The Bengals had their slim playoff hopes almost completely gashed after last week’s loss to the Steelers. But in any event, the season goes on. In week 14, they got a primetime spot on Monday Night Football to take on a Cowboys team that has also disappointed this season. With not much left to play for, how would things play out in Dallas?
It was a bad start for the Bengals defence – what else is new? A 14 yard completion by Cooper Rush to Schoonmaker on 3rd & 1 moved the chains and allowed the Cowboys to avoid a 3 and out. CeeDee Lamb then caught a 13 yard pass, which was a precursor to what he would be up to throughout the game. It was Lamb who ended up capping off the drive. Rush found him wide open in the end zone for an 11 yard TD. 7-0 Cowboys.
Burrow and the offence responded well on their opening drive. Chase Brown caught an early 13 yard pass, before Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase for 14. Now in Dallas territory, Chase doubled up on his yardage, adding another 14 yard catch to further advance the ball. And it was Ja’Marr who would finish off the drive, catching a 5 yard TD to tie it up. 7-7.
Dallas got deep into Bengals territory on their next drive, but Geno Stone took advantage of a ball that was tipped by Cam Taylor-Britt, picking off the pass. However, the offence could not take advantage, as they proceeded to turn the ball over on downs near midfield.
After the Cowboys added a field goal to make it 10-7, the Bengals went on another scoring drive of their own. A 23 yard completion to Andrei Iosivas was a key play, moving the chains on 3rd & 8. After a 14 yard strike to Ja’Marr Chase, Burrow then found Chase Brown, who was able to turn the corner and tiptoe down the sideline and into the endzone for a 16 yard TD. The Bengals would add a 3 more before the half, via a 37 yard Cade York field goal, and went into the break with a 17-10 lead.
The Cowboys opened the 2nd half much like they did the 1st. A 16 yard pass to Turpin on 3rd down kept the drive alive, before a 27 yard run by Dowdle got them down to the Cincinnati 6 yard line. A couple of plays later, Rush found Cooks in the end zone from 3 yards out for the TD. 17-17.
Cincy was driving on their next one, but a Joe Burrow pick stopped them in their tacks. The two teams would then exchange field goals, going into the late stages tied at 20.
Late in the game, still tied at 20, the Cowboys forced a punt. The punt was blocked by former Bengal Nick Vigil, landing beyond the line of scrimmage, but still in Cincinnati territory. However, instead of letting the ball be downed, Oruwariye tried to return it. He muffed the ball, and Maema Njongmeta fell on it, giving the Bengals a fresh set of downs.
With another chance on offence, the Bengals only needed three plays. The first two combined for 17 yards. On the third, Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase on the out route, who then turned the corner and took it 40 yards up field for the go-ahead TD. 27-20 Bengals.
The Cowboys got near midfield with less than a minute left. However, their drive ended on an incomplete pass on 4th down.
Cincinnati’s record shifts to 5-8 after this one. The win will surely help the morale in the locker room a little. But on the flip side, it also hurts their draft position in what is almost certainly a lost season. In any event, the Bengals will travel to Tennessee next week to take on the lowly Titans.
Thumbnail Image Via: All-Pro Reels (CC)