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It was a day that Tony Romo wanted like to forget. In a wildcard game between the Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, the Dallas quarterback did everything to get his team in position to win. All he needed to do was hold on to the football and the Cowboys would be looking at a chance at the Super Bowl. Instead he committed one of the most memorable gaffes in NFL history.

With the Cowboys leading 20-13, Seattle was on 4th and goal at the one-yard line with 7 minutes left in the game. The Seahawks decided not to attempt the field goal and went for it; Matt Hasselbeck threw an incomplete pass to tight end Will Heller, who hadn't been thrown to all game and was standing out of bounds.

Dallas took over at their goal line looking to run out the clock. Romo's first pass was a completion to Terry Glenn, who had the ball slapped free by cornerback Kelly Jennings, bouncing the ball into the end zone. Both Julian Peterson (SEA) and Lofa Tatupa (SEA) tried to deflect the ball inbounds, and initially Seattle was given a touchdown after Michael Boulware appeared to recover it. On further review it was ruled a safety.

On 1st and 10 a few minutes later, Hasselbeck found a wide-open Jarramy Stevens in the middle of the field for a 37-yard TD. The score gave Seattle a 21-20 lead, their first one since the opening quarter. They failed on the 2-point conversion and gave Dallas the ball with just over 4 minutes remaining.

The Cowboys future rested in the arm of rookie Pro Bowler Tony Romo, who had replaced Drew Bledsoe as the starting QB midway through the season. Bledsoe watched as the Cowboys moved down field, in large part to a 35-yard run by Julius Jones that had Dallas at Seattle's 11. Jones ran for 112 yards and thoroughly outplayed reigning MVP Shawn Alexander, who produced just 69 yards.

On 4th and 1, Martin Gramatica came on to attempt the potential game-winning field goal from just 19 yards away. Gramatica had already made two field goals, including a 50-yarder. With 1:20 on the clock, the snap to win the game was bobbled by Romo. Romo picked up the ball and scrambled left to the end zone before he was tackled by Jordan Babineaux just short of a first down.

Seattle couldn't run out the clock and a horrific punt granted Romo one shot at redemption. Romo's hail mary was incomplete, the Seahawks had won.

"I know how hard everyone in that locker room worked to get themselves in position to win that game today and for it to end like that, and for me to be the cause is very tough to swallow right now," Romo said after the game. "I take responsibility for messing up at the end there. That’s my fault. I cost the Dallas Cowboys a playoff win, and it’s going to sit with me a long time."

Dallas could look at this game and wonder what could have been, since Seattle would push the eventual NFC champion Bears to overtime the following week. In what would be Bill Parcells' final game, Terrell Owens -- who had referred to Seattle's defense as "guys off the street" -- was nonexistent with just 2 receptions for 26 yards. Afterward, no one remembered Terry Glenn having the ball poked away or T.O.'s bad performance -- it was all on Tony Romo, who botched a snap and expelled his team from the playoffs.

The following season, Dallas gave Romo a six-year $65 million deal that solidified their faith in him. Romo would have another great year, though he again experienced a disappointing loss in their first postseason game. Still, he demonstrated that unlike Bill Buckner, Donnie Moore, and Nick Anderson, players who also committed devastating gaffes, Romo was capable of overcoming his mistakes on the field.