USA TODAY Sports
Dez Bryant stuck his head in the Cowboys’ interview room Monday night to greet the media just as coach Mike McCarthy entered for his postgame news conference. “You know I caught that ball in Green Bay, coach!” Bryant shouted out to McCarthy, who smiled and then agreed with the former Cowboys receiver.
Dak Prescott, who arrived in the interview room a few minutes later, is just as convinced he scored on a quarterback sneak on fourth down in the first half.
“I did think I scored,” Prescott said. “I mean obviously initially, and then I even put the ball over the plane. But it is what it is. I guess you can’t review and know when the whistle was blown. But we got the win regardless.”
Unlike Bryant’s catch to the 1-yard line, which came on fourth down late in the fourth quarter of a playoff game, Prescott’s touchdown-that-wasn’t will be quickly forgotten except by fantasy players. The Cowboys scored 41 points and routed the Eagles anyway.
With 5:50 remaining in the first quarter, replay overturned Ezekiel Elliott‘s 5-yard touchdown catch from Prescott. Elliott’s knee was down before the ball crossed the plane, setting up a fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Prescott pushed his way toward the end zone and then eventually reached the ball over the plane. The paused video shown on the Jerry-tron in AT&T Stadium clearly showed the ball was across the goal line. Officials on the field ruled the Eagles stopped Prescott short of the goal line. That was key, as the replay official in New York, let the play stand after a Cowboys’ challenge.
Prescott and McCarthy both expressed surprise on the sideline when referee Brad Rogers made the announcement.
“Yeah, obviously I was surprised,” Prescott said. “I mean, you saw I’m sure, my jaw dropped, I’m sure like, ‘What do you mean? I thought I was in.’ I thought I was in twice. But it is what it is. I had to turn the page quick and move forward and on that opportunity to make more plays with it being such a long game. Couldn’t sit there and hang on that one play. Put it behind you, and we’re able to continue to move.”
At some point, football surely will have a ball with a chip to determine for certain whether it crossed the goal line. For now, it’s up to officials, and more often than not, replay is going to side with the on-field call unless there’s conclusive evidence and many times on the goal line, there isn’t.
