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The Dallas Cowboys suffered another embarrassing loss on Monday night, falling by a score of 27-20 at home to the Cincinnati Bengals. Perhaps more embarrassing than the result of the game, however, were the comments made by team owner Jerry Jones after them.
Questions about whether or not Jerry Jones, as the Cowboys general manager, could lead the franchise back to the Super Bowl have been swirling for years now and will surely only be exacerbated after moments like these in which he displays little to no idea of how football games should be won.
While speaking to the media after the loss, Jones suggested that the Cowboys shouldn’t have tried to block a punt late in the 4th quarter that wound up being muffed, returning possession to the Bengals.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! 😱
THE COWBOYS BLOCKED THE PUNT BUT CINCY GOT THE BALL BACK AFTER A DALLAS PLAYER TOUCHED THE BALL! #CINvsDAL | ABC, ESPN pic.twitter.com/vaMWLRHxIa
— ESPN (@espn) December 10, 2024
“We all would say, well, why block the kick? Just take the kick and get in field goal (range) and kick it… After blocking the punt, we touched the ball. That all should be figured in before you decide to block the punt,” Jones told reporters after the loss.
Jerry Jones spoke on the blocked punt at the end of the Cowboys game. pic.twitter.com/KpAQeyll37
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 10, 2024
Jones’ suggesting that the Cowboys would’ve been better off not blocking the punt and instead just trying to get it into field goal range with their offense shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the game of football, as rare plays like blocked punts often go a long way in winning a game, particularly when they happen that late in a game that close.
With the loss the the Bengals, the Cowboys’ fell to 5-8 on the season and likely extinguished whatever remaining playoff hopes the team had left. The Cowboys will close out their disappointing 2024 season with games against the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Bucs, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.