Leon Lett’s franchise still doesn’t know when to touch a blocked kick.
The Dallas Cowboys appeared to have a huge blocked punt right after the two-minute warning, which would have given them great field position in a 20-20 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. Defenseman Nick Vigil’s block was clean. But just as Lett infamously touched a blocked field goal in the snow in the 1993 Thanksgiving game, cornerback Amani Oruwariye didn’t leave the live ball alone after the block. Oruwariye tried to play it out leaving the ball alive but missed. The Bengals recovered.
A few plays later, Ja’Marr Chase broke off a 40-yard touchdown against a Cowboys defense that was supposed to be offside, giving Cincinnati a 27-20 lead with 1:01 left.
The Bengals snuffed out the Cowboys’ final drive to hold on for the victory.
The Cowboys (5-8) are coming off a miserable season, but have been able to snap their first three-game winning streak. But nothing sums up this season in Dallas like having a punt blocked and then giving it away because not everyone knew how to get away from a bouncing ball.
The Cowboys’ CJ Goodwin told reporters after the game that Oruwariye would not comment: “That’s my teammate. That’s my brother. We don’t do any negativity,” Goodwin said, according to DLLS reporter Joseph Hoyt.
Bengals take halftime lead
The Cowboys got off to a good start. Dallas quarterback Cooper Rush (or was it Homer Simpson?) threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb to start the scoring. But it’s the Cowboys, and the mistakes started coming. Rush threw an interception in the red zone. The attack stopped a little. And the defense couldn’t stop Burrow.
Burrow had a 5-yard touchdown pass to Chase and another 16-yard score to Chase Brown. Burrow had 207 yards and two touchdowns at halftime and the Bengals led 17-10. Burrow looked very smart, as he has most of the season, often avoiding the rush and keeping his eyes downfield to find receivers. Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl a few years ago, but he may be playing the best football of his career this season.
Finally, Burrow made one big mistake. The Cowboys tied the game early in the third quarter when Rush hit Brandin Cooks for a 3-yard touchdown. Then Burrow overthrew Chase downfield and was intercepted by safety Malik Hooker. The Cowboys couldn’t convert it into a touchdown, but they got a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead.
The Bengals (5-8) then tied the game at 20-20 with a field goal. Both teams entered with losing records but put on a good show to set up drama for the Monday night crowd in the fourth quarter.
A tight 4th quarter
The Bengals got lucky on what looked like a key turnover. Andrei Iosivas looked as if he had been dispossessed, but a re-check showed he never secured the tackle as he juggled it, so it was incomplete. Burrow was then ejected — the officials missed a clear face-mask penalty in Dallas — and took the next play.
The Bengals got a stop and that gave Burrow a chance to win the game. Before the drive that started at 5:31, he was knocked down on the previous drive, possibly on a sack, and ESPN showed him getting a knee brace. The drive started well, but two offensive penalties got the Bengals down in the 26th minute. After a short completion and a pocket, Cincinnati punted at the two-minute warning. That’s when the punt was blocked, leading to a comedy of errors by the Bengals who got the ball back.
Chase is having a monster season and took a short pass shortly after a Dallas gaffe, slipped on one tackle attempt and used it for a pass.
Micah Parsons stormed off the field after a heartbreaking loss. This picture is a good representation of the Cowboys’ entire season.
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Joe Burrow finally won.
Final: Bengals 27, Cowboys 20
After a wild finish in Arlington, the Bengals head home with a win. Both teams are 5-8 on the season.
Bart for Lisa for guidance
Here’s another (better) look at the Burrow-to-Chase landing on Disney+.
Touchdown, Bengals
And just like that, the Bengals are ahead. Joe Burrow hits Ja’Marr Chase for a 40-yard touchdown and the Bengals lead 27-20.
The Cowboys block the punt, but the Bengals get the ball
Well, that was something. The Cowboys blocked the punt, but the Bengals recovered and would actually retain possession after the Cowboys failed to recover. So Joe Burrow is coming back out. What a wild turn of events in Dallas.
Cowboys fire Burrow
Liufau sacks Joe Burrow on third-and-long and the Cowboys get the ball back at the two-minute warning. We are still tied 20-20.
Bengals get the ball back
The Cowboys picked up a first down, but then Cooper Rush threw three straight incomplete passes to set up the punt. Joe Burrow and the Bengals now get the ball back on their own 14.
The Bengals are swimming back to the Cowboys
The missed opportunity was not important. The Cowboys get a stop on third down and now take over on a Bengals punt with about 6:30 left in the game.
Bnegals almost fumble, keep the ball
The Cowboys almost had a huge turnover, but Andre Iosivas never had full possession. His fumble was overturned and the Bengals would continue to drive up the middle of the field now in the fourth quarter.
Cowboys punt after 3-and-out
The Bengals forced a 3-and-out after getting pressure on Cooper Rush on a 3rd-and-11 blitz. Dallas’ possession lasted only 51 seconds. The Bengals have the ball back and a chance to take the lead.
Bengals game with Cade York FG
The Cowboys stopped the Bengals on third-and-2 to force a field goal attempt. Cade York is good from 29 yards out to tie the game at 20-20 with 10:24 left in the game.
Cowboys rule DeMarvion Overshowen
The Cowboys quickly sidelined DeMarvion Overshowen with a knee injury.
Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown limps
Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown left the field with an apparent injury. He needed help getting up and eventually limped off with the help of trainers. His right leg was pinned beneath him in a pile of players on the kit. The extent of his injury is not initially clear.
Overshow, a 2023 third-round pick, missed his rookie season with an ACL tear. Overshown’s flourished in his first NFL season this year with five sacks, 5 quarterback hits, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 6 picks in 12 games.
Cowboys turn Burrow’s pick into a goahead FG
The Cowboys are back on top. After a Joe Burrow interception, the Cowboys drove 54 yards to set up a Brandon Aubrey field goal. Aubrey is good for 47 yards on the first snap of the fourth quarter to give the Cowboys a 20-17 lead.
The Cowboys first force a Joe Burrow fumble
Joe Burrow was on fire all night. But the Cowboys forced a fumble from the Bengals QB at an opportune time. Burrow took a deep look at Ja’Marr Chase in Cowboys territory, but overthrew his target and found Cowboys safety Malik Hooker instead.
The interception is just Burrow’s sixth of the season along with 32 touchdowns. The Cowboys now have a chance to break a 17-17 tie.
Brandon Cooks TD tie game
The Cowboys opened the third quarter with a statement. Dallas got the ball first and drove 70 yards on the first drive of the half, which ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Cooper Rush to Brandin Cooks. Rush had plenty of time in the pocket as he completed four runs.
The touchdown tied the game at 17-17.
The second half is underway. The Cowboys have the ball first and have a chance to tie the game.
Bengals 17, Cowboys 10: Key halftime stats
Joe Burrow splits the Cowboys and has the Bengals on top at halftime. Dallas did little to slow down a Bengals offense that was one of the best all season in the NFL. That and a Cowboys turnover have been the difference in the game so far:
Joe Burrow: 19 of 26, 207 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 turnovers Cooper Rush: 8 of 15, 104 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception
Chase Brown: 5 carries for 16 yards; 4 catches for 43 yards and 1 touchdown Rico Dowdle: 10 carries for 60 yards
Ja’Marr Chase: 7 catches for 87 yards and 1 touchdown CeeDee Lamb: 4 catches for 71 yards and 1 touchdown
Bengals total offense: 240 yards on 6.9 yards per play Cowboys total offense: 157 yards on 5.8 yards per play
Bengals first downs: 12 Cowboys first downs: 7
Bengals turnovers: 0 Cowboy turnovers: 1
Another Cowboys 3-and-out ends the first half
The Bengals forced another Cowboys 3-and-out in the final minute of the first half to go into halftime with a 17-10 lead.
Bengals add FG before halftime
The Bengals added a field goal after forcing a late 3-and-out to take a 17-10 lead with seconds left in the half. A 36-yard drive ends with a 37-yard kick by Cade York.
