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IRVING, Texas — Chad Ocho Cinco never got to kiss the Dallas Cowboys "star" at midfield. The Cincinnati Bengals never got to taste the nectar of victory.

Another Sunday, another loss — the club's fifth straight — and there seems to be no end in sight for the Bengals' misery after they suffered a 31-22 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys in front of 62,655 spectators at Texas Stadium.

In a game in which the Bengals never led, they nearly erased a 17-0 deficit, fighting back to within 17-16 and 24-22. But too many mistakes have caused the Bengals (0-5) to board a plane to New York for a game against the Jets (2-2) on Sunday, Oct. 12 without a win.

"I just finished telling the guys there is no consolation prize for losing," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "We have to get off to a better start. We dug ourselves a hole and put the defense in a bad situation at the end.

"Some of the (Cowboys') explosive plays, we have to get those things put to rest and shut down."

Turning point

After Shayne Graham's 40-yard field goal pulled the Bengals within 17-16 with 14:02 to go, the Bengals recovered an onside kick.

But tailback Chris Perry fumbled the ball away at the Cowboys' 37 with 12:36 to go, and Dallas responded with quarterback Tony Romo's electrifying 57-yard TD pass to wide receiver Terrell Owens for a 24-16 lead with 11:46 to go.

"That pass was pretty much on me," said Bengals cornerback Leon Hall, who did a masterful job on Owens most of the day. "It was zone coverage. But in our defense, the corners are in man-to-man.

"If anything, I've got to be right there on his hip so when he catches it, I can tackle him and get to play another play. He just broke free. I've got to make that play, tackle him and live for another down."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253

or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com.

»Benson, Houshmandzadeh provide spark Article on B5

Star of the game

Cowboys QB Tony Romo passed for 176 yards, three TDs and a 106.2 passer rating.

His TDs covered 4 yards to tight end Jason Witten, 57 to WR Terrell Owens and 15 to WR Patrick Crayton — a lucky toss that ricocheted off the hands of WR Miles Austin with 1:52 to go.

"I am sorry that I am not sorry that we won," Romo said. "That's something we have to fight around here. If you don't win pretty, it's not a positive."

Goat of the game

Bengals RB Chris Perry suffered his fifth fumble this season — the third one he's lost.

"This game is on me," Perry said. "We had the momentum. We were going down to put points on the board and I let it go. The last two games (losses to Cleveland and Dallas) are on me. I didn't secure the ball well enough."

Quote machine

"When he came off the field (after his TD pass to Owens), he had a look in his eyes. I thought I was looking at Troy Aikman. Tony Romo had one of the most competitive looks you've ever seen." — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones