Cowboys' Championship Dreams Overturned

(Mike McGinnis / Getty Images)

There is an old saying in sports:

"When you are facing a tough decision, go with the quarterback that has won two Super Bowls."

And if that doesn't help, then go with the one that actually played in the games.

Few people know that Jason Garrett, current head coach of the Cowboys, won two Super Bowls with the team in 1993 and 1995.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

He was the third string quarterback.

The QB that started and won both Super Bowls was in the broadcast booth, and just before Romo snapped the ball on a critical 4th and 2 conversion attempt, Troy Aikman was telling Joe Buck how much he disagreed with the decision to go for it.

By now we all know the result of the play. 

Down 5 points with four minutes to go, the Dallas Cowboys were facing a 4th and 2 from within Dan Bailey's field goal range.

Jason Garrett was faced with a tough choice: should he attempt the kick to narrow the lead and hope for a defensive stand, or should he leave his offense on the field and go for the conversion?

Dan Bailey had already missed two field goals on the day (although only one of them counted). If he had made the first kick, the Cowboys would have been down only two points and the decision would have been easy. Instead, the situation became much more complicated.

Last week Jason Garrett was praised for his gutsy decisions, as the Cowboys converted twice on 4th down, including once on the pivotal fourth quarter scoring drive that produced the game winning touchdown.

Down late in the game and facing elimination, Garrett again chose to go for the conversion.

The pass to Dez Bryant was initially ruled complete and set up 1st and goal from the 1 yard line. Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who had not won a challenge all season long, decided to challenge the play. The referees reviewed the play and returned to announce... well, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

The Packers were given the ball back with just over four minutes to go and they would not give Tony Romo another chance. They were able to drive the ball and run out the clock, eventually taking victory formation and winning a trip to Seattle next weekend. 

The controversial ruling sparked much controversy and comments, and many questions were left unanswered:

• Is three steps with possession not considered a football move? 
• Why would you throw a 31 yard pass on 4th and 2?
• If he had broken the plane first, would the catch have counted?
• Why can the ground cause an incompletion but not a fumble?
• Was this call warranted, considering the call that was picked up last week? 
• Can we effectively blame the call for the Cowboys' loss?

You can never argue that one call decided the ball game, in any sport (unless it was the Tuck Rule game). But it certainly has to sting, especially for a team that has not advanced past the divisional round since 1995.

(AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)

Yes, we can add another colorful chapter to the Tony Romo saga, as somehow things just seem to go wrong for the embattled Dallas quarterback. He played a terrific game, throwing 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished the game with a QB rating of 143.6 and only threw four incompletions all day.  

It is just that one of those incompletions came with the game on the line and certainly would have turned the tide in the ballgame. 

You have to give credit to Aaron Rodgers, who was noticeably hobbled for most of the game, but played through his torn calf and led his team from behind to secure the win. Rodgers was 15-20 for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second half alone, finishing the game with 316 and 3 TDs to go with a rating of 125.4.

(Al Bello / Getty Images)

Said Rodgers after the win: "It was a well-reffed game."

And it was, for the call matched the letter of the law, although it seemed to defy vision and logic. Perhaps the league will review the rule, re-write it, and issue a tremendously sincere letter of apology to the Dallas Cowboys during the offseason. That is typically how it is handled. 

It is a shame that a fantastic game will be remembered not for the performance of the players-- for there were some great plays and stat-lines when the clock expired-- but instead will be remembered for a controversial ruling on a truly incredible play. 

In the end, Jason Garrett made no excuses for his team. Instead, he relayed the usual mottos and generalities that typically follow losses in any sport. 

"You play to win the game."

"Players have to make plays."

"We did not make enough plays to win."

On the plane ride back to Dallas, the Cowboys can take solace in one more mantra from the Book of Job, one that predates even the game that we love so much. 

"The referees giveth, and the referees taketh away."