field goal, he would have been kicking a 55-yarder.
Now before we go any further, let's give the Packers' defense, which came into this game ranked fourth, some credit. Those guys did a good job of getting pressure on Romo. And get this: When Romo went down for the fourth of five times on the second play of the second half, he had been sacked more times than the Cowboys had first downs (three).
"I don't know why we made so many mistakes," Romo was saying afterward, then adding, "we had everything today - breakdowns, penalties, drops, me throwing an interception. Very disappointing we weren't able to overcome those things."
But wait, did you think I was through documenting the inexplicable weirdness of this day? Ha, you got another thing coming.
How do you explain the Cowboys recovering Tramon Williams' fumbled punt return, but referee Jeff Triplette upholding the challenge by Packers head coach Mike McCarthy who claimed Cowboys punter Mat McBriar made contact with his guy with his knee already on the ground before knocking the ball free? Or on the same play, how about the officials throwing a flag on Green Bay's Derrick Martin for an illegal block in the back, the flag resting at the 23, yet the 10-yard penalty leaving the ball at the 23?
How do you explain why Roy Williams says he lost that honey of a Romo pass in the lights, causing him to shed his helmet visor? I mean, he didn't drop the ball, the damn thing hit him in the helmet while looking right at the pigskin, the ball then caroming back off his hands, causing the frustrated wideout to say, "I just saw a brown thing disappear."
Or how about Romo's pass to Tashard Choice down to the Packers' 35 getting wiped out by the offensive pass interference on tight end Jason Witten, who when running a tight crossing route with Patrick Crayton braced for an impending collision with the guy covering Crayton by lowering his shoulder, appearing to intentionally pick him off? No play.
Or try to explain that Packers' 15-play possession - longest of season - when Ken Hamlin makes a big hit on a four-yard run, comes up celebrating and seconds later falls to the ground with what turns out to be a high ankle sprain? You kidding me? So he joins an already sidelined Jenkins (arm), and then I'll be, Terence Newman has to go out for a play after getting "cleated" and Alan Ball, in for Jenkins on the nickel, and then for Newman on standard, goes off with cramps. At one point, three of the top four corners were out, along with Hamlin.
Want to explain how that happens in one series?
And . . . and . . . how about the officials missing Felix Jones recovering the Romo fumble with the Cowboys still hanging on by a thread, trailing 10-0, allowing the Packers to rip the ball free after he had been touched down? On top of that, head referee Jeff Triplette needed nearly five minutes to realize Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips could not challenge the recovery ruling on the field, eventually announcing to everyone recoveries after a ruled fumble are not reviewable.
Want worse? This after Phillips said Triplette told him they missed the call after looking at the replay, the total screw-up giving the Packers the ball at the three and a layup touchdown for the 17-0 lead, and I'm guessing giving Phillips an apology filled with a bunch of nothing.
But not just that, this Triplette dude, along with eight others on the crew, including the replay official and replay supervisor Jerry Markbreit, didn't realize McCarthy should have been penalized for delay of game since he was officially out of challenges.
How do you account for that?
All this because the Cowboys were full of themselves heading into the game? Because the Cowboys didn't take the Packers seriously?
No, no, no, this stuff is the genesis for "on any given Sunday," then mix in being on the road at Lambeau Field where the Cowboys are now 1-6 in their history and playing a team with its back to the Bay. So as the players like to say, it is what it is, which it just wasn't on this Sunday.
And especially on offense, one that picked up two first downs on the first three plays of the game, but ended up with just three for the first half and didn't gain a fourth
