Cowboys vs Bengals: Halftime Recap by Possession

The Dallas Cowboys continue their effort to keep their playoff hopes alive as the take on the Cincinnati Bengals who are on a four game winning streak. This games features two of the NFL’s up and coming WR’s in Dez Bryant and A. J. Green. It also features serious mismatches in the trenches: the Bengals lead the NFL in sacks, while the Cowboys offensive is struggling. Here is a recap of each possession in the first half:

Possession 1, Dallas Cowboys:

After Dwayne Harris took a knee in the endzone, the Cowboys started their first drive on the 20. On first down, QB Tony Romo hit rookie TE Hanna on a slant for a gain of about 3. DeMarco Murray tried to go right on 2nd down, but had no chance to get going, which set the Cowboys up with 3rd and 5. On 3rd down, Romo hit WR Dwayne Harris on a comeback route on the outside, and then Harris broke a tackle for an extra bunch of yards. On first down from the 45, the Cowboys went back to Murray who took the ball wide right for a gain of 3.  Romo then hit Vickers on a slide route in the flat; Vickers was able to get enough yards for another first down. Felix Jones then had his first carry for 4 yards. On 2nd down, from the shotgun, Romo hit TE Jason Witten to bring up 3rd and less than 1. From a tight bunch formation, Murray was able to manage a first down over the left side. On first down from the Bengals 28, Romo went play-action to Murray and hit Vickers for another gain of about 7. After a short run, the Cowboys faced 3rd and 1. On a play-action fake from a another tight formation, Romo, with Witten covered, couldn’t find an open receiver. Dan Bailey then came on to kick another FG like clockwork.

Dallas Cowboys 3 – Cincinnati Bengals 0

Possession 2, Cincinnati Bengals:

Brandon Tate returned the kickoff to the Bengals 30. The Bengals first play was a bomb (throwaway) by QB Andy Dalton that went way out of bounds. Benjarvus Green-Ellis then took a hand-off straight up the middle through a huge hole for a big gain of about 20 yards. After the commercial break, it was revealed that the Cowboys defense only had 10 men on the field. Rookie Marvin Jones, starting only because of an injury, took and endaround all the way down to the Dallas 15. A short carry on first down got the Bengals inside the 10, after which the Bengals went no-huddle. On a run by Andre Hawkins (after a very short toss from Dalton), the Bengals’ runner was again able to get to the outside, and this time he took it in for a touchdown. The Bengals offense did not have to face a 3rd down on the drive.

Dallas Cowboys 3 – Cincinnati Bengals 7

Possession 3, Dallas Cowboys:

After a touchback, the Cowboys started on their 20. On 1st down, Murray had very little room to run, but he caught it back for a gain of 4.  The 2nd down pass went off the fingertips of Mile Austin. Cowboys LT Doug Free was replaced by Jeremy Parnell on the previous play. On 3rd and 6, Romo hit an open Dez Bryant on a comeback route, but the ball sailed through his hands. He should have made the catch. After a terrible punt, the Bengals were set up close to mid-field (Dallas 47); that was a 29 punt by Brian Moorman.

Possession 4, Cincinnati Bengals:

Andy Dalton was able to hit a wide-open WR on first down (ILB blitz) to move the ball to the Cowboys 30. Green-Ellis then carried the ball for 3 yards. On 2nd down, OLB DeMarcus Ware was finally able to get some pressure on Dalton, flush him from the pockets, and force an incompletion. On 3rd and 7, Dalton hit A.J. Green for a first down at the Dallas 11.  The Bengals went back to Green-Ellis on 1st down for a short gain. Dalton then found Hawkins over the middle to bring up 3rd and 4 inside the Cowboys’ 10 yardline. Cowboys DE Jason Hatcher was able to fight through several blocks to sack Dalton on 3rd down to force a short FG attempt. Just like the first drive, the Bengals offense seemed to move the ball at will.

Possession 5, Dallas Cowboys:

Another deep kickoff left the Cowboys to start the drive at their own 20 yardline. RT Doug Free was back in the game. After a great cut-back and then nifty move, DeMarco Murray pickup 7 on 1st down. After a short run by Murray, the Cowboys faced yet another 3rd and less than 1.  The Cowboys lined up in the shotgun, and then Romo hit Murray near the line of scrimmage, but he gained enough yardage for the first down.

That was the fourth time the Cowboys faced a 3rd and 1; they ran it twice, tried a play-action pass once, and then threw from the shotgun on the other.

On 1st down from their own 33, Romo stepped up in the pocket to buy more time, Mile Austin had a step on his defender, but Romo just overthrew him deep down the field. Felix Jones then carried the ball for about 4 yards, bringing up 3rd and 7. From the shotgun, Romo was way off target with his pass attempt to Dez Bryant.  Even if Bryant had been able to make the catch, it was very unlikely that he would have been able to get enough yards for the first downs. Moorman managed a much better punt this time that rolled all the way to the Bengals 25.

Possession 6, Cincinnati Bengals:

Following an encroachment call on DT Robert Calloway (who was just activated), Green-Ellis shot throw the middle for another sizable gain of 8 yards. On the ensuing 1st down, he was stopped after 1 yard, but on 2nd down Dalton hit Green on the outside in front of Brandon Carr for a first down near mid-field. On the next play, Cowboys Brandon Carr intercepted a poor pass by Dalton’s and returned it 37 yards.

Possession 7, Dallas Cowboys:

On 1st down, Romo froze the Bengals LB’s with a fake to Murray and hit Witten deep down the middle to set the Cowboys up with a 1st down on the Bengals 2 yardline. Tony Romo then threw a high arching pass to Miles Austin in the endzone who appeared to make a juggling catch for a TD.  The play was ruled a catch, but it was difficult to tell whether Austin gained control and possession early enough. The play was reversed after review on the basis that Austin only got one foot in bounds. On 2nd a goal, from a tight formation, the Cowboys ran the ball up the middle with DeMarco Murray to set up the Cowboys’ fifth 3rd and 1 of the half. There was an injured Bengal on the play, which gave Jason Garrett plenty of time to think about his playcall. The Cowboys lined up in another tight formation, handled the ball to Murray, and he jumped over the line for a TD.
Dallas Cowboys 10 – Cincinnati Bengals 10

Possession 8, Cincinnati Bengals:

On 1st down from their 19, the Bengals back-up RB Leonard carried the ball for a short gain of 2 yards. The Bengals went back to Leonard on 2nd down, and he was tackled by Alex Albright after a short gain. On 3rd and 5, operating from the shotgun, Dalton hit Dawkins on a quick slant for a first down. A false start penalty set the Bengals back 5 yards to make it 1st and 15. Leonard gained another 3 or 4 yards up the middle. On 2nd down, Marvin Jones was wide-open downfield and Dalton hit him with a perfect pass. The Bengals then had first down at mid-field. The Cowboys flushed Dalton from the pocket and he ran out of bounds near the line of scrimmage.  After another short run by Leonard, the Bengals had 3rd and 7 just inside Dallas territory. A great one handed catch by TE Gresham gave the Bengals a new first down near the Dallas 20. Bengals RB Green-Ellis came back into the game after a 4 yard run by Leonard. A short reception by Green-Ellis brought up another 3rd down for the Bengals at the Cowboys’ 15. There looked to be some miscommunication on the 3rd down play between Dalton and his receiver, or perhaps it was a bad pass by Dalton. The Bengals then kicked a FG to take the lead.

Dallas Cowboys 10 – Cincinnati Bengals 13

Possession 9, Dallas Cowboys:

On the kickoff, Dwayne Harris appeared to fake a handoff to another Cowboys, but he kept the ball and got tackled at the Cowboys’ 11. Luckily there was a penalty on the Bengals during the kick to give the offense some breathing room. With 3:18 left in the half, the Cowboys first play of the drive was a run by Murray on which he was dropped in the backfield for a loss of 4 yards; Murray barely had control of the ball before he hit hard by Atkins. On 2nd down, Romo hit Austin for a short gain of about 5. After the two minute warning, on 3rd and 9, Romo set up in the shotgun; after being chased from the pocket, Romo managed to sneak the ball through a small window to Austin to keep the drive alive. On first down, Romo appeared to throw a bad pass to Kevin Ogletree that was almost intercepted. On second down, a wide open Dwayne Harris, with room to run, dropped a pass he should have caught despite being a bit behind him. On 3rd and 10, Romo was sacked way back at the 15 yardline after scrambling for a few seconds trying to keep the play alive. The Bengals were called for a facemask penalty on the sack, which gave the Cowboys an automatic first down. Romo set up in the shotgun again, then hot Harris for a gain of 5. The Cowboys then went no-huddle; on 2nd down, Romo’s pass was nowhere near his target. Romo attempted several rushers on 3rd down, then lofted the ball way down field; it was intercepted by the Bengals.

The Bengals took a knee to end the half.

Dallas Cowboys 10 – Cincinnati Bengals 13

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was posted minutes after the conclusion of the 1st half, so it is unedited. Please overlook the typos. Thank you.