There has been a lot of noise around the Dallas Cowboys this season.
Heading into Week 12, they had one of the worst records in the NFC, with just three wins to their name.
Quarterback Dak Prescott has also suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, stacking the deck further against Dallas.
But against the Washington Commanders, KaVontae Turpin and special team plays sparked their season back into life.
With time ticking away in the fourth quarter, the Commanders got themselves to within three points of an unlikely Cowboys lead.
Their comeback lasted all of 13 seconds, though, as Turpin made one of the most spectacular plays of the season on the kick return.
After initially dropping the ball, he picked it back up on the one-yard line and took off for 99 yards.
Turpin made a number of players miss with a spin move, bursting free and taking the ball all the way into the end zone.
His incredible play should have iced the game, as the PAT gave the Cowboys a 27-20 lead.
But, this is the Dallas Cowboys, and nothing is that simple.
With less than 30 seconds to play, the Commanders hit back with an 86-yard touchdown, threatening to undo all of Turpin’s good work.
Jayden Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin to give kicker Austin Seibert a chance to tie the game.
But he missed.
More chaos unfolded as Washington tried an onside kick, but the execution was poor once again.
Juanyeh Thomas scooped up the ball, squeezed between a few defenders and took it all the way into the end zone to extend the Dallas lead.
It was a truly bizarre ending to a game between two divisional rivals, which finished 34-26 in the Cowboys’ favour.
The win wasn’t pretty, but that doesn’t matter.
Dallas improve to a 4-7 record, and their next game is at home to the New York Giants, who have struggles of their own.
Having released quarterback Daniel Jones earlier this week, the Giants were humiliated at home by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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