ARLINGTON (105.3 The Fan) - The Cowboys heard the doubt all week and came ready to play on Sunday against the Bengals.
Here is our Cowboys insider Bobby Belt’s thoughts from his quarter-by-quarter game journal.
FIRST QUARTER
14:22 Back-to-back runs to open the game for Dallas. First Elliott and then Pollard. Zeke wanted a stronger commitment to the run and he’s getting it early on. Cowboys pick up a first down.
12:29 Mike McCarthy with a gutsy decision to go for it on 4th and 2 from their own 44. Cooper Rush does a nice job finding a soft spot in the defense and connects with Noah Brown for 17.
8:41 A hell of a drive for the Cowboys offense ends with a fantastic nine-yard touchdown reception by Noah Brown. 12-play, 75-yard drive for the Cowboys to open the game. Cowboys run the ball six times and pick up five first downs on the drive. This is exactly what the Cowboys need while Dak Prescott is out.
6:45 That’s a tough penalty on the veteran Anthony Barr for unnecessary roughness. Cowboys get the 3rd down stop, but the penalty extends the drive. I’m not really sure what Barr is supposed to do there to avoid the penalty.
4:35 Parsons gets his first sack of the game, and there’s a perfect example of Burrow taking a sack. Parsons worked for it, but Burrow held the ball too long and ended out sliding into pressure.
3:07 Good job by the Cowboys defense to rebound from the Barr penalty and hold Cincinnati to only a field goal. That’s what we saw last week against the Buccaneers. The defense tightens up the shorter the field gets.
1:55 Another big time play from Rush to Noah Brown. This time they connect on 3rd and 10 for a big 28-yard gain. Nice job from Rush to deliver a dart with defenders closing in.
0:39 It’s ruled a catch for Tony Pollard, but that’s a run in spirit for Pollard to get down to the 1. He punches it in for a touchdown on the very next snap. Great work by Tyler Biadasz, Dalton Schultz, and Tyler Smith on that big gain. Helped spring it.
0:17 Interesting decision by the Bengals to have tight end Drew Sample block Dorance Armstrong in pass protection. It ends with a violent sack of Burrow and a loss of six yards.
SECOND QUARTER
14:15 Micah Parsons comes screaming off the edge on 3rd and 4 forcing Joe Burrow to get rid of it sooner than he wanted. It won’t go in the books as a sack, but Parsons gets the credit for that 3rd down stop.
12:45 Nice job by CeeDee Lamb winning off the line of scrimmage on 3rd and 4. Picks up 15 on the slant. Looked like he got rolled up and was in some pain, but CeeDee Lamb was demonstrative in waving trainers off. Looked like the right knee or ankle.
11:20 Tyler Biadasz gets manhandled by Trey Hendrickson on 2nd and 8 and blows up the carry by Ezekiel Elliott. Puts the Cowboys in a tough 3rd and 13. Cowboys end out failing to convert on the next play.
10:27 Excellent, patient play by Sam Williams in run support. Drops Mixon for a loss of two on first down.
8:56 Bengals draw up a nice rub route for Ja’Marr Chase in the slot on 3rd and 5. Diggs got lost in the traffic. Chase picks up six, and Bengals get their first third down conversion of the game.
7:28 Tough sequence for the Cowboys defense on 3rd and 9. Burrow manages to escape the pocket and scramble for 12 yards. Adding insult to injury, Donovan Wilson gets hit with a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness at the end of it. Bengals net 27 yards on the play, and get first down into Cowboys territory.
7:02 Great job by Anthony Barr to remain patient and read the screen to Drew Sample on 2nd and 10. Swallows Sample up for a 4-yard loss. Puts Cincinnati in 3rd and long.
6:17 Cowboys do a great job swarm tackling Samaje Perine on the dump pass. Bengals pick up 8 on 3rd and 14, but the Cowboys had five defenders gang tackling Perine to stop him in his tracks.
5:31 Tyler Smith is so damn powerful. He clears a ton of space on the left side to set up Ezekiel Elliott for an 11-yard gain on first down.
4:00 Cowboys get an offsides on 3rd and 4. Great recognition by Cooper Rush, who takes a shot down the sideline to Noah Brown. Brown makes another fantastic grab for 25 yards.
3:07 Tyler Smith gets beat pretty badly on an inside move by Trey Hendrickson on 2nd and 10. Rush has to get out quicker than he wanted, which ends with a yard loss to Tony Pollard. Drive fizzles out after that.
1:32 Cowboys quickly collapse the pocket on 2nd and 6 with the Bengals in two-minute offense. It’s Dante Fowler catching Burrow’s arm and forcing a fumble. The third sack of the half for Dallas. Joe Mixon recovers, but Micah Parsons was incredibly close to setting up the Cowboys inside the Bengals 30.
1:13 Joe Burrow hasn’t had any time to throw today. Cowboys pass rush closes in on 3rd and 9, with Dorance Armstrong collecting his second sack of the half and an 11-yard loss.
1:04 A slick 20-yard return on the punt by KaVontae Turpin gives the Cowboys a chance just past midfield with a little under a minute remaining.
0:25 After a couple of quick throws and a first down, Cooper Rush flat out misses Tony Pollard in the flat. Had some room to make a play, but Rush threw it at his feet. As good as he’s been in the first half, you can’t miss gimme’s like that.
0:18 Risky throw from Cooper Rush on 3rd and 7 from the Bengals 36. Felt the blitz coming and tried to hit Dalton Schultz on the out route. Almost got it pick-sixed by Hilton. Brett Maher comes in and nails the 54-yard field goal. Encouraging first few weeks for Maher. 17-3 lead.
THIRD QUARTER
14:24 Bengals looking to establish the ground right out of half, and having some success. Joe Mixon with runs of 10 and 6 right out of the gate. Teams have had success against Dallas when they make the game a physical one. Looks like Cincinnati might be trying that.
13:49 Great job by Trevon Diggs to get his hand between Tee Higgins and the ball on 2nd and 4. Nice pass breakup to force third down. Micah Parsons came blazing through and obliterated Burrow as he released the ball.
13:42 Awful penalty by DeMarcus Lawrence on 4th and 4. Gets hit with a neutral zone infraction and an automatic first down. You can’t have your veterans committing silly penalties like that.
13:21 Micah Parsons could end this game with five sacks. He is getting so much pressure. He takes down Burrow on 1st and 15 to setup 2nd and 22.
11:54 Nice route by Tee Higgins, taking advantage of the cushion Trevon Diggs gave him on 3rd and 6. Picks up 16 into Dallas territory.
10:30 First time I’ve really noticed Anthony Brown. He stays glued on a comeback route to Ja’Marr Chase on 2nd and 8. Gets his hand in between and breaks up the pass. Bengals sideline wanted a flag, but Brown deserves credit for patient coverage and physicality.
10:25 Another nice play by Anthony Brown. Quick screen to Tee Higgins on 3rd and 13, and Brown made a nice tackle in space to hold him to five yards. McPherson comes on and kicks a 50-yard field goal to cut Dallas’ lead to 17-6.
8:16 Tough possession for Ezekiel Elliott, as the Cowboys have their first three-and-out of the afternoon. Elliott goes for two yards and a yard respectively on the first two plays, and then it’s a drop on 3rd and 7 in the flat. He may not have been able to reach the sticks, but he had a shot if he hauled it in.
6:59 That’s a play where you miss Jayron Kearse. Donovan Wilson screamed through the line of scrimmage on 2nd and 5 and should have had a two-yard loss in the backfield. He dives at Joe Mixon’s ankles, who hurdles right over him for a 5-yard gain and a first down. What could have been 3rd and 7 turns into a new set of downs.
4:54 Cowboys get a big stop on 3rd and 4 at the Dallas 24. Micah Parsons spun inside of La’el Collins and forced Burrow to move up in the pocket, where Leighton Vander Esch was waiting to swallow him up. Sack for Vander Esch, assist for Parsons. Bengals forced into another field goal, making it 17-9.
3:28 Another dangerous throw by Cooper Rush that almost ended in a pick for Mike Hilton. Looked for Pollard in the flat on 1st and 10 and threw it low and wide. If it was just a little higher that’s an interception.
2:53 Dallas fails on back-to-back third down attempts, but Cincinnati bails them out both times with penalties. First with an offside, and then a holding in the secondary. Cowboys go from 3rd and 8 to 3rd and 3 and then to a first down.
1:13 First turnover of the game and it’s a killer for the Cowboys. Dalton Schultz had the first down and attempted to pick up some more in traffic, but got the ball punched out just outside the red zone. Bengals scoop it up and have some additional life.
FOURTH QUARTER
15:00 Dante Fowler does a great job getting his hands up in Burrow's passing lane on 3rd and 5 to knock it down. Big stand by the defense following the turnover.
13:26 Bengals get their first sack of the game at a crucial moment. Cooper Rush can’t find anyone open on 3rd and 7. He gets wrapped up by Sam Hubbard as he tries to maneuver the pocket. Hubbard came on a twist and Biadasz was unable to pick it up cleanly. Bengals get a big stop and the ball back down 8.
12:39 Great coverage by Anthony Brown down the right sideline on 1st and 10. Burrow wanted to take a shot, but Brown stayed glued to Higgins the whole way. A good showing from Brown today.
12:27 Bengals do a great job protecting Joe Burrow on 3rd and 10, allowing Tee Higgins time to shake free from Trevon Diggs for 16 yards and a first down. Bengals hanging around in this one.
10:14 Joe Mixon is making some plays here in the second half. Shows some nice wiggle through the defense to pick up eight yards on first down. Bengals now into Dallas territory.
8:53 Big conversion by Hayden Hurst on 3rd and 1. Anthony Barr just missed getting his hands on the throw to the flat. That’s two clutch conversions by Burrow on this drive.
8:11 Huge pass breakup by Donovan Wilson and Leighton Vander Esch on Hayden Hurst down the seam. Initially flagged for unnecessary roughness, the refs pick up the flag and allow the big play to stand.
7:34 Bengals get another big time third down conversion. Hayden Hurst picks up eight on a nicely designed play on 3rd and 7. Bengals with their strongest, most consistent drive of the night. Let’s see if the Cowboys can hold up.
6:03 Cowboys finally get a third down stop on this drive as Anthony Brown provides nice coverage on Tee Higgins to stop them on 3rd and 6. Bengals quickly take the air out though as Burrow connects with Chase despite good coverage from Diggs.
3:51 The Bengals have scaled the mountain. Dallas' two touchdown lead is wiped out. Burrow hits Tee Higgins from five yards out and then find Tyler Boyd for the two point conversion. When the game turned physical, the tide began turning in Cincinnati's favor.
3:45 CeeDee Lamb finds a soft opening in the defense and picks up a big 24 yards to open the drive. Big play in a big moment. They need more of those from him.
2:24 Cowboys faced with 3rd and 14 and have Lamb in space for a potential first down. Rush's pass is tipped at the line of scrimmage and forces a punt. Lamb appeared to have room to make a play.
1:14 Trevon Diggs with two big time tackles on 2nd and 3rd down to force a punt. Great plays by a guy who has been heavily criticized for his tackling.
0:00 Maher with the big kick. What a clutch day for him. A clutch final drive from Rush, Brown, and Lamb. Cowboys survive.
