ESPN's Computer Model Predicts Winner Of Cowboys vs. Bengals
The Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals will each try to brighten a beak 2024 season on Monday Night Football.
ESPN may have thought it landed a potential Super Bowl preview when it obtained this Week 14 matchup. However, the season has gone disastrously for both the 5-7 Cowboys and 4-8 Bengals. Dallas enters Monday's game without Dak Prescott, while Cincinnati's defense has squandered Joe Burrow's stellar season.
ESPN Analytics has more confidence in one of these underachieving teams. The company's matchup predictor gives the Bengals a 65.7 percent win probability at Arlington.
Battling numerous key injuries, Dallas has the NFC's third-worst point differential (-91) behind the 3-10 Carolina Panthers and 2-11 New York Giants. Yet with Mike McCarthy's job in question, the Cowboys have earned back-to-back division wins over the Giants and Washington Commanders to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Cincinnati, on the other hand, has repeatedly fallen short in close games to title contenders.
The Bengals have a -5 scoring margin despite their dismal record. Aside from a 37-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, they have dropped seven games by seven points or fewer. They've fallen exclusively to teams currently in the playoffs since a Week 1 blunder to the New England Patriots.
Cincinnati lost by one point apiece at Kansas City and Baltimore, but the AFC North squad has probably run out of time to reverse its misfortune. A three-game losing streak has the Bengals fighting simply to salvage a winning record despite Burrow slinging a league-high 30 passing touchdowns.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 08: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Then again, Cincinnati's only wins are against the Giants, Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Cleveland Browns. It's not a great sign that beating Cooper Rush in December would represent its best victory of the season.
The Bengals have exceeded 30 points in four losses. That should be enough to conquer a Cowboys team averaging 20.7 points per game this season, but only Carolina has ceded more average scoring than Cincinnati.
The Monday Night Football clash starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. ESPN+ and Disney+ will stream a Simpsons-themed broadcast.
