'There's Nothing Like Cowboys Fans!' Coach Mike McCarthy Leads Dallas to 20-17 Win Over Bengals: Live Game Log
They won respect.
They won bets.
They won the game.
The Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Nation welcomed Cincinnati to AT&T Stadium on Sunday, as the defending AFC Champion Bengals were looking to bounce back from what can only be described as a wacky Week 1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Cowboys meanwhile spent Saturday on roster moves, signing quarterback Cooper Rush and kicker Brett Maher up to the 53-man roster ... and both of them would play pivotal roles in the 20-17 buzzer-beating win in Week 2.
Old friend Dez Bryant has $37,000 in his pocket because he was willing to bet on Rush and Maher. And Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs put a cork in the Bengals' pregame bragging.
Oh and 92,000 Cowboys fans at AT&T Stadium, said coach Mike McCarthy, had something to do with it.
"When you go out in pregame and see the white towels on the seats, I'll tell you it brings a smile to my face,'' McCarthy said. "They were on it. There's nothing like these Cowboy fans. Just from the time you arrive, all the way thru. An incredible atmosphere today."
Oh, and should we credit the oft-bashed McCarthy for holding his Dak Prescott-less team together? Cowboys owner Jerry Jones thinks so.
"Everybody feels great for Mike,'' Jones said. "Mike stayed strong, stayed steady, never wavered in terms of second-guessing. It certainly inspired the players. He was a great leader during this tough week. We all know that (Dak injury) was rough sledding on not only the players but the coach and the coaching staff.''
Below, how it all unfolded ...
Cincinnati lost a 23-20 heartbreaker last week in a game that featured a Bengals touchdown as time expired to tie the game, only to see the game-winning extra point blocked. In overtime, more heartbreak for the Bengals as both teams missed field goals before Pittsburgh finally prevailed as time expired in overtime with a 53-yard game-winning kick.
The heartbreak was different for Dallas in Week 1, suffering losses both on and off the field. The offense sputtered all game long in the Cowboys' 19-3 loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and looked no different even after quarterback Dak Prescott was lost for the game with a broken thumb. The Cowboys were the only team in the NFL without a touchdown in Week 1.
Originally feared to be a long-term injury, Prescott may be able to return in a much more compact time frame ... Maybe even in time to face a heated divisional rival - the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6.
Follow along with CowboysSI.com as we keep you updated on all the latest from AT&T Stadium and Bengals vs. Cowboys.
FIRST QUARTER: Cowboys 7, Bengals 3
The Cowboys have the ball first to start the game.
Dallas took the opening drive 75 yards in 12 plays in 6:25 and cashed in.
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Cooper Rush found Noah Brown in the end zone with a nine-yard touchdown pass. The Brett Maher extra point was good for a Cowboys 7-0 lead with 8:35 left in the first quarter.
The Bengals took over from their own 25 after the touchback.
Cincinnati converted two 3rd and longs on its way to the Dallas 25 where the drive stalled forcing a field goal attempt.
FIELD GOAL BENGALS: the McPherson 43-yard field goal attempt is good as Cincinnati closes the gap to 7-3 after a nine-play, 50-yard drive that took 5:30 off the clock. Dallas leads with 3:05 left in the first quarter.
Dallas took over from its own 25 after the touchback.
Pollard and Elliott are finding their legs on the ground as Dallas has 38 yards rushing in the first quarter thus far.
On 3rd and 10 from the DAL 25, Rush found Brown for 28 yards to the CIN 47.
Rush passed deep toward the goalline for Lamb, and the pass was ruled incomplete. But after an official review, it was overturned, and the pass was completed to the one-yard lie for 46 yards.
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Tony Pollard ran up the middle for one yard for the touchdown.
The Maher extra point was good for a 14-3 Cowboys lead. The scoring drive went 75 yards in six plays and took 2:48 off the clock.
The Bengals took over from their own 25 after the touchback.
The Dallas defense got to Burrow on first down for a sack of six yards to the 19,
END OF THE FIRST QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER: Cowboys 17, Bengals 3
The Bengals went three-and-out on their drive and were forced punt.
Huber's punt went 44 yards to the DAL 25.
The Cowboys were able to get to their own 43 before the drive stalled forcing a Dallas punt.
Anger's punt went 42 yards to the CIN 15 where it was fair caught by Taylor.
A false start penalty took the ball back to the CIN 10 for a 1st and 15. Cincinnati converted a 3rd and 5 with a Burrow to Chase pass for six yards.
Dallas was hit with an unnecessary roughness call on a Burrow scramble to the CIN 39 that took the ball to the DAL 46.
The Bengals' drive stalled at the DAL 42 forcing a Bengals punt with 6:17 left in the half.
The punt went to the DAL 11. On first down, Elliott ran for 11 yards to the DAL 22.
Dallas went all the way to the CIN 48 before failing a 3rd and 11 with an incomplete Cooper Rus pass.
The Bryan Anger punt went to the CIN 13 with 2:19 left in the half.
Joe Mixon ran four yards to the CIN 17 before the two-minute warning.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
Burrow connected with Chase for 12 yards to the CIN 29, then Hurst caught a four-yard pass to the 33.
Burrow was sacked on 2nd and 6 from the CIN 33 by Fowler and fumbled the ball, but Mixon recovered for a loss of three yards.
On the next play Burrow was sacked again by Armstrong for 11 yards.
Dallas took a timeout with 1:05 left in the half as Cincinnati was setting up for a punt.
Dallas took over from its own 31.
FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Brett Maher kicked a 54-yard field goal with 9 seconds left in the half for a 17-3 Cowboys lead.
HALFTIME
THIRD QUARTER: Cowboys 17, Bengals 9
Cincinnati began the second half with the ball from its own 25.
On 4th and 4 from the CIN 41, the Bengals converted with a Cowboys penalty to extend the drive as Harper was caught in the neutral zone.
FIELD GOAL BENGALS: McPherson's 50-yard field goal is good, inching the Bengals closer with a score of 17-6 Dallas. The scoring drive went 43 yards in 11 plays and took 5:19 off the clock.
Dallas took over from its 25 after the touchback, but the drive stalls after a Rush to Elliott incompletion on 3rd and 7.
The Anger punt goes 51 yards, returned by Taylor to the CIN 44 for a return of 23 yards.
On 1st and 10, Burrow found Higgins at the DAL 40 for 19 yards.
FIELD GOAL BENGALS: McPherson hits from 46 to cut into the DAL lead at 17-9. The scoring drive goes 31 yards in seven plays and took 3:55 off the clock.
Dallas took the ball down to the CIN 35 with a heavy dose of Elliott and Pollard, but on 2nd and 8 Rush found Shultz across the middle, and Schultz fumbled the ball.
TURNOVER BENGALS: Schultz fumbled the ball at the CIN 25, recovered by Reader at the 26.
END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER: Cowboys 17, Bengals 9
Cincinnati was held to a three-and-out and forced to punt.
Dallas took over from its own 26, and moved the ball to the 46 where it was forced to punt.
The Anger punt went 42 yards to the CIN 17. There was some discussion that the punt hit the scoreboard at AT&T Stadium, but that could not be confirmed by the officials.
The ball stayed at the 17.
The Cowboys forced a 3rd and 10 from the 17, and the Bengals converted for 16 yards to the CIN 33.
Dallas moved the ball up to the 38 with a too-many-men-on-the-field penalty.
Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson stopped Mixon for a 2-yard loss on first down.
Cincinnati moved the ball with relative ease to the DAL 42 when the Cowboys were forced to call a timeout on a 2nd and 10 with 8:06 left in the fourth quarter,
The Bengals converted a 3rd and 7, gaining eight yards with a Burrow to Hurst pass to the left side.
Faced with a 4th and 6 from the DAL 27, Burrow threw complete to Chase for eight yards, extending the drive with 6:03 left in the fourth quarter.
TOUCHDOWN BENGALS: Burrow passed on the right side to Higgins for five yards and the touchdown, The two-point conversion was good to tie the game at 17. The scoring drive went 83 yards in 19 plays and 8:54.
Dallas started its drive from its won 25, and Rush hit Lamb for 24 yards to the DAL 49.
On 3rd and 14, Rush missed Lamb across the middle to bring up fourth down. The ball was deflected at the line of scrimmage.
The Cowboys punt went to the CIN 8, first down Bengals with 2:13 left.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
On 3rd and 3 the Bengals came up short with a Burrow to Boyd pass that Diggs stopped short.
Dallas returned the kick to the DAL 35.
Dallas moved to the CIN 45 with 24 seconds remaining and took its last timeout.
On 1st and 10 from the CIN 32 Dallas stopped the clock for a 50 yard field goal attempt.,
FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher hits from 50 yards as time expires to win the game.
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