Cowboys Today: Predictions vs. Bengals and why networks still want the Dallas Cowboys

Before the start of last season, Sunday Night Football TV analyst Cris Collinsworth said, If NBC had their choice, we would do 17 Dallas Cowboys games.

At the time, the Cowboys were coming off a second consecutive 12-win season.

The Cowboys would need to win their final five games to get to 10 wins this season.

While thats highly unlikely, the interest from the TV networks hasnt changed.

Tonights ESPN Monday Night Football game between Dallas and the Cincinnati Bengals will be called by Joe Buck and former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman .

Advertisement During a recent interview on 1310 The Ticket in Dallas, Buck had similar comments.

I would do them every week, Buck said.

I would come to Dallas, enjoy my time in the greater area and enjoy being in that stadium and doing the Dallas Cowboys every damn week.

Because they get eyeballs.

Theyve got the biggest star in the NFL , his name is Jerry Jones.

And they get people to watch on their television sets.

GO DEEPER Bengals at Cowboys: How to watch, odds, expert picks for Monday Night Football Jones downplayed that comment when told of it Friday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.

But hes well aware that the most-watched NFL game this season has been the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game against the New York Giants .

The viewership peaked at 41.3 million.

They are the biggest draw in the NFL, Buck said.

And that is saying something, because the NFL on television is the biggest thing going.

And every network lines up with their hands out like, More, sir, more when we line up for the schedule every year.

We got two Dallas home games, and I dont care what their record is, Im always excited to go to Dallas and watch them play and call it into a headset.

Cris Collinsworth on the @dpshow : If NBC had their choice, we would do 17 Dallas Cowboys games.

https://t.co/CglHTdJIEB pic.twitter.com/gOtnZqG8Is Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 25, 2023 Scary injury Most realize the seriousness of the injury when they hear a player is out with a concussion.

But the details arent always shared by the players.

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is expected to play tonight after missing the last two games with a concussion.

He recently shared some of the scary details of what he experienced in the days following his injury.

The first two days were bad, he said.

I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldnt find my water bottle.

I started crying.

I hadnt cried like that since my dog died in middle school.

I stopped and I was like, What the heck is wrong with me? I came in here and they were like, Yeah, that will happen.

Advertisement Talking to the doctors, they were like, Your brain is not healthy right now, its doing everything it can to get that right.

Its emotions, its all this stuff.

Thats when I was like I really need to take this serious and really trust our guys here and trust what the doctors are telling me.

Ferguson is happy to be back, but that explanation makes it easy to understand why some would have doubts about playing any time soon, or ever again, after that type of brain injury.

More pre-game reading Mike McCarthys influence and comparing Lamb and Chase Monday Night Football Simpsons-style: What to expect in ESPNs unique alt-cast NFL playoff picture, Week 14: Where do the Cowboys fit in? Bengals final 5 games can determine offseasons degree of difficulty Predictions Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer: Its odd seeing a quarterback playing at the level Joe Burrow is and his team is 4-8.

Their defense is obviously poor, allowing 28 points and 370 yards per game.

This should be a great opportunity for Cooper Rush and the passing game to put up some points.

But I still have my doubts that the Cowboys have figured it out at home.

Yes, they recently defeated the Giants at AT&T Stadium, but that might be the worst team in the league.

Cincinnati will be a much tougher test.

Bengals 31, Cowboys 17 Saad Yousuf, Cowboys beat writer: The one outcome that feels most unlikely to me is a multi-score win by the Cowboys.

If Micah Parsons is the best player in the game, the Cowboys get a non-offensive touchdown and Rush doesnt turn the ball over, I can see the Cowboys slipping by on the scoreboard.

However, I dont see all of those things taking place and Burrow is on a different level right now.

On the bright side, I think Rico Dowdle continues to ball out.

Bengals 38, Cowboys 24 Paul Dehner, Bengals beat writer: The Bengals endured an offseason of contract controversy and wildly disappointing regular season throwing jobs into question everywhere, specifically surrounding a disastrous defense.

Sound familiar? The Bengals and Cowboys have run parallel courses in 2024.

For that reason, hard to predict how Monday finishes other than both teams will score plenty of points.

Burrow is playing at an insanely high level.

That has to make the difference in a win at some point, right? RIGHT? Maybe this time it will be true.

Bengals 34, Cowboys 31 (Top photo: Chris Jones / Imagn Images).

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