Just The Facts: Cowboys-Bengals

SERIES FACTS

The Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals have both played in three home stadiums during their existence: Nippert Stadium, Riverfront Stadium, and Paul Brown Stadium.

Paul Brown Stadium was the first stadium to open up the 2000’s, while Cowboys Stadium was the last stadium to close out the 2000’s.

The Dallas Cowboys have only won once in Cincinnati. That was in 1994 to the tune of 23-20 in old Riverfront Stadium on 10/30/94.

The Cowboys have played the Bengals on the road in December twice. Dallas lost both times (’85 and ’97). Interestingly, both times were to Boomer Esiason.

This will be the Cowboys’ 11th all-time meeting with the Bengals. The Cowboys are 2-3 in their 11th meetings with original AFL teams. — Andrew Weber, USA TODAY

The last time the Cowboys beat an AFC team on the road was in Week 13 of 2010 when a David Buehler field goal defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38-35.

This is the first time in the series that the Cowboys will face a Bengals team with a winning record in Cincinnati.

The Dallas Cowboys are 0-2 in December against the Bengals. Here’s their record against Cincinnati in other months:

September: 1-0
October: 3-0
November: 2-2
December: 0-2

In this series, the home team’s record is 8-2 with the Cowboys and Bengals each sharing the two road team victories.

The Dallas Cowboys have been 6-6 only two times in their history: 1997 and 1999. In ’97, they finished 6-10. In ’99, they finished 8-8 with a wild card playoff berth.

The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be headed to another playoff berth, or at least consecutive winning. The last time the Bengals had consecutive winning seasons was 1981-82.

The Dallas Cowboys are 5-13 in the state of Ohio, their worst record in any other state with two or more NFL teams. Here’s how their record in similar states compares, not including playoffs:

New York: 14-4-1
Pennsylvania: 33-30
California: 16-16
Florida: 5-5
Maryland: 28-29
New Jersey: 19-22

One of the Top 5 games for franchise attempts came in the 12/14/97 game in Cincinnati when Troy Aikman threw 53 times in a 24-31 losing effort.

Bengals cornerback Corey Sawyer and Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan each have the most picks in the series at 3. Sawyer’s came over the span of two games (10/30/94 & 12/14/97) while Jordan had a hat trick (11/4/73).

In the years the Cowboys have beaten the Bengals, (’73, ’79, ’91, ’94, ’00, ’08), they have made the playoffs four times.

In the Cowboys’ losses in Cincinnati, their defeats have been 19 points on average.
The only Cowboys head coach the Bengals did not face was Chan Gailey. The only Bengals coaches Dallas didn’t face were Bill Johnson and Forrest Gregg.

As a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden coached with future and former Cowboys, including Brad Johnson, Al Singleton, Keyshawn Johnson, Joey Galloway, and Martin Gramatica.

Bengals secondary coach and Cowboys offensive line coach Bill Callahan coached together with the Jets from 2010-11 in their current positions.

Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese has two ties to Dallas offensive coordinators. The obvious is his father Ernie who served in Dallas from ’94 to ’97. The second is Sean Payton, as Ken worked as offensive assistant in Philadelphia in 1998 while Payton served as quarterbacks coach.

Terence Newman is the fifth ex-Dallas Cowboy to join the Bengals since Mike Zimmer’s hiring in 2007. Since that time, only ex-Bengals safety Marvin White (2009) and Nate Livings have joined the Cowboys.

This is the first time since 2008 the Dallas Cowboys will face Adam “Pacman” Jones.

Mike Zimmer was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator from 2000 to 2006, and was blamed for their defensive struggles in 2006. Here’s how Cowboys coordinators ( ’07 Stewart, ’08 Stewart/Phillips, ’09 Phillips, ’10 Phillips/Pasqualoni, ’11-’12 Ryan) have done in total points and total yards compared to Zimmer:

2007: 13th, 9th; 24th, 27th
2008: 20th, 8th; 19th, 12th
2009: 2nd, 9th; 6th, 4th
2010: 31st, 23rd; 24th, 15th
2011: 16th, 14th; 9th, 7th
2012: 21st, 11th; 14th, 8th

ANDY DALTON FACTS

Andy Dalton is one of seven TCU quarterbacks taken in the NFL draft. The first was Sammy Baugh.

Andy Dalton is the third consecutive Texas High School football quarterback the Cowboys will face, and the first from the Bengals to have faced the Cowboys.

Dalton continues the Bengals streak of having a redheaded starting quarterback that began with Carson Palmer in 2004.

The last time the Cowboys faced a second-year Bengals quarterback on the road was in 2004 when Carson Palmer led the Bengals to a 26-3 victory over the Cowboys.

Through 10 games, Andy Dalton has five 300-yard games. In the same span, Romo had 10.

Currently, Andy Dalton is 15-12 as a starter, while Romo was 20-7. Dalton is 3-2 in December while Romo was 2-3 in the same span.

Andy Dalton is 2-1 against the NFC at home, having defeated the Giants and Cardinals.

Andy Dalton is 4-9 against 3-4 defenses.

Andy Dalton will be the Bengals’ sixth starting quarterback to face the Cowboys. Here’s how the other Cincinnati quarterbacks have fared:

Ken Anderson: 0-2
Boomer Esiason: 3-1
Jeff Blake: 0-1
Akili Smith: 0-1
Carson Palmer: 1-1

MARVIN LEWIS FACTS

Marvin Lewis will tie Sam Wyche as the only Bengals head coach to have coached against Dallas the most times. Here’s the record of the other Cincinnati head coaches:

Paul Brown: 0-1
Homer Rice: 0-1
Sam Wyche: 2-1
Dave Shula: 0-1
Bruce Coslet: 1-0
Dick LeBeau: 0-1
Marvin Lewis: 1-1

Marvin Lewis is one of 11 African American head coaches hired post Rooney Rule.

With a playoff berth last year, Marvin Lewis tied Paul Brown for most franchise playoff appearances.

Marvin Lewis was the Redskins defensive coordinator in 2002 and then was hired by Cincinnati in 2003. The last time a Redskins defensive coordinator was hired as head coach was when Richie Petitbon assumed those duties after Joe Gibbs’ first retirement in 1993.

Like Mike Nolan, Marvin Lewis is a Ravens defensive coordinator the Cowboys have beaten as head coach. Rex Ryan is the only one who remains undefeated.

Skip Peete and Marvin Lewis worked together at the University of Pittsburgh from ’90 to ’91. Lewis coached linebackers as Peete coached wide receivers and runningbacks.

Marvin Lewis and Jason Garrett have faced each other as coach and player in two Super Bowls. In Super Bowl XXX, Marvin Lewis was the Steelers’ linebackers coach as Garrett served as Aikman’s backup. In Super Bowl XXXV, Lewis coordinated the Ravens’ defense as Garrett backed up the Giants’ Kerry Collins.

Marvin Lewis coached under Dom Capers in Pittsburgh from ’92 to ’94. Garrett also coached with Dom Capers in Miami in 2006 only.

Through his first 34 games as head coach, Marvin Lewis was 18-16, just like Jason Garrett.

JASON GARRETT FACTS

With facing the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the only teams Jason Garrett has yet to coach against are the Steelers, Texans, Titans, Jaguars, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers, Vikings and Packers.

This is Jason Garrett’s first game against the Bengals. Here’s the record for other Dallas head coaches:

Tom Landry: 2-2
Jimmy Johnson: 1-0
Barry Switzer: 1-1
Dave Campo: 1-0
Bill Parcells: 0-1
Wade Phillips: 1-0

TONY ROMO FACTS

Tony Romo is the sixth Cowboys’ starting quarterback to face the Bengals, and will join Troy Aikman as the only Cowboys quarterback to face them both home and away. Here’s how the other Dallas quarterbacks have fared:

Roger Staubach: 2-0
Danny White: 0-1
Steve Pelluer: 0-1
Troy Aikman: 3-1
Vinny Testaverde: 0-1
Tony Romo: 1-0

Typically, if a Dallas quarterback wins his first match against the Bengals, he wins the second (Staubach, Aikman). However, if a Bengals quarterback is getting his first start against the Cowboys, 2/3 times he will win the game (Esiason, Blake, Palmer).

Tony Romo is 33-21 against 4-3 defenses, which is what the Bengals run.

Last week, Tony Romo set a career high passer rating as a starter with 150.5. Romo has had five 140+ passer rating games in his career. He has followed up those performances with an average rating of 86.5. He is 4-1 in post 140+ passer rating games.

Sunday will be Tony Romo’s 10th AFC away game. Here’s his passer rating and record for his nine previous matches:

@MIA: 92.2 – W
@BUF: 49.9 – W
@CLE: 103.6 – W
@PIT: 44.9 – L
@DEN: 67.1 – L
@KC: 113.7 – W
@HOU: 127.6 – W
@NYJ: 101.9 – L
@NE: 87.1 – L
@BAL: 97.1 – L

The only AFC team Tony Romo beat on the road with a winning record were the Houston Texans in Week 3 of 2010.

Just as Tony Romo has never opened up December at home, so too has he never played his second December game on the road. Nonetheless, here’s his quarterback ratings for his second December games:

’06, NOR – 58.8
’07, PHI – 22.2
’08, NYG – 113.7
’09, SD – 111.7
’11, NYG – 141.3

Only Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, Danny White, and Troy Aikman were able to play in six or more Decembers with the Dallas Cowboys. Here’s their records in their second December games of the season:

Meredith: 15.7, 87.5, 88.8, 125.1, 51.8, 56.2
Staubach: 153.3, 59.2, 66.8, 92.7, 21.6, 151.3
White: 36.2, 108.2, 146.8, 47.0, 90.1, 65.6
Aikman: 81.5, 91.0, 95.2, 98.1, 58.6, 51.2

Paul Brown Stadium will be Romo’s 11th AFC venue. He is 5-5 and still has yet to play in San Diego, Oakland, Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis.

BROADCAST FACTS

The Dallas Cowboys will be playing their tenth noon game against the Bengals. Only in 1979 in Texas Stadium was a Bengals-Cowboys game ever the late afternoon match.

Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick will call the action for FOX. Typically, Brian Billick is paired with Sam Rosen and Thom Brennaman is paired with Charles Davis. Here’s how the Cowboys have done under Brian Billick’s analysis:

2011 – @SF – W
2012 – @BAL – L

Remember that Thom Brennaman will call Cowboys games if paired Troy Aikman while Joe Buck is away calling the MLB playoffs. Here’s the Cowboys’ record under Brennaman:

2009 – ATL – W
2010 – @MIN – L
2012 – NYG – L

This is the third consecutive 12/9 game that FOX will broadcast. The Cowboys are thus far 2-0 in 12/9 games on FOX.

Brian Billick, who will analyze the game Sunday, had Marvin Lewis on his Ravens staff from 1999-2001. Never have the Cowboys played a game in which a member of the TV commentating crew once had the current Cowboys head coach as his position coach or coordinator.

The Cowboys’ last second game of December that was broadcast on FOX was the 2007 Eagles-Cowboys game where Philadelphia defeated Dallas 10-6.

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS

Interestingly, the Dallas Cowboys have drafted one of the seven TCU quarterbacks in NFL history: Sonny Gibbs. The Cowboys used their second-round pick in the ’62 draft to take him, but cut him. Gibbs played 2 games with Detroit in 1962 and only had 3 attempts and 1 completion for 3 yards and an interception.

The Bengals took wide receiver A.J. Green with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The last fourth overall pick the Bengals took at wide receiver was in 2000 with the Peter Warrick selection. Through 28 games, A.J. Green has 141 catches, 2,164 yards, and 17 TD’s versus Warrick’s 91 catches, 986 yards, and 5 TD’s.

Through his first 28 games, Dez Bryant had 112 catches, 1,574 yards, 15 TD’s.

In two career games against the Cowboys, one with the Jets in ’07 and one with the Buccaneers in ‘09, kicker Mike Nugent is 1/3 with his lone make being of 40 yards. His two misses were with Tampa Bay and were of 38 and 46 yards.

Since arriving in Cincinnati in 2010, Mike Nugent is 37/46 at home. Dan Bailey is 18/21 in outdoor venues.

While with the Patriots in 2011, BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed 14 times for 58 yards and caught 1 pass for 11 yards.

Dre Kirkpatrick and Morris Claiborne played against each other in the 2011 National Championship game when each was with Alabama and LSU respectively. Since entering the NFL as first round picks, Kirkpatrick has registered 2 tackles in 5 games compared to Claiborne’s 28 tackles, 5 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, and 1 touchdown.

Roger Staubach is from Cincinnati, yet he never played a game as a Cowboy there.

Though DeMarcus Ware only has 10 sacks through 12 games, it’s nowhere near his lowest totals through 12 games:

4 sacks – 2005
6 sacks – 2006
9 sacks – 2009
9.5 sacks – 2010
10 sacks – 2007
15 sacks – 2008, 2011

The last time the Dallas Cowboys played two feline mascot teams on the road was in 2007 against the Detroit Lions and the Carolina Panthers. The Cowboys won both games.

The last time the Cowboys played a second December game on the road was in 2003 when they traveled to Washington and beat the Redskins 27-0. Interestingly, rookie cornerback Terence Newman had an interception hat trick.

The Dallas Cowboys are 3-2 on 12/9. Here’s who they’ve played and the results:

1962 – @Cardinals, 20-52 – L
1973 – WAS, 27-7 – W
1984 – WAS, 28-30 – L
2001 – NYG, 20-13 – W
2007 – @DET, 28-27 – W

Sunday’s game will be played under a last quarter moon. In 2001, the Cowboys defeated the Giants 20-13 under a last quarter moon. They are 1-0 during a new moon, 1-1 during a first quarter, and 0-1 during a full moon.