‘Lotta Fun’: Dallas Cowboys Make Last-Second Play to Upset Bengals 20-17

Dallas Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 set up "two pissed-off teams.'' And now there is one.

ARLINGTON - Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn previewed Sunday's Week 2 visit from the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals by predicting that by virtue of both hopeful contenders losing in Week 1, the matchup at AT&T Stadium would feature "two pissed-off teams.''

And now there is one.

The Cowboys, using Cooper Rush at quarterback place of an injured Dak Prescott, shocked the Bengals, 20-17, with a last-minute Rush drive and a last-second Brett Maher 50-yard field goal.

Cowboys QB Cooper Rush doesn’t show much emotion. Is he happy right now?

“Yeah, definitely,” said “Quiet Assassin” QB Rush, emotionally steady as always. “Winning an NFL game is a lotta fun.”

The Bengals, led by QB Joe Burrow, lost to AFC North rival Pittsburgh in overtime last week while the Cowboys lost to Tampa Bay - a game in which they lost Prescott to a thumb injury that will sideline him for more than a month.

Burrow and Joe Mixon and Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins couldn’t keep up with … Cooper Rush and Noah Brown?

The Cowboys hoped they could counter with defensive playmakers like reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons, and they did. It took all game for Cincy to finally score a lone touchdown.

But Dallas’ emotion - and yes, depth in talent - overcame.

“So much for all you prediction experts!” teased Cowboys owner Jerry Jones when he realized the CowboysSI.com camera was on him.

Parsons admitted this week that losing a key player can mean "everyone was (emotionally) crushed. ... People are going to have to step up again."

Dallas hoped Rush could be that guy, as he was one time in 2021 when he helped Dallas to a win at Minnesota while Dak was hurt. The hope was rewarded.

#CooperRush engineers opening TD drive, Noah Brown scores ( Zeke runs back on field to save Brown 1sr-career-score ball) https://t.co/XpImtdZoYw #ohiostate pic.twitter.com/kd6nQqhqDm

— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) September 18, 2022

Rush completed 19-of-31 passes for 235 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Brown ended up catching all five targets for 91 yards, plus the opening TD. CeeDee Lamb (7-of-11 for 75 yards) and Tony Pollard 98 yards of offense and a touchdown) paired up nicely with a Micah-led defense that recorded six sacks.

A 1-1 record feels vastly different than Sunday’s alternative, right? It’s a lotta fun.

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