The Bengals hit the road for a primetime showdown when they take on the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football at AT&T Stadium. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN. Here is what to watch for:

Jump to a story section:

Milestones in Reach for Ja'Marr

Ja’Marr Chase enters Monday night eyeing several career landmarks, as well as one NFL first. He currently has 4,859 career receiving yards in 57 regular-season games played, 141 shy of 5,000. Should he get there in what will be his 58th contest, he would tie former Saints receiver Michael Thomas as the fifth-fastest player in league history to reach 5K receiving yards.

Chase getting to the 5,000 figure also would mean he has recorded his 18th career game with 100+ receiving yards. That would tie former Bengal great Cris Collinsworth for the fifth-most 100-yard receiving games in a career in team history.

In Week 13 against Pittsburgh, Chase tied his single-season career high with his 13th touchdown catch. With another scoring grab in Dallas, not only would he set a new career high, he also would move into sole possession for the second-most in a season in team history. The Cincinnati record belongs to Carl Pickens, who caught 17 touchdowns in 1995. Chase, who heads into this week with 42 career receiving touchdowns, can surpass former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski for the fourth most within a player's first four seasons in NFL history.

Lastly, Chase is just one reception away from 80 on the season. He can become the first player in the history of the league to total 80+ catches, 1,000+ receiving yards and 7+ receiving touchdowns in each of his first four years.

Burrow Encore

Joe Burrow was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November, when he threw for 1,035 yards and 12 touchdowns while posting a 107.7 passer rating. Adding in his three touchdown passes against Pittsburgh on December 1, he became the first player in Bengals history to throw for 15 touchdowns in a span of four games. The last NFL quarterback to accomplish that feat was Tom Brady, who had 15 passing scores from Weeks 5-8 of the 2021 season.

Burrow's final pass against the Steelers was his 30th touchdown throw of the season. With 34 passing scores in 2021 followed by a Bengals-record 35 in 2022, he is one of four players in league history to record 30+ TD passes in three of his first five career seasons. The others are Hall of Famer Dan Marino, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

On Monday night, Burrow can become the sixth quarterback in NFL history to post 300+ passing yards and 3+ touchdowns in four straight games, and the first to do so since Mahomes in Weeks 6-9 of the 2018 season. He is riding a four-game streak with three or more passing touchdowns, the most in consecutive fashion in team history.

Holiday Higgins

Tee Higgins caught five passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in Week 13, continuing his penchant for playing his best in the month of December.

Since entering the NFL in 2020, Higgins ranks second in the league in touchdown catches (11), sixth in receiving yards (1,297), 14th in total receptions (83) and 14th in yards per reception (15.6) during the calendar's final month. Of his 13 career 100-yard receiving games, five have occurred in December.

Higgins has caught a touchdown in each of his last three games played, the longest scoring streak of his career. He also has led Cincinnati in targets, catches and receiving yards in each of the past two contests.

Red Zone Streak

Cincinnati's offense has been among the league's best this season when it comes to finishing off drives that reach the opponent's 20-yard line. The Bengals have scored a touchdown or field goal on 37 consecutive trips to the red zone dating back to the third quarter of the season opener against New England. That is the longest active streak in the NFL, and the longest streak by a Bengals team since they scored on 40 straight red zone drives from Week 14 of the 2005 season through Week 10 of 2006.

The offense boasts a league-leading 97.7 red zone scoring percentage, with 37 total scores (27 touchdowns and 10 field goals) on 38 possessions. It also ranks second in red zone touchdown rate (71.1 percent), behind Baltimore (75.0). The Bengals are the only team this season to come away with no points on one or fewer drives that reached the red zone.

More Notes:

• Linebacker Germaine Pratt is eight tackles away from tying his career high (118), which he recorded last season. His 110 tackles this year lead the Bengals and rank eighth in the NFL.
• Tight end Mike Gesicki is one reception away from 300 in his career. His 39 catches in his debut Bengals season are his most since 2021 (73), when he played for Miami.
• Halfback Chase Brown is 86 scrimmage yards away from 1,000 this season. His 914 yards from scrimmage include 677 rushing and 237 receiving.

Check out the Bengals 2024 Schedule.