Ja’Marr Chase and Bengals Capitalize on Cowboys’ Leon Lett-Like Blunder for Stunning Win. The Leon Lett franchise is still unsure about when to stop touching a blocked kick.
Following the two-minute warning, the Dallas Cowboys appeared to have a massive blocked punt that would have given them excellent field position in Monday night’s 20–20 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Linebacker Nick Vigil made a clean block. However, cornerback Amani Oruwariye didn’t leave the live ball alone after the block, just like Lett famously touched a blocked field goal in the snow during a 1993 Thanksgiving game. Oruwariye fumbled the ball after attempting to field it, making it live. The Bengals bounced back.
With 1:01 remaining, Cincinnati led 27–20 when Ja’Marr Chase broke a 40-yard touchdown against a Cowboys defense that ought to have been off the field.
The Bengals held on to win after stifling the Cowboys’ last offensive attempt.
With a victory, the Cowboys (5-8), who have had a poor season, had a chance to go on their first three-game winning streak. Having a blocked punt and then giving it away because nobody knew how to escape the bouncing ball, however, perfectly captures this Dallas season.
Oruwariye declined to speak, according to C.J. Goodwin of the Cowboys, who told reporters after the game: “That’s my teammate. My brother is that. DLLS reporter Joseph Hoyt said that Goodwin stated, “We aren’t doing any negativity.”
Bengals take halftime lead
The Cowboys got off to a strong start. CeeDee Lamb was hit by Dallas quarterback Cooper Rush (or was it Homer Simpson?) for an 11-yard touchdown to open the scoring. However, it’s the Cowboys, and the errors began to appear. In the red zone, Rush threw an interception. The offensive somewhat stagnated. Additionally, Burrow was unstoppable by the defenders.
Burrow had two touchdown passes: one to Chase Brown, 16 yards, and another to Chase, 5 yards. At the half, Burrow had 207 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bengals were ahead 17–10. Burrow, who has spent the majority of the season dodging the rush and maintaining his eyes upfield to find receivers, looked really sharp. A few years ago, Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl, but this season, he may be playing his best football yet.
Burrow finally committed a serious error. Early in the third quarter, Rush connected Brandin Cooks for a 3-yard touchdown, tying the score for the Cowboys. Then safety Malik Hooker picked Burrow off after he overthrew Chase downfield. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Cowboys got a field goal to take a 20–17 lead, but they were unable to convert it into a touchdown.
After then, a field goal by the Bengals (5-8) knotted the score at 20-20. Despite having losing records going into the game, both teams gave a strong performance to set up some drama for the Monday night crowd in the fourth quarter.
A close 4th quarter
On what appeared to be a crucial turnover, the Bengals were fortunate. The catch was declared incomplete because Andrei Iosivas appeared to have been deprived of the ball, but a replay review revealed that he never made the catch while juggling it. After officials failed to call a clear facemask penalty on Dallas, Burrow was fired and punted on the following play.
Burrow had a chance to win the game after the Bengals made a stop. ESPN showed him receiving a brace on his knee prior to the drive that began with 5:31 remaining after he was hurt on the previous drive, possibly on the sack. The drive got off to a strong start, but the Bengals were forced into a second-and-26 after two offensive penalties. At the two-minute warning, Cincinnati punted following a brief completion and a sack. At that point, the punt was blocked, and the Bengals got the ball back in a hilarious series of mistakes.
Shortly after Dallas’s blunder, Chase took a short throw, eluded one tackle attempt, and took it in for the game-winning score. Chase is having an incredible season.
Micah Parsons left the field in a fury following the devastating defeat. The Cowboys’ entire season is well captured in one picture.
