Burrow, Chase ‘Smear,” Cowboys In Final 61 Seconds; ‘He Saved His Career’

“Yeah,” Burrow said after losing two primetime games by one score within three weeks, “I couldn’t believe we caught a break. That was crazy the way that happened. It was nice to get one. We haven’t got many over the last couple of years so it’s nice to get one.”

The play, which began with two minutes left in a 20-20, summed up the season. It went from heartbreak, when old friend Nick Vigil, a former Bengals draft pick, blocked Ryan Rehkow’s punt on fourth and 27 from the Bengals 29.

But the ball not only bounded past the first down marker, the Cowboys committed the cardinal sin and touched it and allowed Bengals rookie linebacker Maema Njongmeta to recover it at the Bengals 43 and give the ball to Burrow and Chase.

It was Njongmeta who allowed Vigil to block the punt.

“I told him he saved his career,” said linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither. “But he stayed with it.”

And Taylor said that’s exactly what his team has done at 5-8.

“They practice, they meet like they’re still in it,” Taylor said.

Usually a fumble recovery merits a game ball. But Njongmeta may be out of luck.

“Look at the whole play,” Taylor said.

Running back Chase Brown had another huge outing with 123 scrimmage yards to put him over 1,000 for the season. He took a 19-yard swing pass for one of his signature there-he-is-there-he-isn’t speedy touchdowns. He was so sure he scored he leaped into the end-zone kettle, so he was stunned when they said he was out of bounds at the 3. But the Bengals won the challenge and the kettle jump stood.

“I’ve wanted to do that since I was a kid,” said Brown, who sounded crushed when told that move has netted fines. “I hope not a big fine. I don’t make enough money for that.”

Burrow saluted him with, ” I think Chase is really running as a top back. He’s doing unbelievable stuff in both the run game and the pass game. His role is going to…