Javonte Williams' taunting penalty haunts Cowboys in 'SNF' loss to Giants

If momentum is real, the Cowboys lost much of theirs by shooting themselves in the foot on "Sunday Night Football."

Just as Dallas appeared to be giving the Giants a challenge by cutting New York's lead to one possession, a taunting penalty against RB Javonte Williams during a touchdown run limited their options for the point after and ultimately cost the Cowboys a point in a critical phase of the game.

The Cowboys went on to lose 28-20 at MetLife Stadium, suffering a rare defeat at the hands of the Giants as John Harbaugh opened his new chapter with a victory.

Here's a look at Williams' penalty and how it cost the Cowboys.

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Javonte Williams taunting penalty

The Cowboys committed numerous penalties on Sunday night, some of which might have been borderline calls, but one of the costliest was a taunting penalty on Williams at the end of a touchdown run.

Williams slowed down on his way into the end zone and pointed the ball at Giants safety Tyler Nubin, which is considered a form of taunting. The touchdown still counted, but the Cowboys' momentum was lost as officials came together to confirm the ruling.

The Cowboys were assessed a 15-yard penalty on the extra point, making it a 48-yard attempt for Brandon Aubrey. Dallas' typically steady kicker missed wide right, keeping it an eight-point game.

Not only did the penalty cost the Cowboys a point, but it effectively removed the option to go for two, which some teams do while trailing by eight so that they know exactly what they need on their next drive. The penalty also seemed to swing the momentum in the building back toward the Giants, as a crowd that had gone silent erupted when Aubrey missed the extra point.

Ultimately, the Cowboys never got the ball back. Their inability to adjust defensively in the second half mattered more than anything on their way to a 28-20 loss, and Dallas knows it has plenty to clean up if it wants to be a playoff team in 2026.