Cowboys players left without answers on controversial tripping penalties vs. Patriots

Jori Epstein | USA TODAY

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Cowboys players were, well, tripping over a pair of tripping penalties called against their offensive linemen in a 13-9 loss to the Patriots on Sunday evening.

Plays that followed the first- and fourth-quarter flags proved pivotal during a close game in cold, rainy and windy conditions.

Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower, lunging at Cowboys players' legs on each flag, was the defender who officials twice said was tripped.

At least three Cowboys defenders tweeted variations of a hashtag on “tripping” with emojis questioning the officials’ call. In 190 other NFL games this season, just seven tripping penalties were flagged. The Cowboys drew two Sunday.

Update: Cowboys defense tripping over...tripping 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eP25hBQsHK — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) November 25, 2019

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he had never played in a game with multiple tripping penalties.

“I haven’t, no,” he said. “Obviously I’m not looking at the guys’ feet. I’m not looking at them. My eyes are downfield. I throw the ball, see a flag. I don’t know whether it’s tripping hands to the face, holding or what. I’m just playing the play.”

But a call going against his teammates isn’t a surprise, Prescott said.

“I mean, that’s been all season long,” he said. “So it’s no surprise. It’s nothing new. As I’ve said before and I continue to say: I’m just going to play the play. That’s my job. I’ll let those guys (the officials) do their job. And that’s for y’all to decide what they’re doing or not.”

Center Travis Frederick, who was called for tripping on Dallas’ last drive, said he didn’t believe he tripped Hightower. The Cowboys were driving downfield with 2 minutes to play, down 13-9, when Hightower dove between Frederick and right guard Zack Martin.

“I don’t like that call any more than I like the other one,” Fox color analyst Troy Aikman said on the broadcast.

Said Frederick when asked by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram if he had committed a penalty: “I don’t believe so, but that’s not my call to make.

The tripping call against Travis Frederick pic.twitter.com/trIYcpdtLc — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 25, 2019

The penalty yardage extended what would have been a conversion for a first down to third-and-11 with 1:25 to play at Dallas’ own 25. Quarterback Dak Prescott missed receiver Randall Cobb on the ensuing play. On fourth-and-11, a 20-yard throw to Amari Cooper was reversed to a ruling of incomplete. Game over.

“I see the definition of whether you’ve made a move and got your toe down, whether it’s tripping or not,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “Again, I don’t want to go to those particular, two tripping calls, if you will. We had plenty of opportunities to establish ourselves in all phases of the ball.”

Left tackle Tyron Smith, too, was penalized for tripping with 3:01 to play in the first quarter. Smith was engaging Patriots linebacker Shilique Calhoun from the left edge when Hightower barged at his right knee.

Cowboys LT Tyron Smith engaging Patriots LB Shilique Calhoun (90) when he “tripped” D’Onta Hightower (54) pic.twitter.com/2IVVbLh1qr — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) November 25, 2019

The Cowboys’ second-and-13 became second-and-23, setting up a punt on fourth-and-12. The Patriots blocked that punt to set up the only touchdown at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, among the defenders tweeting suspiciously, wasn’t buying the call.

“I get tripped up every time,” Lawrence told reporters. “If the refs want to call [expletive], let them call the [expletive]. Everybody knows it was no such that a foot was thrown out or anybody was tripped.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.