Adventures on special teams transformed the matchup between Washington and Dallas into a chaotic spectacle, but Joe Davis and Greg Olsen ensured that the broadcast captured the thrilling tension of the final moments.

As Terry McLaurin evaded five defenders to score an 86-yard touchdown on a pass from Jayden Daniels, the score narrowed the Cowboys’ lead to 27-26 with just 21 seconds remaining. Fox’s No. 2 broadcast team took full advantage of the mayhem, reminding viewers not to expect anything to be settled on such an unpredictable afternoon.

“Lightning strikes twice in Washington!” exclaimed McLaurin, referencing the previous month’s stunning 52-yard Hail Mary from Daniels to Noah Brown against the Bears.

Olsen expressed his disbelief as he noted the Cowboys’ decision to drop 11 players into coverage, stating, “If they had just tackled him inbounds, the game would’ve been over. I’m just at a loss for words.”
But his silence was temporary. Olsen quickly reminded viewers that “Automatic” Austin Siebert had already missed both an extra point and a field goal in his return from a hip injury.
“Before Washington fans get too excited, let’s not forget we’ve seen a missed PAT today,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, definitely hold your breath for anything special teams-related today,” Davis agreed.
This unusual game marked the first in NFL history to feature two kickoff returns for touchdowns, along with two missed extra points and a blocked punt. Washington also allowed KaVontae Turpin to return a kickoff for 99 yards for a touchdown in a wild fourth quarter that boosted the game’s excitement. Earlier in the quarter, the Cowboys faced a field goal miss and a blocked attempt in addition to a punt that was also blocked.
The chaos culminated when Davis shouted, “It is no good!” as a low snap resulted in yet another special teams failure. “And this has truly been the worst special teams day ever.”
However, there was still more action to come. Siebert’s onside kick was mishandled by safety Juanyeh Thomas, who ran it back 43 yards for Dallas’ second kickoff return touchdown.
Had Thomas taken a knee prior to crossing the goal line, the Cowboys would have guaranteed their victory. Instead, the touchdown pushed Dallas’ lead to 34-26, leaving just enough time for the Commanders to attempt one more miracle.
Austin Ekeler returned the subsequent kickoff to Washington’s 36-yard line, but despite a brief gain, Daniels’ final Hail Mary was intercepted by Israel Mukuamu, sealing the game as time expired.
Thus concluded what Davis dubbed the “worst special teams day in NFL history.”
“What a series of unforgettable special teams moments! There were blocked punts, kicks, and returns galore,” noted Commanders coach Dan Quinn.
The theme of struggling special teams extended to the broader NFL landscape during Week 12. In another notable incident, the Broncos’ defense allowed a 34-yard fake punt pass that Denver coach Sean Payton had anticipated but had not successfully prevented.
“We discussed this on Tuesday, and it wasn’t a matter of if they would run a fake punt, but rather when,” Payton expressed. “When you’re battling adversity as a team, it’s imperative to stay alert to these tactics.”
Thanks to a 34-yard pass from AJ Cole to linebacker Divine Deablo, the beleaguered Raiders were able to take a narrow 13-9 lead into halftime, marking their only second halftime advantage of the season.
In the second half, however, they fell victim to rookie QB Bo Nix and veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton, ultimately resulting in a 29-19 defeat. This loss extended the Raiders’ losing streak to seven games, their longest in a decade.
Meanwhile, the Broncos, who had previously missed a crucial field goal against the Chiefs, allowed a 59-yard kickoff return that directly resulted in the Raiders’ only touchdown on Sunday.
The Texans faced a setback in their match against the Titans, losing for the third time in four games due to Ka’imi Fairbairn’s missed 28-yard field goal attempt, which would have tied the game just before the two-minute warning.
In a different contest, the Vikings managed to recover from a special teams blunder to escape with a 30-27 overtime victory over the Bears, despite allowing Chicago to recover an onside kick late in the game.
Caleb Williams then connected on a 27-yard pass to D.J. Moore which set up Cairo Santos’ game-tying 48-yard field goal as the clock expired in regulation.