The bounce of the ball has cost the Chicago Bears a spot in the NFL's NFC divisional round, after kicker Cody Parkey's 43-yard attempt hit both the upright and the crossbar - bouncing back into the field of play.
It wasn't the first time Parkey had been denied by the post during this season. Against the Detroit Lions last year, Parkey hit the upright four times and then in the final regular season game of the year he repeated the act against the Minnesota Vikings.
With just 10 seconds remaining, a successful field goal would have eliminated defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, who had taken the lead less than a minute earlier, thanks to quarterback Nick Foles touchdown pass to Golden Tate.
In a tightly contested wildcard matchup, the Bears took a 15-10 lead into the final quarter, but their vaunted defence could repel the final Eagles drive.
But two key passes from Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had his side well within range of securing the win off the boot of Parkey.
Parkey was 'iced' by Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, who called a timeout just before the 26-year-old slotted what looked to be the game winner.
The tactic worked - Parkey's follow-up drifted to the left, crashed off the upright, bounced off the crossbar and fell back towards the field of play to the dismay of Bears fans, coaching staff, players and a distraught Parkey.
The Eagles won the game at Soldier Field 16-15 to book a place in the next round against top-seeded New Orleans Saints.
In next week's other elimination fixtures, the Rams host the Cowboys, while in the AFC, the Indianapolis Colts travel to Kansas to take on the Chiefs, while Tom Brady and the New England Patriots welcome the Los Angeles Chargers.
Newshub.
