The Cowboys Last 4 Plays Had Everything

The Cowboys' final four plays of the game against the Steelers told an epic story. It all began with a well-timed screen pass to Hunter Luepke, a brilliant call considering the Cowboys' struggle to contain the Steelers' edge rushers all game. This play brought the ball down near the goal line, setting up the drama that was about to unfold.

I’m Dallas, and this is Perry, and on this channel, we talk about the Cowboys and God.

On first-and-goal, the Cowboys ran a run-pass option. Dak Prescott kept the ball with the option to either pass or run. However, the Steelers had great coverage, taking away both passing options. Dak tried to run it in but was stopped just short. It’s a good thing he was because his reach was anticipated, and the defender managed to punch the ball out. Had it gone out of bounds a foot further and touched the pylon or exited the end zone, the game would have been over with a Steelers win. But instead, the Cowboys got another chance—second down, just a foot from the goal line.

Next, the Cowboys handed the ball to Rico Dowdle. If he had followed his blocker, Luepke, he would have had an easier path to the end zone. But Rico chose a goal-line leap, and Steelers linebacker Roberts made an incredible play. He guessed where Rico would jump and put his helmet on the ball, knocking it loose. Dak, aware of the situation, managed to recover it before the Steelers could.

Now, the Cowboys switched to pass mode. They lined up in the shotgun formation. CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, and Jake Ferguson were on the left, while Dowdle was in the backfield and Michael Brooks was lined up on the opposite side. CeeDee crossed the formation, and as the ball was snapped, Dak looked toward him, but the Steelers had great coverage. Joey Porter Jr. maintained outside leverage, while linebacker 50 covered the inside, taking away the slant route. Dak moved on to his next read, Tolbert, who was running a post. Here’s where the pressure got to Dak. His footwork broke down, likely because he expected a hit, even though T.J. Watt was well-blocked. As a result, the ball skipped in front of Tolbert, who had a step on his defender. Just one foot higher, and it could have been a sliding touchdown.

Tolbert was slow to get up. He had been the go-to guy all game, leading the team in targets, receptions, and yards. Initially, I thought his hand was injured, but it turned out to be a groin injury. As the Cowboys rushed to line up for 4th down, I worried he couldn’t run a proper route. The team called a timeout, and Tolbert was subbed out.

On 4th down, the Cowboys lined up with Lamb and Brooks to the right, Ferguson on the left, and Ryan Flournoy as the left wideout for his first regular-season NFL snap. But then, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called a timeout, which is a common tactic to give his defense time to assess the offense’s formation.

Finally, with no timeouts left, the Cowboys lined up for the last play of the drive. No more second chances—this was it. They were still at the four-yard line, with Rico lined up on Dak’s right, likely to help block T.J. Watt if needed. Ferguson and Tolbert were positioned on the left, while CeeDee and Turpin were on the right. Ferguson shifted back in to assist with blocking Watt but also to run a route. The Cowboys’ play was set: CeeDee and Tolbert would cross at the goal line, while Turpin would run an in-and-out route to the pylon.

When the ball was snapped, Ferguson engaged Watt but quickly lost his footing. Rico released late and was held by a defender. Dak had been watching Tolbert the whole time, and as the crossing routes caused the Steelers' defenders to bunch together, he saw that Tolbert had just enough separation. Dak threw a perfect pass to the goal line. Tolbert made the catch and held on as the defender tried to punch the ball out. The referee signaled the touchdown, and the Cowboys won.

Now, I mentioned earlier that we talk about God on this channel. I was reading an 8-verse section of Psalm 119, and verse 140 stopped me in my tracks: “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.” Sometimes I like to compare different translations to get a fuller understanding. Some say “Your word is very pure,” or “Your word is refined.” One translation even says, “Thy word has been very fully tried, and thy servant loves it.”

This language of purity and refinement brings to mind the process of heating metals to remove impurities. In this case, the "metal" is God's word, tested by the fires of life and found to be pure. I love this imagery—God’s word has been tested through different times, places, and lifestyles. The psalmist has seen the results, and God’s way has proven to be the best way. He loves it.

If you enjoyed this content, check out this video—it’s one of my best. That’s all I’ve got. Remember, Jesus is King!