With the game tied and two minutes left, the Dallas Cowboys looked to get the ball back with good field position to go for the win.
When the punt was blocked by Nick Vigil, victory on Monday night seemed all but certain.
But Amani Oruwariye decided to field the blocked punt, muffed it and allowed the Bengals to recover the ball to regain possession.
Three plays later, Joe Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase for the game-winning touchdown.
The game, being simulcast as a Simpsons animated show as well, ended with the Bengals escaping with a 27-20 victory over Dallas.
The Cowboys had one last possession after the score to try to tie the game again. But the drive died at the Cowboys 48 with 19 seconds left.
Dallas had found themselves trailing the Bengals by seven points at halftime. But a nice drive to open the second half tied the game at 17.
Cooper Rush hit Brandin Cooks on a short touchdown pass to tie the game, then put together a 13-play drive that ended with a 47-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey for a 20-17 lead.
Joe Burrow moved the Bengals into position to tie the game at 20 after a 58-yard drive ended with a Cade York 29-yard field goal with just over 10 minutes left.
Dallas had two possessions that ended with punts, sandwiched around a Bengals punt. Cincinnati got the ball back with over five minutes.
Burrow tried to get his team moving once again.
But after reaching midfield, several penalties put the Bengals in a deep hole. Marist Liufau sacked Burrow at the two-minute warning to end the drive.
It appeared Dallas was in perfect position for their third-straight win, then came the special teams blunder.
Dallas’ best success came when Rico Dowdle carried the ball. Dowdle had his second-straight game with over 100 rushing yards.
His carries helped set up Rush’s two touchdown passes.
The Cowboys lost DeMarvion Overshown to a knee injury, but not the same knee he injured last year. Cooper Beebe (concussion) and C.J. Goodwin also left the game early.
The loss all but ends any chance Dallas has to make the playoffs.
The First Half
The Cowboys got off to a good start, getting a quick three and out on defense. Then KaVontae Turpin returned the punt 20 yards to the Cowboys’ 40.
Rush then engineered a nine-play, 60 yard drive, capping it with an 11-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to Lamb.
Burrow answered with an 11-play, 70-yard drive to tie the game with a five-yard pass to Ja’Marr Chase. The first quarter ended at 7-7 and the Cowboys in the red zone.
But Rush’s pass on the first play of the second quarter was deflected and intercepted at the Bengals’ four.
Cincinnati failed to convert the turnover into points.
But they did change the field position by driving the ball back into Dallas territory before a failed fourth down ended the drive.
The Cowboys moved the ball on the ground with Dowdle. But the drive stalled and Brandon Aubrey made it 10-7 on a 35-yard field goal with 6:23 left in the half.
Burrow answered with a 19-yard pass to Chase Brown for a 14-10 Bengals’ lead.
Cade York capped the scoring in the half with a 37-yard field goal for a 17-10 lead.
Stat Line
Rush finished the game 16-of-31 for 183 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Dowdle added 131 yards on 18 carries with Lamb getting six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.
By The Numbers
The Bengals snapped a five-game losing streak, both overall and when playing at Dallas, with the victory. Cincinnati’s last win anywhere over Dallas was back in 2004 in Ohio.
The Cowboys are now 10-5 overall against the Bengals and 7-2 when playing at home.
Cincinnati’s only win in Dallas prior to Monday had been a 38-24 win at Texas Stadium in 1988.
Dallas is now 34-29 all-time in Week 14 games. The Cowboys had won five straight in this week of the schedule.
The Cowboys fell to 2-2 against the Bengals in Week 14 showdowns, though this was the first such to occur on a Monday night.
Dallas drops to 51-37 all-time on Monday Night Football, 22-19 when playing at home. They are now 7-8 against AFC teams, 3-5 at home, when playing on Monday night.
The final score was the 13th time that the Cowboys have ended a contest with that final total. They are 9-4 in those contests.