Cowboys news: John Fassel explains Monday’s biggest turning point

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John Fassel breaks down “unfortunate” sequence after blocked punt – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com

On Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys special teams coach spoke about what went wrong on the blocked punt.

Special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel explained to the media on Tuesday that the play call was a seven blocks punt return, not a designed attempt to block the punt, but that the Bengals didn’t end up blocking the backside B-gap, allowing Nick Vigil to shoot that gap and get in position to block the punt as he was taught.

“They play call is a very basic, elementary call…” Fassel explained. “We blocked it, the deflection didn’t go in our favor, I don’t know what else to say, Nick Vigil’s technique was perfection.”

It wasn’t the blocked punt that was the issue, it’s what occurred in the ensuing two seconds that would end up giving the ball back to the Bengals.

“[Oruwariye] said that he heard the crowd, which was significant, so he turned back to see what happened and the ball was bouncing at him, he didn’t know that it got blocked,” Fassel said. “He didn’t know if it was a fumble, he didn’t know that the ball was where it was. And so he just reacted like I would, see ball get ball.”

Obviously, it was a game changing play that allowed Cincinnati to march 57 yards downfield in 3 plays and 52 seconds, with Ja’Marr Chase landing the knockout punch on a 40-yard touchdown. Fassel didn’t believe that the punt block was a failure, but just an unlucky break for the Cowboys.

“I don’t think this was a failed play, it was an unfortunate bounce off a blocked punt…” Fassel said. “I think this how the special teams volatility kind of goes over the course of the season, and it’s an uncomfortable phase of the game for a lot of people because you never know what can happen.”

Micah Parsons Explains Emotional Reaction Following Loss to Bengals – Ryan Phillips, Sports Illustrated

Micah Parsons was criticized for walking off the field before the game officially ended Monday night. The All-Pro pass rusher explained why.

After the Cowboys blew their chance to beat the Bengals due to a brutal special teams gaffe, Parsons was visibly upset on the bench. Then, he left the field as time ticked off the clock rather than shake hands and visit with Cincinnati players after the contest.

On Tuesday, he took to his podcast to explain his actions.

“I don’t think there’s anyone more competitive than me, man,” Parsons said. “And it’s heartbreaking for me because I promised y’all Cowboys Nation that we would make a run. I was doing everything in my possible manner to make sure we did that. And I wanted to put my teammates in that situation.

“The fact that we lost and I felt like we could have won that game, that killed me, man… It just kind of sucked the life out of me,” he continued

He then discussed leaving the field before congratulating the Bengals.

“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” Parson said. “If I went over there and was all laughing with the competition after we lost like that, a lot of people would be mad.”

Rico Dowdle first Cowboys RB with back-to-back 100-yard games since 2022 in loss to Bengals – Matt Lenix, Blogging the Boys

There’s no question Rico Dowdle was one of the bright spots on Monday night.

Dowdle is now up to 731 yards on the season on 152 carries, which is 4.8 yards per rush. He has played in 12 games this season and has averaged over four yards per rush in 10 of them with four games over five yards per rush. Dowdle is averaging about 61 yards a game. With four games left, he’ll finish just shy of 1,000 yards for the season if he keeps up that pace, but if he continues the tear that he’s on, or close to it, that milestone can be achieved.

One talking point during this season, and it’ll continue when the offseason comes, is Dowdle’s future in Dallas. He’s clearly shown that he’s a quality back. However, the price the Cowboys will be willing to pay is the question. Dowdle doesn’t deserve a huge payday or anything, but he’s certainly earned somewhere in that $3-4 million a year range from what he’s done in 2024 (making $1.2 million this season).

All of that will be worked out after the season is over. A lot of props have to be given to Dowdle, though. This is the first year he’s escaped the injury bug, and he’s showing that while he’s not elite, he’s a guy that if you pair him with a “dude” as they say in the NFL, that can create quite the formidable rushing attack.

If Dallas does bring him back, that’s exactly what they should do.

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown could miss all of 2025 season after suffering knee injury vs. Bengals – Garrett Podell & others, CBS Sports

DeMarvion Overshown might not see the field again until 2026.

Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who has been one of the team’s few bright spots this season, suffered a knee injury early in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ “Monday Night Football” loss against the Bengals. That injury will require surgery and put an end to his season, owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.

And according to coach Mike McCarthy, there’s a chance Overshown misses the entire 2025 season, too.

“DeMarvion is getting ready to have a big surgery in front of him,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “Significant knee injury. You could feel it on the sidelines. Just being on the field for part of the exam, I knew it was serious. but, obviously, his physical and football talents speak for itself. He’s just such a bright light. He’s got a great, infectious personality. Tough, tough young man. We’re definitely going to miss him. He’s got a long road of rehab in front of him. He will obviously be loved and supported every step of the way.”

ESPN reported on Tuesday that Overshown tore his ACL, MCL and PCL. With that severe of an injury, McCarthy felt it was “fair” to say Overshown could miss the entire 2025 season given how late in 2024 his knee injury occurred.

“I think that’s fair. The time of year. Obviously we’re in December. I think like anything, you have the surgery and the rehab is a long process. I think that’s very realistic,” McCarthy said.

Overshown got rolled up on by multiple players while trying to wade through the muck and make a tackle, and his right knee got pinned under the scrum of bodies. Overshown, who missed his entire rookie season with a torn left ACL, was helped off the field by trainers and quickly ruled out. After the game, McCarthy labeled the injury as serious while adding that the initial reports did not look encouraging.