Cowboys move on without another star, try to stay on a roll as struggling Bengals visit

With star quarterback Dak Prescott already sidelined for the season by a torn hamstring, the Dallas Cowboys now have to go the rest of the way without right guard Zack Martin because of the seven-time All-Pro’s bad ankle.

The latest injury downer for Dallas comes with the Cowboys (5-7) on the upswing of consecutive victories that have stoked hope for an improbable rally to playoff contention.

Cincinnati visits Monday night, the second of three straight opponents with losing records but easily the most dangerous with quarterback Joe Burrow playing at an MVP level despite the Bengals’ baffling 4-8 record.

"It's just like nothing changes," star Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons said. "We got who we got, and nothing's going to change that. Let's just play ball, man. Let's just have fun. We got a great opportunity Monday night to put on a show. We're gonna be the only show on TV."

Burrow is one of five QBs in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes and no more than five interceptions through 12 games. He entered the week leading the league in passing yards (3,337), completions (302) and touchdowns (30), and he’s thrown just five picks.

Yet Burrow doesn’t even have half the number of victories of the others to put up those numbers in 12 games. Two of them, Aaron Rodgers with Green Bay in 2012 and Tom Brady with New England in 2007, were 12-0.

While Burrow said he isn’t even thinking about the postseason as the Bengals try to end their second three-game losing streak of the season, he believes there’s something to be said for the second Monday night game of the season for both teams.

"Whether you like it or not, how you perform on prime-time games matters as far as perception across the league," said Burrow, who has at least 300 yards passing and three TDs in all three of the consecutive losses. "I think if you perform great on prime-time nights, then you start to get a little different reputation across the league."

Martin decided this week to have season-ending ankle surgery after missing the past two games. The injury happened late in Dallas’ previous Monday night game, a 34-10 loss to Houston on Nov. 18.

Prescott also had season-ending surgery on his hamstring after playing eight games. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence hasn’t played since injuring a foot in Week 4, and appears to be at least another week away from returning.

"It's not a matter of if you're going to have injuries, you're always going to have injuries," Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's just a matter of how many and when they come and who gets injuries. It takes so many players to get through the season, and this is another illustration of that."

Cincinnati’s three-game skid looks familiar to the Cowboys, who lost five in a row before winning the past two. Dallas’ 27-20 Thanksgiving victory over the New York Giants ended a six-game home skid going back to last season’s playoff loss to Green Bay.

Even without Burrow’s standout stats, the Bengals would have the Cowboys’ attention.

"When your offense is rolling, it puts a different level of stress on the defense," McCarthy said. "The thing that we're seeing is that they throw a lot at you. This is a very good football team. I would never think that their record illustrates what we see on video."

Seven of the Bengals' losses this season have been one-score games, and Cincinnati is the first NFL team to lose four games in a season in which it scored 33 points or more. The Bengals have averaged 30.3 points per game against teams with a .500 or better records, but they’re 0-7 in those games.

Defense is the obvious place to start for an explanation.

In last week’s 44-38 loss to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati gave up 520 totals yards, and Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards, the second-most of his career, and three TDs.

DeMarvion Overshown’s spectacular 23-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Giants might end up being the coming-out party for Dallas’ second-year linebacker. That’s partly because he missed his rookie season with a knee injury.

When Overshown tipped Drew Lock’s pass, ran down the deflection and scored untouched, he suddenly found himself in the company of Parsons, who is trying to go 4-for-4 in double-digit sack seasons after missing four games with a high ankle sprain.

Overshown set up the flashy play with old-fashioned physical football, overpowering Devin Singletary when the running back tried to block him and ending up between the quarterback and his RB.

"I think the best part is him defeating the block," Parsons said. "I think the fact that the bulldozer in him, 'I'm not going to make a move, I'm going to run through the dude.' That's probably the reason why he got the pick."

Injuries have shaken up the Bengals’ offensive line this season, and coach Zac Taylor is still searching for the right combination.

Veteran Cody Ford, who stepped in at left tackle when Orlando Brown Jr. was injured, replaced the benched Cordell Volson at left guard against the Steelers. Ford played well enough to get another start.

Amarius Mims, the rookie first-round draft pick, was pushed into a starting role at right tackle when Trent Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4.