going to see it, either. So that´s why we decided not to challenge it."
Dak Prescott passes Tony Romo for most passing yards in Dallas Cowboys history
Dak Prescott passes Tony Romo for most passing yards in Dallas Cowboys history
Dak Prescott made Dallas Cowboys history on Sunday, as he broke Tony Romo ‘s record for the most career passing yards in team history. The veteran quarterback broke the record in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles when he threw a nine-yard pass to George Pickens.
Romo threw for 34,183 yards for the Cowboys, and Dak Prescott needed just 160 yards to pass him on the all-time list. In his 10 seasons in Dallas, Prescott has collected at least 2,500 passing yards eight times.
Along with making Cowboys history, Prescott helped the team earn a 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Mississippi State star threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, and he now has 34,378 yards in his career.
Prescott became the starting QB in 2016 after Tony Romo suffered an injury before the start of the season. Romo saw action in one game during the 2016 season and announced his retirement in 2017.
Dak Prescott talks getting Cowboys to the playoffs
Becoming the Cowboys’ all-time passing leader is a big deal, but Prescott is focused on getting Dallas to the playoffs. Sunday’s win keeps the Cowboys in the playoff race, but Prescott knows they need to keep winning to have a chance.
“[These next three games], they will be defining,” Prescott said last week, per Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com. “I don’t think there’s any ifs, ands, or buts about it. Knowing where we put ourselves, what we have to do, yeah, after these three games, we’ll either have given ourselves a good shot or put ourselves in a hole. I don’t think that’ll really be a discussion.”
“Understanding that for us to get into this postseason, what we have to do, and right now, sure, we control it,” Prescott added. “That means we have to win every game, and I like what CeeDee [Lamb] said. It’s like a playoff game, and whether it’s [head coach Brian Schottenheimer saying it’s [a 0-0 record], or however you want to think about it, all of these are must-wins. But we’ve got to take them one at a time.”
