Sunday’s match up between the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys would have better been played in a Big Top than in University of Phoenix Stadium, such was the bizarre sequence of events that led to the Cardinals’ eventual overtime win from a blocked Mat McBriar punt. How the Dallas Cowboys can still be favourite to win the NFC East after their performance is a complete mystery. And the Cardinals shouldn’t see the victory as a big success either after their defense almost let the Cowboys steal a practically decided game from them in the final quarter.
Back-to-back fumbles, interceptions, botched time outs – this game had it all. At some points, it seemed even the umpires didn’t know exactly what was going on. A few notable plays would have made the highlight reel – a pressure cooker 52 yard field goal from Dallas kicker Nick Folk to send the game into overtime, capping a 10 point comeback in the final three minutes by the Cowboys was probably the standout for Dallas.
Even this might not have happened had it not been for the Shanahan-esque “psyche-out” timeout, called by Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt just before Dallas snapped the football for the last-second field goal attempt. Unfortunately for him, the negated 3-point effort was actually blocked by his special teams unit, so had he not called the timeout his team would have won the game there and then.
In the second attempt, Folk, who had missed a 37 yard attempt earlier off the left upright just before halftime, came good and put the 52 yarder squarely through the goalposts – although only just. Had it not been for the 5 yard offside penalty against the Cardinals, the kick would probably not have squeaked through.
This penalty in itself was somewhat controversial. On third and 11 with 22 seconds left in the game, Tony Romo threw deep left to Jason Witten for a 30 yard gain to the Arizona 39 yard line. Now in field goal range, Romo ran up to the line of scrimmage to spike the ball and stop the clock, but Cardinals defensive end Travis LaBoy was injured on the previous play and had been unable to get off the field. He was called offside, and the Cowboys had the ball advanced 5 yards to make the field goal attempt realistic, rather than an outside chance.
Saving Whisenhunt a red face after the game, his special teams defense unit came through again in overtime. Just as it seemed the Cowboys had momentum back on their side, having won the toss to receive the football in added time (usually a sure bet to win the sudden death period with a field goal), the Cardinals defense stepped up and prevented the visitors from gaining any crucial ground.
In a fittingly ridiculous final play on forth down, Dallas punter Mat McBriar had his kick blocked by Shawn Morey who came sailing through the air from the D-Line. Monty Beisel grabbed the bobbling football and returned it three yards into the end zone for the score - the first time in history that an NFL game ended in overtime on a blocked punt return for a touchdown.