With two minutes remaining in the first half of Sunday's game, the Los Angeles Chargers lined up to punt. There was no other choice; it was 4th-and-20, after all.
Chargers punter Ty Long boomed a 44-yard punt that CeeDee Lamb fair caught at the Cowboys' 10-yard line, a successful punt made even more remarkable given that he was roughed on the play.
The Cowboys' special teams essentially committed a turnover on the play. Rather than take over at their own 10 with an opportunity to add to their 14-11, Justin Herbert and company took over with a 1st-and-10 at the Dallas 39. Even a 15-yard gain on that 4th-and-20 would've given Dallas the ball, but now Los Angeles was gifted with a fresh set of downs.
All's well that ended well. Tristan Vizcaino missed a 44-yard field goal at the conclusion of the Chargers drive, and the Cowboys would go on to win the game on a 56-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal as time expired.
The Cowboys argued the offending player, defensive end Azur Kamara, was illegally pulled into Long, but that obscures the point. Why are you even trying to block a punt on 4th-and-20?
Cowboys ST coach John Fassel on rushing Chargers punter: "I think Cowboys fans aren’t the play-it-safe type. I was going to give them what they wanted. Hope they’re happy."
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) September 20, 2021
Blaming Cowboys fans -- who, unlike other fan bases, like to see their team make big plays -- for your unit's misfortune on a play you called is an amazing bit of chutzpah from the Cowboys special teams coordinator. Marshmello wishes he could turn the tables like Bones Fassel.
But should we really expect anything different from the same coach who called this fake punt last season?
You keep doing you, Bones.