Ladell Betts fumble, but got nothing.
Turning your stomach yet? Wait, there is more.
How about first-and-10 at the Washington 17 early in the fourth quarter? But Larry Allen gets called for holding, and while leading 10-0 and the Redskins showing not one iota of offensive life, the Cowboys decide to run some clock and play for a field goal. So they run Tyson Thompson on three consecutive draws, taking the clock from 8:35 left to play down to 6:39 when Cortez kicked his second field goal, this one 41 yards for a 13-0 lead.
But there is a saying in the NFL, that the more field goals you kick the closer you are to getting beat.
"We were in a good rhythm offensively, and then get that hold, and the way our defense was playing to that point, it was let's not take a chance, run it, kick the field goal and go up two touchdowns," Bledsoe said.
He meant, two touchdowns to get beat.
And even after the Redskins arose from the dead to score their first touchdown of the NFL season with 3:46 left in their second game, narrowing the Cowboys lead to 13-7, the Cowboys had the opportunity to run out the clock. But this time, an 18-yard pass play on third down, Bledsoe to a diving Keyshawn Johnson, is wiped out by a Flozell Adams holding penalty. Net difference, 28 yards, and the Cowboys were eventually punting.
And even at that, and even after the Redskins took that 14-13 lead, there still was 2:28 remaining, and of all things, the ball resting on the Washington 48-yard line after Thompson's 49-yard kick-off return. Gain like 20 yards and Cortez is kicking a 45-yarder for the victory.
The Cowboys offense gains nine yards, the final play a three-yard pass to Terry Glenn when Jason Witten had broken down the seam for what could have at least been a reception in field-goal range, if not more.
"Yeah, but I'm the second read," Witten said. "He got the first read (Glenn), but we had him."
So the Cowboys are 1-1, and in two games proving why offense wins in this league. They score 28 points, and no matter the defense gives up 24, they win.
And you know what? When you give up 14 points in the NFL, by golly you ought to win. But you can't, not when you score but 13 points. Come on, 13 points - one stinkin' touchdown, and that a trick-em flea-flicker. That's just enough to get you beat.
And that, right there is why the Cowboys lost to the Redskins for the first time since 2002 and the first time at Texas
Stadium since 1995 and for only the second time in 17 games.
But if you can't handle that, then just try this:
"I've been blessed beyond belief," Gibbs said. "It's hard to put this one into words."
For him, yep, maybe. For me, nope.
Cowboys-Redskins.
MICK SHOTS
| ! | Well, the Cowboys can't moan about special teams this time. Kick-off coverage was good, and Brett Pierce might have made a name for himself with two special teams tackles. Monster special teams tackles. covering over his two broken thumbs. "But it's not like he'll be out there with two nubs playing," Ellis said. |
| ! | For all the hang-wringing over if Peerless Price should play or not, he had a uniform on and basically played maybe four snaps. Never did show up on the field in the second half. |
| ! | Hard to get beat by Washington, and it's aggressive, blitzing defense, when you don't give up even a sack and your quarterback manages of 90.2 QB rating. |
| ! | Even harder to get beat when you defense gives up by 104 rushing yards on 25 carries, and even worse when you limit Clinton Portis to 52 yards on 17
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