Someone messed up. With the Dallas Cowboys dominating the action on the field in the Week 1 matchup, a confusing situation arose in the third quarter.
After being stymied in the first half for just 54 total yards, the Cleveland offense had a boo-inspiring three and out to start the third quarter. Things got worse when Kavontae Turpin took the punt back 60 yards for a score, giving Dallas a 27-3 lead. Cleveland’s offense finally woke up, but found themselves in 3rd-and-10 from just inside the Cowboys’ 16-yard line.
The pass was complete to Amari Cooper for what looked like 10 yards, but things got weird when Cleveland races up to the line of scrimmage for a quick snap. The Cowboys were able to thwart a bootleg by QB Dashaun Watson as rookie Marshawn Kneeland had pressure and Watson threw the ball out of the end zone.
Dallas’ defense celebrated wildly for what seemed like a first down incompletion, and then all of a sudden Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense was on the field.
What happened?
The expedited attempt by Cleveland fooled the Cowboys into thinking it was fourth down, that the completion was short of the yard marker, and they had a stand.
And guess what? They weren’t exactly wrong. Looking closely at the placement of the ball after the prior first down and where it was marked after Cooper’s catch, and it looks like the ball was just shy of a full 10 yards.
While these captures are of after the ball had been handled by the Browns’ center, the placements were equidistant to their respective lines, the 16 and the 6.
It should’ve been at least a measurement by the officials, but as sometimes is the case, a 27-3 game is raced towards completion.
Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy wanted to challenge, but he’d have needed to have done so before the snap of the missed throw.