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• REWATCH: Bengals-Cowboys on NFL+
• READ: Bengals stay put as AFC's No. 10 seed after win
• READ: Bengals at No. 11, Cowboys at 12 in draft order
• READ: Taylor on Chase's big night: 'You just can't get him the ball enough'
• READ: Jerry Jones: Cowboys 'devastated' by blocked punt blunder
• READ: Burrow 'confident' Bengals will bring Higgins back

1. Cowboys find a new way to lose. In a game in which neither team put its winning foot forward, Dallas forced a punt that appeared it would be pivotal to the final outcome. Former Bengals linebacker Nick Vigil broke through the punt team protection and blocked the punt, sending it fluttering toward the Bengals' sideline where the Cowboys' Amani Oruwariye attempted to recover it instead of getting away from the live ball. It slipped through his grasp, free for the Bengals to recover and retain possession, which they did. That gave the Bengals new life, which Joe Burrow and Co. did not waste, covering 57 yards in three plays, with the last 40 coming on a Burrow completion to Ja'Marr Chase for a tiebreaking touchdown with just 61 seconds left on the clock. The outcome of that sequence wasted a generally solid night for Cooper Rush, who proved he shouldn't be asked to go win a game in the final minute. Realistically, he never should've been in such a spot. Dallas should've gotten the ball with excellent field position and set up Brandon Aubrey for a last-second field goal. Instead, the Cowboys gifted the Bengals a second chance and paid for it, underscoring a season filled with every kind of disappointment. Monday night's produced a new one.
2. Death, taxes and Burrow to Chase. In what has been an incredibly trying campaign for the Bengals, Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase have been two of Cincinnati's few bright spots. The duo resumed excellence Monday night, hooking up 14 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns, bookending Cincinnati's scoring with a first-quarter touchdown and a game-deciding trip to the end zone in the fourth. This pair is unquestionably elite and the only element of Cincinnati's offense that can be counted on, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. Burrow and Chase would probably find a way to score a touchdown from a downtown Cincinnati rooftop if they had to. A relieved Burrow captured their relationship in one move afterward, expressing gratitude for the break they received from Dallas before celebrating by taking a donut -- it was The Simpsons night, after all -- and smashing it in Chase's face, returning the favor as Chase had put a donut in his face earlier. Despite their many heartbreaks suffered this season, at least Bengals fans can feel the warmth of this friendship, which continues to be prolific.
3. Dowdle makes it two straight. If ever there were a night to post a season-high mark, it was Monday night's game against the properly maligned Bengals defense. Rico Dowdle did just that, ripping through Cincinnati's defense for 131 yards on 18 carries, averaging an excellent 7.3 yards per attempt and pacing a Dallas offense that needed every one of his yards to remain competitive. He's now finished with 100-plus rushing yards in two consecutive games, resetting his career-high mark in back-to-back outings. It's a small sliver of positive in this rough year for Dallas, which could have used this type of production months ago. It's even more impressive that Dowdle delivered such a performance in his first game without guard Zack Martin, who officially landed on injured reserve prior to Monday night. There's no guaranteeing it means a bright future for Dowdle as the Cowboys approach an offseason of uncertainty, but it's better than the alternative.
4. Cincinnati's offensive line continues to struggle. Dallas finished with a QB pressure percentage below 35, but it sure felt like more than that. Burrow was forced to step up and escape from the pocket frequently Monday night, and while he made the most of it, the degree of difficulty seemed unnecessary. Then again, that could explain this entire season for Cincinnati. The Bengals entered Monday night's game with an uphill battle facing them after starting left tackle Orlando Brown ended up inactive, instead relying on Cody Ford to man the spot against a defense equipped with all-world rusher Micah Parsons. The Cowboys' star ended up enjoying more success against right tackle Amarius Mims, registering four of his team-leading nine pressures against the rookie, but this game saw more than just Parsons make a difference. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa recorded five pressures, including two quick pressures, pointing to a Bengals line that struggled to find consistency both on the edges and along the interior. It was just another bit of adversity for Burrow, who has already had to overcome a leaky defense and is still posting MVP-caliber numbers. It's also another sign that these Bengals are asking too much of Burrow. While they'll certainly need to fix their defense in the offseason, their offensive line could also use some attention. We already knew this, but it was a glaring issue again Monday night.
5. Lou Anarumo's defense scores a minor victory. Look, 322 total yards of offense allowed is not quite deserving of praise, but the bar is low for these Bengals. This defense is the other side of the equation that has seen the Bengals lose four of six games in which they've scored 30-plus points. Any minor victory is still a win for this group, and in a game in which they found themselves deadlocked at 20 for nearly 10 minutes -- in the fourth quarter on the road, no less -- this defense came through. They forced the Cowboys to punt twice in the final quarter, holding Dallas to a total of 13 yards gained on the two possessions, and once Burrow and Chase regained the lead for Cincinnati, the Bengals clamped down on Rush, sacking him and forcing a fourth-down incompletion for a game-sealing turnover on downs. Rush finished 16 of 31 through the air, threw a red zone interception and because of a few timely plays by the Bengals' defense, never quite found the opportunity to push the Cowboys past the Bengals, which is deserving of at least some credit for Cincinnati's defense.

Next Gen Stats Insight from (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Ja’Marr Chase hauled in nine of 11 targets on out-breaking routes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, the most receiving yards on out-breakers over the last seven seasons. Chase finished with 75 yards after the catch, giving him 626 YAC on the season, the most in the NFL.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Cooper Rush's second-quarter interception ended a promising drive for the Cowboys and added to an unfortunate career stat for the backup quarterback. Dallas is 6-0 in Rush starts when he doesn't commit a turnover. His record when he does commit a turnover, however, dropped to 1-4 after Monday night's loss.