Bengals trying to end another 3-game skid in visit to suddenly surging Cowboys

Cincinnati (4-8) at Dallas (5-7)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN

BetMGM NFL Odds: Bengals by 5 1/2.

Against the spread: Bengals 6-6; Cowboys 4-8.

Series record: Cowboys lead 10-4.

Last meeting: Cowboys beat Bengals 20-17 on Sept. 18, 2022, in Arlington, Texas.

Last week: Bengals lost to Steelers 44-38; Cowboys beat Giants 27-20.

Bengals offense: overall (9), rush (27), pass (1), scoring (T5).

Bengals defense: overall (27), rush (22), pass (27), scoring (31).

Cowboys offense: overall (20), rush (31), pass (7), scoring (21).

Cowboys defense: overall (26), rush (31), pass (13), scoring (T29).

Turnover differential: Bengals minus-1; Cowboys minus-7.

Bengals player to watch

Joe Burrow is one of five QBs in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes and no more than five interceptions through 12 games. Aaron Rodgers has done it three times, with one each for Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees and Tom Brady. The worst record among the six previous instances was 9-3, while Burrow sits at a hard-to-imagine 4-8. Two of those teams started 12-0: Green Bay with Rodgers in 2011 and Tom Brady with New England in 2007. Burrow leads the NFL in passing yards (3,337), completions (302) and touchdowns (30) entering Week 14.

Cowboys player to watch

LB DeMarvion Overshown had a coming-out moment with his spectacular 23-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Giants. The second-year player, who missed his rookie season with a knee injury, tipped a pass from Drew Lock, ran down the deflection and scored untouched to put Dallas ahead for good. There’s talk of him forming quite a tandem with two-time All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons. It’s a little early for that, but the “Monday Night Football” audience will be looking for an encore.

Key matchup

WR Ja’Marr Chase vs. the Dallas secondary. The question is whether 2021 All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs will be among the defenders going up against his former Southeastern Conference rival (Chase played for LSU; Diggs for Alabama). Diggs has missed two games with groin and knee issues. There was some trash talk involved in Dallas’ 20-17 win two years ago when the Bengals were defending AFC champs. Chase finished with 54 yards as Cincinnati was held to 254 yards and one touchdown. If Diggs can’t go, 2023 All-Pro DaRon Bland figures to see plenty of Chase. Bland is set for his third game after missing the first 10 following surgery for a stress fracture in his foot. Chase leads the league in receiving yards (1,142) and touchdowns (13) entering Week 14.

Key injuries

Bengals K Evan McPherson (groin) and LB Logan Wilson (knee) were placed on injured reserve this week. Cade York, the LSU kicker when Burrow and Chase led the Tigers to the 2019 national championship, was signed to replace McPherson. … LT Orlando Brown Jr. is out again with a fibula injury after ending a three-game absence with a return against the Steelers. … Cowboys RG Zack Martin has opted for ankle surgery that will end an injury-filled season for the seven-time All-Pro. Martin missed the past two games. … It appears Dallas will have to wait at least one more week before DE DeMarcus Lawrence returns from a foot injury. His practice window hasn’t opened, and he stayed in the rehab group to start the week. Lawrence hasn’t played since Week 4. … Rookie LT Tyler Guyton has been dealing with a shoulder injury and added an ankle sprain last week. He is likely to sit this week in favor of veteran Chuma Edoga, who made his season debut against the Giants after injuring a toe in training camp.

Series notes

The Cowboys have beaten the Bengals five times in a row and are 7-1 at home against them. The loss was at old Texas Stadium in 1988. The most recent victory for Cincinnati was 26-3 in 2004.

Stats and stuff

The Bengals are on their second three-game losing streak of the season and still looking for their first victory over a team with a winning record. The Cowboys have won two in a row coming off a five-game losing streak and just ended a six-game skid at home. … Seven of Cincinnati’s losses have been one-score games, including the past three. … The Bengals have the second-best touchdown rate inside the 20-yard line at 71.1%. The Cowboys have the second worst at 43.8%. … It’s the second Monday night game of the season for both teams. Cincinnati lost to Washington in Week 3. Dallas lost to Houston in Week 11. … Burrow is one of six QBs with at least three consecutive games of 300-plus yards passing and at least three TDs. Steve Young set the record with five for San Francisco in 1998. Burrow has lost all three games on his streak, while the other five QBs were a combined 15-6 during their streaks. … WR Tee Higgins is one of three NFL receivers with at least five touchdowns in each of the past five seasons. Mike Evans and Justin Jefferson are the others. … LT Orlando Brown Jr. returned against Pittsburgh following the first stint of his seven-year career on the inactive list with a leg injury sustained Oct. 27. … The Bengals benched starting LG Cordell Volson against the Steelers in favor of Cody Ford. Coach Zac Taylor said Ford played well enough to keep the starting job. … Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson entered the week still leading the NFL with 11 1/2 sacks but has just half a sack during the current three-game losing streak that followed his career-high four sacks against Las Vegas. But Hendrickson does have 4 1/2 sacks in his past four road games and 9 1/2 in eight Monday night games. … Cowboys QB Cooper Rush’s second career start, and first as a five-game fill-in for the injured Dak Prescott in 2022, was a Dallas victory over the Bengals. Rush passed for 235 yards and a touchdown in the first of four consecutive games without an interception, all victories. Rush is 2-2 this season as the replacement for Prescott, who is out for the season following surgery on a torn hamstring. … RB Rico Dowdle is coming off his first career 100-yard game, with 112 yards rushing and a touchdown against the Giants. … CeeDee Lamb needs 120 yards receiving to become the first Dallas wideout to reach 1,000 yards in four of his first five seasons. … Dallas has 16 sacks in the four games since two-time All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons returned from a high ankle sprain. The Cowboys are tied with Denver for the most sacks in that span. Parsons has 5 1/2 of them.

Fantasy tip

Bengals RB Chase Brown has at least 90 scrimmage yards in the past four games, including a team-best 100 last week against the Steelers. Dallas has the second-worst run defense in the NFL.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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