The Dallas Cowboys‘ slim playoff hopes took a significant hit after a crushing 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football.” The defeat came in dramatic fashion, with a late-game blunder by cornerback Amani Oruwariye becoming the decisive moment that turned the tide in favor of the Bengals.

With just under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were in a prime position to make a comeback. After forcing the Bengals to punt deep in their own territory, Dallas had an opportunity to flip the field with favorable field position.

That opportunity was amplified when linebacker Nick Vigil blocked the punt, giving the Cowboys the chance to recover the ball in Bengals territory.

However, things went south in a flash. As the ball bounced awkwardly toward midfield, Oruwariye attempted to field it instead of letting it roll dead. The ball slipped through his hands in a moment eerily reminiscent of the infamous Leon Lett Thanksgiving Day blunder.

Jones on Oruwariye’s mistake

The Bengals quickly recovered the fumble, effectively regaining possession and control of the game.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was visibly frustrated after the game, especially when asked about Oruwariye‘s costly mistake. His response was blunt yet revealing of the gravity of the error.

“I don’t know if we say anything to him,” Jones said. “We made the mistakes out there. That mistake we made at the end… it was very impactful, is all I can say.”

The mistake couldn’t have come at a worse time. Had Oruwariye allowed the ball to roll dead, the Cowboys would have regained possession with strong field position, giving quarterback Cooper Rush a chance to lead a game-tying or game-winning drive.

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With kicker Brandon Aubrey capable of hitting from 65 yards, Dallas would have been well within striking distance to force overtime. Instead, the Bengals retained possession, and with only seconds remaining, Joe Burrow connected with Ja’Marr Chase for a 40-yard touchdown that sealed the Cowboys’ fate.

Instead of celebrating a third straight victory with Cooper Rush at quarterback, the Cowboys dropped to 5-8 on the season, with their postseason chances now hanging by a thread.