In sports, clutch time at the end of a game when a big-time play needs to be made is sometimes referred to as "crunch time."
That was literally the case for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert on his game-winning, four-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Dak Prescott with 20 seconds left that gave the visitors a 20-17 victory on "Sunday Night Football" that turned into Monday morning football.
Week 5 was a career night for Tolbert that he won't forget for a variety of reasons. Tolbert hauled in a career-high seven catches for a career-high 87 yards, including a career-long 48-yard catch as well as the game winner on his catch on fourth-and-goal form the four.
The play prior to his game-winner, Prescott threw a low incompletion in which Tolbert slid like he was sliding into second base for a steal in a baseball game. The football contacted his midsection, and he buckled over in pain. NBC Sports play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico wondered aloud if the wide receiver was going to be able to stay in the game. After the Steelers burned their final timeout, he remained on the field and caught the game-winner.
"Bro, it was miraculous," Cowboys Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith said postgame of the game-winning play. "I mean, JT literally sprained his f----ng nuts, excuse me, sorry guys, sprained his nuts the play before, comes back, makes the game-winner. Unbelievable. Extended play. That was guys playing above the 2.3 [seconds per play]. Dudes emptying the clip. It was great stuff."
"It was a low ball," Tolbert said postgame when describing the sequence of events on third and fourth down. "I thought I could get underneath it and ended up taking a one-hopper to you know, the private [area]. I couldn't breathe for a second, once they [the Steelers] called the timeout, I knew I had to go back in the game. My team needed me, that's moments I work hard for. I wasn't going to be out in that moment. No matter what, I was going [to be] on the field. ... All I had to do was get through clean and make a play [on fourth and goal]. That's what big time players do in big time moments when the ball comes your way. Your team is counting on, you make plays."
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What was also miraculous was Prescott recovering a fumble on a second-and-goal play in which running back Rico Dowdle had the ball punched out of his hands after he attempted to leap into the end zone for the game-winning score. If Prescott doesn't jump on the loose ball, he doesn't connect with Tolbert for the game-winner two plays later.
"We practice our two-minute offense a lot,'' Prescott said postgame. "We're all very comfortable in that situation with the plays being called. Getting it down there pretty quick and having some opportunities to strike in the end zone. ... For me, they always stress follow the ball right? More than ever, that's the reason why [I recovered the loose ball]. Just examples of things in practice coming up over and over again. ... It was special to get it back to Tolbert. He did great job of coming across the field and getting open. Offensive line did a great job on that play, allowing me to stay in the pocket. The persistence and resilience of the team just really showed on that drive.''