ARLINGTON, Texas – For the first time in 56 years, the Cowboys ended the game with a tie. It was an incredible back-and-forth game with both teams having their chances to win, and when that happens … of course, no one wins at all.
The Cowboys were just one second away from winning the game, but the Packers still got a shot to tie the score, and that's how it ended.
In a game like this, there are probably a lot of huge plays that we might have forgotten. But let's try to find some of the hidden ones that played a part in this crazy game.
Twelve on the field wipes out pick – The Cowboys seemed to get the break they needed on defense early in the second quarter when Trevon Diggs picked off a pass on the Packers' sideline on third-and-short. However, the Packers had hurried to the line and caught Dallas trying to substitute. Just before the snap, the Cowboys still had 12 players on the field, so Diggs' pick was negated, and the Packers also got a first down with the penalty. Green Bay eventually drove for a touchdown, grabbing a 13-2 lead after the Cowboys returned the blocked extra point for a score.
Blocked PAT for two points – This is probably the biggest play of the game because it turned out to be a difference-maker several times throughout the night. But after the Packers' second touchdown, Juanyeh Thomas blocked the kick and Markquese Bell returned it for the 2-point conversion, making the game 13-2. As the Cowboys got back in the game, they grabbed a three-point lead at 16-13, 27-24, 37-34 and then 40-37. On every occasion, that three-point swing was the difference in the game all night long.
Slant to Pickens from the 5 – The Cowboys were down 13-2 and had no life on offense. After a stop and a Packers punt down to the 5-yard line, the Cowboys started off the drive with a quick slant to George Pickens. He not only got the necessary yards for the first down, but it got the offense out from their own goal line. It also got Pickens going, as the wide receiver ended up with a monster game that included two touchdowns. But that pickup by Pickens was the start of a 95-yard drive that ended with a Dak Prescott touchdown. Without that play, the Packers might get the ball with a short field, and it could've been a much different game.
Pickens on fourth down – The Cowboys had a fourth-and-2 with about 8 minutes to play at their own 43-yard line when the offense decided to stay on the field and go for it. Prescott was rushed in the pocket but stepped up to find Pickens over the middle for 12 yards and a first down. The Cowboys kept it rolling and ended up taking the lead on Javonte Williams' touchdown run with 4:52 left.
Liufau called for late hit – Packers running back Emmanuel Wilson had just dropped a pass in the flat, and it was going to be third-and-7 with 2:17 to play and the Cowboys up by 3. But linebacker Marist Liufau, charging to get to Wilson, who bobbled the ball before it hit the ground, finished the play and hit Wilson to the ground in a bang-bang play. The sideline official, standing in front of the Packers' bench, decided to throw the flag for a personal foul. Instead of third-and-long, the Packers got a first down and eventually took the lead for a score with 1:49 left.
Bonus Plays:
Pickens to the 1 – What a great play by Pickens to score in the final seconds but had he been tackled short of the goal line, it could've changed everything for Dallas. They might have chosen to bleed a little clock and burn Packers timeouts before scoring a touchdown. Obviously, the Cowboys had to score, but even if they would've ran one play and Green Bay used one timeout, there could've been a different outcome in the way the ensuing drive played out.
Prescott sacked by Parsons – Really the only play Micah Parsons made all night was a sack for no gain, but it occurred on second down in overtime. That proved to be a monster play because it forced third-and-goal at the 4-yard line. Had the Cowboys gotten a few yards there, it might have been four-down territory. Instead, they kicked a field goal.
Golden over the middle – All the Cowboys needed was one stop on fourth-and-long. They couldn't get it. Credit rookie Matthew Golden for making a catch for the Packers near midfield, extending the drive and allowing them to go tie the game.
Any play in overtime – It came down to ONE SECOND. That's it. So any play in the 10-minute overtime, where maybe the clock operator didn't start the play on time or maybe the play could've gone for one more second, could have had an impact. When it comes down to the final tick of the clock, you wonder how many plays in the previous 10 minutes could've changed that.
