Cowboys open roof for ‘Monday Night Football’… without incident this time Todd Brock With a two-game win streak under the Cowboys’ belt, the sky is no longer falling in Dallas. And now as the team gears up for a Week 14 primetime bout with the Bengals, neither is the roof over their heads. The retractable roof at AT&T Stadium has been opened for the Monday night matchup, just three weeks after a large piece of sheet metal crashed to the playing surface hours before the team’s Nov. 18 game against the Texans. No one was hurt in that incident, and the roof was closed in plenty of time for the evening’s game, which Dallas lost by a 34-10 score. The piece of metal turned out to be a covering lid to a cable tray located within the inner workings of the roof. High winds in the area that day had loosened the lid, and a heavy gust sent it flying only a couple hours prior to kickoff. Crews later determined that there were no structural issues with the stadium. The venue stayed open and then hosted another game Thanksgiving Day, although the roof remained closed. The Monday forecast in Arlington called for temperatures around 56 degrees at kickoff after a sunny and wday in the area. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The roof at the 15-year-old stadium has been open for less than 25% of all Cowboys home games since its grand opening. Monday night will mark the first time it’s been left open for a Cowboys game since Oct. 30, 2022. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Infuriating, unbelievably dumb mistake costs Cowboys late in 27-20 loss to Bengals K.D. Drummond In front of Troy Aikman, no less. The Dallas Cowboys had one of those once-in-a-lifetime bad decisions haunt them in a winnable game. Harkening back to nightmarish memories from Leon Lett in Thanksgiving snow in 1993, a beautiful special teams play turned into a disastrous losing moment. Late in the fourth quarter of a game tied at 20, Dallas’ defense pushed Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati offense way back to a 4th and 27 from their own side of the field. The punt, at the two-minute warning, would give the Cowboys a chance for a third win in a row and near them to .500. A block! But they touched it. Unbelievable. Bengals ball. Madness. In a wildly disappointing 2024 season, this is the first gut punch loss for the Cowboys. Every other loss had been a blowout, even the ones they made look close. And despite all of that, Dallas didn’t give up on the season. But this loss? This one might have broken everyone’s spirit. Cornerback Amani Oruwariye, just activated from IR before kickoff, attempted to corral a bouncing ball after linebacker Nick Vigil blocked the punt, but instead saw the ball bounce off his arm and past him. The Bengals recovered and a dejected Cowboys defense that had held the dynamic Cincy offense to just 20 points, came back out on the field. Well, their bodies came back out, but their souls didn’t. A few plays later, Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase on the right sideline, and he spun away from an over-pursuing DaRon Bland and raced 40 yards for the score. Bengals win, 27-20. Dallas drops to 5-8. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

The Dallas Cowboys return to the field on Monday night, but their roster is going to look a little different when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals. The club hasn’t taken the field since Thanksgiving, meaning their minibye is close to being a second by for the season. They deserve it, after having back-to-back short weeks that really took a toll on their injury statuses. Dallas played Monday night in Houston in Week 11, then played Sunday at home in Week 12, just to turn around and play Thursday afternoon. Three games in 10 days is asking a lot, especially late in the season. As a result, there’s been some roster shuffling since facing off against the Giants. The recent revelation that nine-time All-Pro guard Zack Martin is done for the season has resulted in him being moved to IR. Also out for the year is cornerback Josh Butler. The two open roster spots are both being taken up by cornerbacks. Amani Oruwariye is being activated from IR and Kemon Hall is being permantently promoted from the practice squad. Dallas is using just one of their elevations this week, also bringing Andrew Booth up from the practice squad. Adding three cornerbacks while losing only one is interesting, as many expected Trevon Diggs to return after missing the last several games. Perhaps the club is going to shift Isreal Mukuamu back to a safety role as the only active players at that position currently are starters Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker. Here’s a look at the 54-man roster. Quarterbacks (2) Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Cooper Rush Trey Lance Running Backs (4) ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 12: Rico Dowdle #23 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Rico Dowdle Ezekiel Elliott Hunter Luepke Deuce Vaughn Tight Ends (4) Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Jake Ferguson Luke Schoonmaker Brevyn Spann-Ford Princeton Fant Wide Receivers (7) Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) walks the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images CeeDee Lamb Brandin Cooks Jalen Tolbert Kavontae Turpin Jalen Brooks Ryan Flournoy Jonathan Mingo Offensive Tackles (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton #60 of the Dallas Cowboys stretches during training camp on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Tyler Guyton Terence Steele Chuma Edoga Matt Waletzko Offensive Guards (3) October 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Smith (73) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Tyler Smith Brock Hoffman TJ Bass Centers (1) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Defensive tackle Kobie Turner #91 of the Los Angeles Rams locks up with center Brock Hoffman #67 of the Dallas Cowboys during a skirmish between the two teams during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Cooper Beebe Defensive Ends (5) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 17: Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on prior to a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) Micah Parsons Marshawn Kneeland Chauncey Golston Tyrus Wheat Carl Lawson Defensive Tackles (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Linebacker Micah Parsons #11 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith #58 of the Dallas Cowboys throw punches aa they jokingly spar prior to a training session on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Osa Odighizuwa Mazi Smith Linval Joseph Carlos Watkins Linebackers (6) Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (35) wears a Guardian helmet cap during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Eric Kendricks DeMarvion Overshown Damone Clark Marist Liufau Buddy Johnson Nick Vigil Cornerbacks (6) Oct 2, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) celebrate after Diggs intercepts a pass against the Washington Commanders during the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Trevon Diggs DaRon Bland Jourdan Lewis Amani Oruwariye Kemon Hall Andrew Booth (elevation) Safeties (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Running back Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams rushes against safety Malik Hooker #28 and Donovan Wilson #6 of the Dallas Cowboys during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Malik Hooker Donovan Wilson Israel Mukuamu Juanyeh Thomas (out) Special Teams (4) INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Brandon Aubrey #17 of the Dallas Cowboys watches his field goal with Bryan Anger #5, to take a 12-6 lead over the Los Angeles Rams, in a 13-12 Rams win during a preseason game at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Brandon Aubrey Bryan Anger Trent Sieg CJ Goodwin

Monday Night Football schedule: Is there a ‘ManningCast’ for Cowboys-Bengals? K.D. Drummond When the game isn’t going to be very interesting, it’s a good thing when broadcast partners have gimmicks in their back pockets. Peyton and Eli Manning have returned for a fourth season of the ManningCast with the two former quarterbacks set to provide commentary for 11 weeks of Monday Night Football games this fall. The brothers released a funny 10-minute musical to promote the upcoming ManningCast season in September. The 2024 slate includes tonight’s Cowboys-Bengals game that will be televised on main ESPN, which is available to stream on fuboTV (try it free). The game is also being broadcast in a different way. Over on ESPN+, Disney+ and NFL+, the game will be shown in the world of Springfield; an animated version of things that will be in the world of the Simpsons. “Each Bengals and Cowboys player will appear as a motion-enabled, animated player for the special primetime matchup,” the release stated. In addition to 10 games during the regular-season action, the Manning brothers will also provide commentary for a Wild Card game in January. Check out the full schedule below. ManningCast 2024 Schedule NFL Week Date Game TV 1 Sept. 9 Jets @ 49ers ESPN2, ESPN+ 2 Sept. 16 Falcons @ Eagles ESPN2 5 Oct. 7 Saints @ Chiefs ESPN2 6 Oct. 14 Bills @ Jets ESPN2 7 Oct. 21 Ravens @ Bucs ESPN2, ESPN+ 8 Oct. 28 Giants @ Steelers ESPN2, ESPN+ 9 Nov. 4 Bucs @ Chiefs ESPN2 11 Nov. 18 Texans @ Cowboys ESPN2 12 Nov. 25 Ravens @ Chargers ESPN2 14 Dec. 9 Bengals @ Cowboys ESPN2, ESPN+ Wild Card Jan. 13 TBD ESPN2, ESPN+ The ManningCast is televised on ESPN2. The primary MNF broadcast will continue to feature Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters on ESPN. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

The Dallas Cowboys cannot afford to waste any draft picks, despite their recent misuse of their fourth round picks. Some internal data must have told the front office that it’s better to use those selections on currently disappointing young veterans than rookies out of school. The team used their 2024 fourth rounder to acquire QB Trey Lance who hasn’t seen any significant action in two seasons and is going to be a free agent in 2025 after originally being selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers. Earlier this season, the club sent away their 2025 fourth rounder to bring in WR Jonathan Mingo, who has yet to show any serious ceiling in his handful of games. We can’t fix that in real life, but in the mock draft world, we can work to correct such errors by trading back. The Cowboys are going to have plenty of holes to fill this coming offseason, and the biggest might be the replacement of Zack Martin, who has hinted at retirement and is now out for the year with an ankle injury. His decision will likely include consideration of the new coaching staff and blocking scheme, as he’s had two down years under Mike Solari. In this mock, we assume he’s calling it a Hall-of-Fame career. Other considerations are the departure of WR Brandin Cooks, DT Osa Odighizuwa and other needs. Here’s a look at a four-round mock draft conducted on Pro Football Focus. Cowboys pick at No. 13 The current draft order projection for Week 14 is that the Cowboys’ 5-7 record places them 13th in the first-round draft order. Cowboys Team Needs Sep 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones on the field before the game against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Dallas beat New Orleans 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Dallas has needs all over the place, and as always will have to balance their free agent moves… ahaha just kidding. They’ll need to balance their availability projections. If they need to fill two positions pretty equally, and one is top heavy and the other is deep, it’s probably a better decision to grab the prospect from the top-heavy position. Dallas is in need of a running back, wideout, defensive end, and defensive tackle. They could also potentially need safety help, depending on if they give the youngsters a chance to show their worth, along with linebacker depth. And as explained above, QB shouldn’t be ruled out if one who they think is special is staring them in the face. Top 12 picks ahead of Dallas BOULDER, COLORADO – APRIL 27: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes warms-up prior to their spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) Jacksonville Jaguars : WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State New York Giants: DT Mason Graham, Michigan New England Patriots: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona Carolina Panthers: DE Abdul Carter, Penn State New York Jets: Safety Malaki Starks, Georgia Tennessee Titans: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama Cleveland Browns: T Wil Campbell, LSU New Orleans Saints: Edge Nic Scourton, Texas A&M Cincinnati Bengals: CB Will Johnson, Michigan Chicago Bears: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri Miami Dolphins: OT Kelvin Banks, Jr., Texas 1.13: Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons (71) blocks Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Darius Robinson (6) during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports With the departure of Martin, the Cowboys look to immediately replace him with a midwest tackle they’ll shift inside. Hopefully similar results as their 2014 choice ensue. Simmons stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 310 pounds, and is a monster whose minimal deficits will be mitigated on the interior and wealth of talents put to greater use. Simmons has missed time this season after knee surgery, but the power and athleticism he showed will make him an easy first-round selection if his medicals are cleared. Trade Down: New England Patriots Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports The Patriots wanted to package their two third-round picks to move up into the second round and Dallas jumped at the chance to demand an early fourth rounder as well, in exchange for including their own fifth rounder. Cowboys receive 3.68, 3.83, 4.105 Patriots receive 2.45, 5.149 Cowboys Mock Draft 5.0 Complete Haul Sep 30, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Utah State Aggies wide receiver Jalen Royals (1) runs the ball for a touchdown against the UConn Huskies in the second half at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports 1.13 OG Josh Simmons, Ohio State 3.68 WR Jalen Royals, Utah State 3.77 DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon 3.83 DT Deone Walker, Kentucky 4.105 RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

This is currently the Cowboys offense’s best chance without Dak Prescott reidhanson Cooper Rush has played in eight games in 2024, starting four while logging a total of 320 snaps. In that time, he’s passed the ball 185 times, completing 112, for a total of 1,008 passing yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. His 48.0 grade at Pro Football Focus ranks him last in the NFL by a rather significant margin and his -0.027 EPA+CPOE composite score backs up such a claim (also last in the NFL). It’s safe to say at this point the Cowboys know what they have in Rush. Despite banging out two consecutive wins, he’s not a quarterback that elevates a team. And despite calls to open up the offense and take more shots downfield, Mike McCarthy appears to be doing the smart thing with his replacement QB by taking a conservative approach. The Cowboys opponent in Week 14 begs such a conservative attack. The zone-happy Bengals defense ranks 28th in EPA/dropback, 29th in rush EPA allowed and 30th in total EPA allowed. They are vulnerable to both the run and the pass and as long as Dallas plays within themselves, they should be able to find success against the Cincinnati defense. In situations such as this it will be tempting for the Cowboys to take shots down the field. That’s not only unnecessary, but it asks Rush to succeed in an area of personal weakness. Based on FTN Data shown by Doug Analytics, Rush has thrown catchable deep balls on less than 30 percent of his attempts this season. He’s also bottom three in attempts and catchability percentage. PFF tracking shows Rush has attempted 16 passes of 20 or more yards and completed just four of them for a 25 percent completion rate. One of those passes qualified as a big-time throw and one pass qualified as a turnover worthy throw. It’s arguably the biggest inefficiency in his game, making the case for McCarthy to avoid deep passes with Rush at the helm. Even in the 10–19-yard range Rush has struggled in 2024. His completion percentage sits at just 40 percent and this intermediate range grades as his poorest on the field with him throwing three times as many turnover worthy throws than big time throws. For as much as the Cowboys running game and defense have struggled in 2024, they are areas Dallas simply has to lean on in order to win games. Combined with a dink and dunk passing attack that plays inside the numbers, the Cowboys are best positioned to win games behind Rush at QB. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Why Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, Jake Ferguson, Rico Dowdle should have field days vs Bengals reidhanson Injuries and poor defense are shared character traits between the two teams meeting for Monday Night Football in Week 14. Not only do the Cincinnati Bengals have the 30th-ranked defense in the NFL but, just this week alone they’ve lost left tackle Orlando Brown, linebacker Logan Wilson and kicker Evan McPherson to injury. Not to be outdone, the Dallas Cowboys boast a cellar-dwelling defense themselves, ranking 28th in EPA per play in 2024. Injures continue to be an issue on both sides of the ball with left tackle Tyler Guyton, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, and IR-bound Zack Martin all expected to miss action in Week 14. The shared dysfunction between the two teams promises for an entertaining evening as the offenses roll in what could become a comedic shootout. The Bengals remain one of the top offenses in the NFL this season. Led by Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati passing attack is of elite variety and the Dallas secondary will have their work cut out for them limiting the damage. Pressure on the passer will be paramount to the secondary’s success. Matchup winner No. 1: Micah Parsons . (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Since returning from injury in Week 10, Parsons has been on a tear. The Cowboys All-Pro has logged seven sacks and averaging 5.5 pressures/game according to Pro Football Focus tracking. And he is doing it all without a pass rushing counterpart opposite of him on the defensive line. What has helped is the emergence of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. Mike Zimmer has weaponized the explosive second-year playmaker and turned him into a blitz nightmare for opponents. It’s clear, Overshown is now drawing attention which only means good things for Parsons down the stretch. The Bengals are without their starting LT on Monday so matchups will be there if Zimmer is willing to exploit them. This may also be the first game all season Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis all play together at the cornerback position. If this finally comes to fruition and the pass rush can do their part, the defense may shock some people against this highly feared Cincinnati offense. Matchup winner No. 2: Jake Ferguson Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports After missing the previous two games to injury, Ferguson has cleared concussion protocol and returned to the field. It’s been a disappointing season for the 2023 Pro Bowler and Ferguson is hungry to notch his first 100-yard game of the season. Week 14 might be his chance. Not only is Cincinnati one of the worst TE-defending teams in the NFL, but they are now without star linebacker Wilson. Ferguson should see plenty of opportunity to make up for lost time against the sixth-worst TE-defending secondary, because the Cowboys are finally starting to trust their backup TEs, Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford, more in blocking assignments. Matchup winner No. 3: Rico Dowdle . Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Dowdle has quietly become a legitimate starting running back in Dallas this season and the Cowboys couldn’t be happier. Once stuck in a timeshare with Ezekeil Elliott, Dowdle has separated from the pack and now demands the lion’s share of opportunities. Just last week Dowdle ranked sixth in the bellcow report meaning he’s becoming on the NFL’s most leaned on RBs. Dowdle also broke free, so to speak, of his explosive play problem. After ranking near the bottom of the league in explosive play percentage most of the season, Dowdle found that extra shimmy and deployed that extra shake that’s needed to make the second level miss. The Bengals lean on zone defense so they’ll be begging Cooper Rush to dink and dunk them to death, but this isn’t bad for Dowdle who should see plenty of action in both phases of the game. Will it be enough? . Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports It’s hard to see this maligned Cowboys defense doing enough to slow the NFL’s passing leader and NFL’s receiving yards leader but if the Cowboys can get all three of their starting CBs on the field they may have a chance. A big day from Parsons should force some mistakes and with any luck the defense can help the Dallas offense score some points for a change. Rush has been struggling in this 2024 edition of the offense and consistently rates as one of the poorest starting passers in the NFL. To expect him to carry his own in a shootout is probably just wishful thinking. The Cowboys really need this game to stay low scoring so Rush can play within himself and play the methodical type of attack this Cincinnati defense begs for. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Related articles . (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.