Mike McCarthy's mistake keeps Brandon Aubrey from making history in Browns-Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys might be putting an absolute smackdown on the Cleveland Browns in their season opener but don't you worry -- Fans have still found a reason to be angry with head coach Mike McCarthy.

Leading 20 to 3 with four seconds to go in the first half, Brandon Aubrey trotted out onto the field to attempt a 66-yard field goal. Aubrey made the field goal with ease but a flag was thrown and a delay of game was called on the Cowboys, negating what would have tied the all-time longest field goal distance (Justin Tucker kicked a 66-yarder in 2021).

McCarthy was furious with the officials following the penalty but the Cowboys had two timeouts remaining and opted not to use either of them to stop the clock and get the snap off in time.

Cowboys Brandon Aubrey deprived of making NFL history vs. Browns

The penalty moved Dallas back five yards and it appeared for a moment that Aubrey might be allowed to try for the 71-yard attempt. There were four seconds left in the half, the Cowboys were up by 17 points but McCarthy opted not to have his kicker go for history. The offense came back on the field, ran a play, and the half was over.

The fact that Aubrey nailed the 66-yard field goal with ease showed that he should have been given a chance to kick the 71-yarder. Yes, the Browns could have had an opportunity to return the kick if it didn't go through the uprights but with how poorly Cleveland had been playing all day, do we think they'd have been successful at doing so?

It was a bummer that A) Aubrey's kick was negated, as it'd have put him in elite company and B) Aubrey didn't get a chance to try for the longest field goal made.

It's hard to get on McCarthy's case. He expected the kicking operation to get the snap off in time, and the officials were definitely quick to throw the flag. At the same time, though, McCarthy was caught sleeping with two timeouts in his back pocket. Odds are Aubrey would have drilled his second attempt from 66 yards.

The play won't have a say in the game's outcome, but it stinks that Aubrey was deprived of making history because of factors that were out of his control. He didn't deserve to have that moment taken from him.

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