The missed two-point conversion heard around the world on Saturday, when the Detroit Lions earned an improper touching penalty with the game on the line, helped the Dallas Cowboys earn their 11th win of the season and a chance to capture the NFC East in Week 18.
It’s similar to what happened to the Cowboys in Week 9 against the Eagles, when Chuma Edoga was penalized for failing to declare himself eligible during a late-game stretch in which Dallas was trying a fourth-quarter comeback.
It’s something the Cowboys have learned from, and what happened in their victory against the Lions just strengthens their resolve to ensure that it never happens again in Dallas.
“Look at our game in Philadelphia,” stated head coach Mike McCarthy. “We want to make a big deal because of communication…” These are unacceptable blunders. That’s the longest substitution you’ll have, all the way down to the goal line, so those are the things you’ll constantly highlight.
Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith told reporters in the locker room following the Cowboys’ 20-19 victory over the Detroit Lions that he injured his plantar fascia and will undergo imaging on Sunday to determine the severity. Smith expressed confidence that it would not be a long-term concern, but the playoffs and his availability for those games will clearly take precedent over next week’s game against Washington.
Smith staggered off the field early in the third quarter after being injured by a deep ball from Dak Prescott to Brandin Cooks that fell incomplete. Smith missed the season’s opening two games due to a hamstring injury.
