Enlarge By Jonathan Ernst, Reuters Nick Novak celebrates his game-winning 47-yard field goal to lift the Redskins past the Cowboys.

And then in a wild, six-second swirl of special-teams fates and answered prayers, a Washington Redskins season that appeared all but done was alive and kicking, thanks to Troy Vincent's field goal block and Nick Novak's redemptive, 47-yard game-winner.

GAME STORY: Redskins trump Cowboys 22-19

Five plays after Novak's miss from 49 yards with 31 seconds left, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten caught a 28-yard seam pass from Tony Romo that set Mike Vanderjagt up for the potential game-winner at the Washington 17 in a game tied at 19.

As Vanderjagt readied for that 35-yarder, newly acquired Redskins safety and special-teamer Vincent charged through a gap Vincent said Witten vacated. Vincent had just told his teammates to believe someone was going to get a block, having no clue he would come up with the first one of his 15-season career.

"Witten was talking a little bit," Vincent said after 3-5 Washington's 22-19 victory. "He had just caught a big pass down the middle of the field. And it was over."

Sean Taylor picked up the loose ball and raced 30 yards to the Dallas 44. The Redskins got 15 more yards, thanks to Kyle Kosier's face-mask penalty.

Novak followed through this time. The former University of Maryland kicker prayed to close friend and late neighbor Annie Arth.

She had died of cancer after he dedicated a game to her, then beat Seattle in Week 3 with a kick.

"I prayed to her and God above, and I think they both grabbed that ball and pushed it in," Novak said. "I've never been in a finish like that."

"This team was in a similar situation a year ago, and they made a run," linebacker Marcus Washington said. "Can we make that same run again this year? We're optimistic. We hope so.

"But it started today."

Right when everything looked to be over.

Posted 11/6/2006 12:16 AM ET	E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this