Broncos Manning told Moreno not to score

At the end of the Dallas Cowboys’ game Sunday, while they were tied 48-48 with the Denver Broncos, Dallas head coach Jason Garrett thought about letting the Broncos score a touchdown quickly in order to allow the offense enough time to come back and score a touchdown. This would have tied the game again and sent the two teams into overtime. Garret ultimately decided to try to stop the Cowboys in the rest zone, and lost 51-48. However, it looks like Garrett’s decision would have been a moot point regardless.

According to Pro Football Talk, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning told running back Knowshon Moreno to purposefully not score a touchdown at the end of the game, and instead gain a first down within Dallas’ 1-yard line. This way, the Broncos could run the remaining time off the clock and kick a field goal to win, instead of scoring a touchdown and kicking back to Dallas.

According to Manning, via the Associated Press:

He basically was asking me, ‘How am I supposed to do that? How can I get a half-yard but not get a yard and a half?‘ I just said, ‘You can’t! You can’t score! You can’t do it!’

In the end, Moreno was successful in getting the first down, but not scoring, all but sealing Dallas’ fate.