As A General Rule,

AS A GENERAL RULE, any loose football should be pounced on as soon as possible. However, in 1993, Leon Lett’s mental lapse during a blocked kick cost the Dallas Cowboys a victory.

The Cowboys entertained the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day at Texas Stadium. A freak, early-winter storm dropped the temperature to 32 degrees with wind chills in the single digits. Plus, the turf turned into an icy, slippery rink.

Dallas took a 14–7 halftime lead with two Kevin Williams touchdowns, but the Dolphins closed to 14–13 on second-half field goals of 20 and 31 yards. With 2:16 remaining, Miami took over on its own 20-yard line. Quarterback Steve DeBerg connected on 8 of 11 passes and directed the Dolphins to the Cowboy 24. The drive stalled, and Pete Stoyanovich lined up to try a 41-yard field goal.

But Dallas defensive lineman Jimmie Jones got a hand on the ball, and it rolled toward the Dallas goal line. Under NFL rules, the pigskin belonged to the Cowboys unless one of their players touched it and created a live ball. Lett, who instinctively thought he needed to recover the football, mistakenly jumped on it at the 7-yard line. But on the icy surface, the ball squirted free.

A mad scramble ensued, and Miami center Jeff Dellenbach recovered the pigskin at the 1. Given second life, Stoyanovich booted a 19-yard field goal as time expired, bringing the Dolphins an unexpected 16–14 victory.

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POINT All the Cowboys needed to seal the victory was not to touch the football. Perhaps Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson should have called a time-out to remind the players, “Do not touch the ball if you block the field goal.” But he didn’t, and Lett touched it.

When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples, he asked them to touch him so they would know he had truly risen from the dead. They believed and celebrated the Lord’s victory over death.

GOAL! Name some things you shouldn’t handle.