WHERE: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, Disney+, NFL+
The season might be starting to get serious, but Monday night’s matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) and the Dallas Cowboys (5-7) will come with an extra bit of fun. The two teams are set to feature in the second annual Funday Football telecast, with this year’s game taking fans to Springfield for “The Simpsons Funday Football.” where Bart Simpson will team up with the Bengals while Homer Simpson sides with the Cowboys. The alternate viewing presentation will transform Monday Night Football in real-time into the iconic animated Simpsons world using Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology, streaming on Disney+, ESPN+, and on mobile with NFL+.
Despite only one game separating the two teams’ records, Cincinnati and Dallas find themselves entering Monday’s game on two different trajectories. The Cowboys, who lost starting quarterback Dak Prescott earlier this season to a hamstring injury, are riding a two-game win streak behind Cooper Rush. The Bengals, in contrast, have lost four of their last five, including last week’s divisional defeat to the Steelers in a barnburner of a game.
With the playoff races in each conference heating up and spots starting to get secured, a win here keeps one of these teams’ faint wild card hopes alive, while a loss takes them out of contention.
Here are four things to watch for when the Bengals visit the Cowboys on Monday night on ESPN and NFL+:
1. Cincy D needs a win. It’s no surprise that the Bengals defense warrants discussion at this point of the season. The offensive accolades of Joe Burrow rank among some of the best seasons in history, yet the team is on the brink of elimination because it can’t stop opponents from scoring. The Bengals have given up 34 or more points in four of the last five games, including in last week’s 44-38 loss to the Steelers, who had previously averaged 22.9 points per game.
2. Dallas D trying to build on last week against No. 1 offense. The Cowboys have dealt with their own defensive woes this season, actually ranking just above the Bengals in points allowed by giving up 28.3 points per game, tied for 29th in the league. However, Dallas’ most recent performance could be a signal of better things on the horizon.
3. Storylines aplenty for star wideouts. With the passing attack standing as the strength of each team’s offense, you can expect all eyes to be on the teams’ star receivers this week. The Bengals have multiple weapons handy for Joe Burrow to target, but his best friend remains Ja’Marr Chase, who has more than double his closest teammate in both receiving yards (1,142) and touchdowns (13), both of which also lead the league.
4. Ground game a struggle on both sides. While the running games of both teams have been a letdown, this could be an area for separation. The Bengals and Cowboys rank 27th and 31st, respectively, in rushing yards per game, making it possible to see which team can ultimately gain the upper hand.
