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What penalty? Damarious Randall's redemptive pick-six marred by penalty, bizarre explanation

ARLINGTON, Texas -- If this was Damarious Randall's way of making amends for getting benched -- and then getting kicked off the bench -- then he got it only partially correct.

The Green Bay Packers embattled cornerback came up with a game-changing interception that he returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Sunday's comeback win in Dallas, but he spoiled it with an unsportsmanlike penalty when he flipped the ball toward Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the end zone.

Then, when asked about it after the game, Randall claimed ignorance to the fact that he was called for a penalty.

"What happened after the play?" Randall said. "I don't think I had a penalty."

When told that he did, Randall replied: "Yeah, I don't think I got a penalty."

When told he flipped the ball toward Prescott, he said: "Flip what?"

He then denied that he did so.

The penalty and the ensuing exchange would suggest the 2015 first-round pick has yet to follow his own advice when he admitted last week that he had some "growing up" to do after he was sent to the locker room during the second half of the Week 4 win against the Bears.

Randall played 58 of 74 defensive snaps against the Cowboys, more than the Packers had originally planned. With the return of Davon House from a quad injury, Randall opened the game as the third cornerback in the nickel and nitro packages. But when starting cornerback Kevin King left in the first half with a concussion, Randall moved outside and into a full-time role again, except for a few plays when Josh Hawkins spelled him.

His interception came off the hands of Cowboys receiver Terrance Williams and he returned it 21 yards for a touchdown that put the Packers ahead 28-24 with 9:56 to play.

"I think that was big for him," Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix said. "It gave him a lot of confidence. It's what he needs. That was a big play, man, and it turned the game around for us. It just goes to show the guy has the most talent on the team on the back end. It's all up to him."

It was a bold statement from the Packers Pro Bowler, but Clinton-Dix reiterated it.

"Most talented DB we've got," he said. "That's the truth."