DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Unlike most of us watching the game, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones knew exactly what happened when he saw the bizarre play unfold in Sunday's loss to the Broncos.
For a moment, it looked as though the Cowboys had made the momentum play they needed to get back into a game they were trailing 16-0 early in the third quarter.
But it wasn't meant to be.
On 4th and 14 from their own 17-yard line, Broncos punter Sam Martin's punt was blocked by Cowboys receiver Malik Turner, but since rookie defensive back Nahshon Wright touched the football beyond the line of scrimmage, the ball once again became live, allowing Denver to recover the football as though it was a muffed punt.
So, instead of the Cowboys getting the ball inside the Denver 30-yard line, the Broncos went on to keep the ball for an additional 4:35 and kicked a field goal to increase their lead to 19-0.
Jones discussed the controversial play Monday morning on 105.3 The Fan and said the rule should be reexamined.
"It's certainly something to look at it again. It's never the intention in the NFL to have something bad happen against making a good play. ... Obviously, that one's a tough one right there in the traffic, five yards downfield. But, once it crosses the line of scrimmage, then that is the rule. Certainly, it will come up. We'll discuss it at length again and go back through the history of it, why we have it in and is there any reason to discuss changing the rule."
Jones then suggested they could discuss if it makes sense to keep the rule in place but tweak it so that the punting team wouldn't get the ball back unless they advanced the recovered ball past their original line to gain, which didn't occur on yesterday's play.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is no stranger to the play, as he was on the wrong end of the same scenario while he was coaching the Packers back in 2013.
“It doesn’t matter. We aren’t going to solve anything today," McCarthy said after the game when asked what he thought of the rule.
It may not be solved today, but perhaps it will be in the offseason.
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