REVERSAL OF FORTUNE!
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Please, don’t tell him anything different than what he has already heard, because Dez Bryant can barely deal with it one time, let alone twice.
He leaped as high as he needed to, up and over cornerback Sam Shields, and the pass from Tony Romo settled in his hands as he lunged for the goal line, stopping just inches short, hitting the ground before the ball squirted loose. No matter. There was 4:42 remaining, the Cowboys were trailing by five points but were poised to take the lead and the game in Sunday’s riveting NFC divisional playoff battle at unfrozen Lambeau Field.
But what was ruled a catch was reversed to an incomplete pass after a successful challenge by Packers coach Mike McCarthy. Based on the letter of the NFL law, the reversal was probably justified, but based on the look and feel of the play, it was a monumental swing that had everybody scratching their heads and wondering if they knew what a good reception actually looks like.
What is certain is the Packers (134) played keepaway the rest of the way, using more brilliance from their hobbled quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, to claim a hardfought 2621 victory to advance to the NFC Championship Game, where the defending Super Bowl champs, the Seahawks, await them in Seattle.
The Cowboys (135) thought they were about to make that journey.
“The only thing that will bother me the most if I hear during the week that it was a catch,’’ Bry ant said, trying to remain composed. “If I hear that from the officiating crew … I don’t want to hear that. I don’t. I think … 100 out of 100 that was a catch.’’
No one is shouting about Cowboys karma now. Last week, they benefited from what the NFL later admitted was blown noncall on defensive holding and pass interference, allowing them to come back to beat the Lions 2420. What do they say about payback?
“We’ve had a lot of relooks at things around the league and sometimes they go for you and sometimes they don’t,’’ said Cowboys
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owner Jerry Jones, who added he believed Bryant made the catch.
The Cowboys were on the Green Bay 32yard line when, on fourthand2, Romo spotted Bryant in single coverage against Shields and decided to go for broke.
On the left sideline, Bryant soared and got both hands on the ball, took a few steps and then lunged for the goal line. When he landed, the ball came loose.
“I had possession of the ball coming down,’’ Bryant said. “That’s possession, right? One, two, reach. Damn, that’s possession. That’s possession.’’
The game essentially was decided in those next few minutes as referee Gene Steratore conferred with the New York office.
“It was very anxious, but we were all confident it wasn’t a catch,’’ Shields said.
Steratore said Bryant possessed the ball but “he must maintain possession of that football throughout the entire process of the catch. In our judgment, he maintained possession but continued to fall and never had another act common to the game … and by the time he lands and the ball hits the ground, it comes loose as he hits the ground, which would make that incomplete.’’
Watching from afar, Giants rookie sensation Odell Beckham Jr. tweeted: “I by no means cheer for Dallas but I have no idea what or how thts not called a catch . Thts a joke.”
Stera tore’s son also took to Twitter to state: “Blame the rule, not my dad.’’
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said: “Dez reached out for the goal line, which he has done so many times. It is a signature play for him. He maintained possession of it throughout, in my opinion.’’
The hubbub overshadowed a brilliant duel between Rodgers and Romo, the two highestrated quarterbacks in the league this season. Both were brilliant on a day when the temperature was a balmy 22 degrees — nothing like the Ice Bowl these franchises engaged in back in 1967 on the same field.
Romo tossed touchdown passes to fullback Tyler Clutts and Terrance Williams as the Cowboys went ahead 147. They led 1410 at halftime and 2113 on a scoring run by Demarco Murray, who ran for 123 yards.
Some of the load was taken off Rodgers by Eddie Lacy, who gained 101 yards, but at crunch time it was all Rodgers. He hit Davante Adams in stride on a 46yard catchandrun to pull within 2120. The Packers took a 2621 lead with 9:10 remaining when Rodgers went 7for7 on an 80yard drive, finished off with a 13yard strike to backup tight end Richard Rodgers. Safety Jeff Heath knocked away the twopoint conversion pass.
Then came the Dez Bryant catch that wasn’t.
“I think I’ve got 120 minutes left in me,’’ said Rodgers, admitting his calf is ailing. “I’m going to do everything I can do to make sure I can play all those minutes.’’