ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Fans chanted Brandon Aubrey's last name as the Dallas Cowboys kicker lined up to beat the New York Giants in overtime after forcing the extra period with a 64-yard field goal on the final play of regulation.
“That's awesome,” quarterback Dak Prescott said after scrambling 14 yards to put the Cowboys in what would be considered chip-shot range for their overpowering kicker at 46 yards. “He’s a closer. We might need some music, his own special music to play, just like the closer.”
Aubrey, signed out of the USFL two years ago, has become one of the biggest game changers in the NFL, a kicker who is close to automatic from 50 yards and beyond and has the second-longest kick in NFL history, a yard behind Justin Tucker's 66-yarder.
In the case of the Cowboys' wild 40-37 overtime win over the Giants on Sunday, Prescott just needed to advance his offense 21 yards from the Dallas 33 in the final 25 seconds of regulation to tie it. The Cowboys probably didn't even need to go that far. The tying kick might have been good from 70.
That number isn't simply made up. The Cowboys considered letting Aubrey try from 71 yards at the end of the first half in last season's opener at Cleveland, deciding against it because of concern over a possible Browns return. In that case, Aubrey would have been among those trying to tackle a runner.
Without a clock management error in the final seconds of the first half against New York, Aubrey would have had a chance to tie Tucker's record.
That's the kind of asset the Cowboys, who visit Chicago on Sunday, figure they have to protect.
“What a weapon,” coach Brian Schottenheimer said after his first win as a head coach.
Accuracy was what stood out about Aubrey as a 28-year-old rookie in 2023. He set an NFL record by making the first 35 kicks of his career. Distance is the thing now. He is 27 of 30 from at least 50 yards, including two of his four against the Giants.
The day could be coming when the Cowboys try a field goal without crossing the 50-yard line.
“It's just talking to myself, going through breathing exercises,” Aubrey, a former professional soccer player, said of preparing for the super long kicks. “Just reminding myself that I'm made for this moment. I believe I'm the best kicker in the league, so there's no better spot to be. Go have fun.”
The new receiver combination of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens played a key role in a fourth quarter that included five consecutive lead-changing touchdowns. One was Pickens' 6-yarder with 52 seconds remaining.
A week after three critical drops in a 24-20 loss to defending champion Philadelphia in the NFL opener, Lamb had a spectacular leaping catch with defenders surrounding him to convert a third down on one of the lead-changing drives.
Trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay a week before the season started has turned pass rushing from a strength into a weakness. Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards without having to worry much about pressure. The Cowboys did have two sacks, but that didn't compensate for the time Wilson had to complete seven passes of at least 25 yards.
RB Javonte Williams just missed the third 100-yard game of his four-plus seasons, finishing with 97 yards on 18 carries and a 30-yard touchdown, the longest of his career.
CB Trevon Diggs was on the wrong end of several of the Giants' big pass plays. He missed most of training camp coming off his second major knee injury, and teams seem to be targeting him regardless of zone or man-to-man. Dallas is playing a lot of zone, and that might not change until DaRon Bland comes back from a foot injury.
Receiver and kick returner KaVontae Turpin injured his neck returning a kickoff, and center Cooper Beebe exited with an ankle injury. Neither player returned. Bland could be out at least one more week.
24 — Prescott's drive to Aubrey's OT field goal was his 24th game winner, which ties Tony Romo's franchise record.
After playing the winless Bears in a matchup of first-year head coaches with Schottenheimer and Ben Johnson, the Cowboys come home for a highly anticipated meeting with Parsons and the Packers.
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