FRISCO, Texas – The special teams phase of football is an absolute wild card that can change the entire course of a game in an instant. Such was the case for the Cowboys on Monday night when a blocked punt bounced straight to Amani Oruwariye, who made contact with the football and the Cincinnati Bengals recovered it, setting them up for a 27-20 win.

Special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel explained to the media on Tuesday that the play call was for a punt return with seven blocks, not a planned attempt to block the punt, but that the Bengals ended up did not block the rear B gap. This allowed Nick Vigil to shoot into the gap, as he was taught, and get into position to block the punt.

“You play call, it’s a very simple, elementary call…” Fassel explained. “We blocked it, the deflection wasn’t in our favor, I don’t know what else to say, Nick Vigil’s technique was perfect.”

It wasn’t the blocked punt that was the problem, but rather what happened in the next two seconds that resulted in the ball being given back to the Bengals.

“(Oruwariye) said he heard the crowd, which was significant, so he turned to see what was happening and the ball bounced towards him, he didn’t know it was blocked,” Fassel said. “He didn’t know if it was a fumble, he didn’t know the ball was where it was. And so he just reacted the way I would, seeing the ball get the ball.”

Apparently it was a game-changing play that allowed Cincinnati to march 57 yards downfield in three plays and 52 seconds, with Ja’Marr Chase landing the knockout blow with a 40-yard touchdown. Fassel didn’t believe the punt block was a failure, just an unfortunate coincidence for the Cowboys.

“I don’t think it was a failed play, it was an unfortunate rebound after a blocked punt…,” Fassel said. “I think that’s how the volatility of special teams develops as the season goes on, and it’s an uncomfortable phase of the game for a lot of people because you never know what can happen.”

Fassel added that if Vigil had had just a little more possession, rookie linebacker Marist Liufau probably would have scored a walk-in touchdown to give Dallas the lead. Instead, Oruwariye was essentially in no man’s land due to the ball’s bounce point, and none of his teammates were close enough to warn him of the live ball with a shout of “Peter” or “Poison” until it was too late.

“We can sit there and watch the film and the TV prints, but it happens in flashes of absolute brilliance as far as timing goes,” Fassel said.

After the game, Oruwariye was visibly upset, returning to the locker room with a towel over his head and receiving support from several teammates, including special teams captain CJ Goodwin. Fassel spoke to Oruwariye after the game, texted him later that evening and did so again early Tuesday morning before making a phone call to reassure him.

“I asked him word for word how he was doing and he said, ‘I’m fine,'” Fassel said. “And I said, ‘Good, because you should do well. You have no reason to believe that you cost us the game, that you made a mistake or that you let the team down.’”

In some cases, an incident like this would be the craziest special teams sequence to happen to a team in a season, or maybe even several. However, several unique special teams cases have emerged with the Cowboys in recent weeks, including an onside kick returned for a touchdown against the Commanders, a blocked field goal on the same play and many other cases throughout the year could be selected.

“I think I sometimes attribute it to special teams being the Wild West,” Fassel said. “Very unique situations have happened in the last few weeks.”

And while some of the special teams mistakes have hurt Dallas in games this season, Fassel believes there is still a lot more good than bad about their situation this season. Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way, and that’s just how the game of football goes.

“I understand the criticism, but we’re talking about blocked punts and a returned kick for a touchdown,” Fassel said. “But I get it, it comes with the territory.”