Vikings coach Mike Zimmer forgot he called first timeout on back-to-back timeouts: 'I screwed up'

Mike Zimmer took all of the blame for a mistake late in the Minnesota Vikings' primetime 20-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 

The Vikings led 16-13 with 64 seconds remaining. The Cowboys faced a 3rd-and-16 from the Minnesota 25-yard line. Zimmer called timeout to stop the clock. And then he called another before the Cowboys snapped the ball.

Back-to-back timeouts are not allowed in the NFL. Referees are instructed to ignore the second timeout. If a whistle blows, however, the perpetrating team receives a 5-yard penalty in addition to losing the timeout. 

That set up backup quarterback Cooper Rush's checkdown to Ezekiel Elliott for a 3rd-and-11 conversion. Zimmer and the Vikings used their third timeout. 

The Cowboys took the lead on the next play when Rush connected with Amari Cooper in the end zone, leaving 51 seconds – but no timeouts – for Kirk Cousins and the Vikings offense. 

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"Yeah, I screwed up," Zimmer said after the game. "I forgot that I called one. Somebody yelled at me. I knew the play they were running. Really the same play they hit down the middle against us for the long touchdown. So somebody said, 'Call timeout.' I did.

"The official wasn't supposed to grant it. They're supposed to not grant it. Anyways, it's not his fault. So (we) ended up getting a 5-yard penalty."

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.