The Dallas Cowboys seemed 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.The block by linebacker Nick Vigil was clean. But, like Lett infamously touching a blocked field goal in the snow in a 1993 Thanksgiving game, cornerback Amani Oruwariye didn’t leave the live ball alone after the block. Oruwariye tried to field it, making the ball live which he fumbled. The Bengals recovered.
A few plays later, Ja’Marr Chase broke a 40-yard touchdown against a Cowboys defense that should have been off the field, giving Cincinnati a 27-20 lead with 1:01 left.
The Cowboys (5-8) have had a disappointing season but had a shot at their first three-game winning streak with a win. But nothing sums up this Dallas season like having a blocked punt, and then giving it away because not everyone knew to get away from the bouncing ball.
Bengals take halftime lead
The Cowboys had a good start. Dallas quarterback Cooper Rush hit CeeDee Lamb for an 11-yard touchdown to start the scoring. But it’s the Cowboys, and the mistakes started coming. Rush threw an interception in the red zone. The offense stalled a bit. And the defense couldn’t stop Burrow.
Burrow had 207 yards and two touchdowns at halftime, and the Bengals led 17-10. Burrow looked very sharp, as he has most of the season, frequently enough avoiding the rush and keeping his eyes upfield to find receivers. Burrow led the bengals to a Super Bowl a few years ago, but he might be playing the best football of his career this season.
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 picked off by safety malik Hooker. the Cowboys couldn’t convert it into a touchdown, but got a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead.
The Bengals (5-8) tied it 20-20 on a field goal after that. Both teams came in with losing records, but they put on a good show to set up some drama in the fourth quarter for the Monday night audience.
A close 4th quarter
The Bengals got lucky on what looked like a key turnover. Andrei Iosivas looked like he was stripped of the ball,but a replay review showed he never secured the catch as he was juggling it,so it was ruled incomplete. Burrow was sacked after that — officials missed a clear facemask penalty on Dallas — and punted on the next play.
Chase is having a monster season, and shortly after the gaffe by Dallas, he took a short pass, slipped by one tackle attempt, and took it in for the go-ahead touchdown.
Micah Parsons stormed off the field after the heartbreaking loss. That image is a good depiction of the Cowboys’ entire season.