Cowboys...31 Bengals...22

IRVING, Texas -- When the pass went through Miles Austin’s hands at the one and into Patrick Crayton’s hands in the end zone, everyone on the Dallas Cowboys was smiling and laughing.

It was mostly relief.

After letting a 17-point lead shrivel to one, then breaking up a two-point conversion that could’ve tied it, the Cowboys had plenty of reasons to be giddy about their lucky break in the final minutes that sealed a 31-22 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Dallas (4-1) led 17-0 after only three drives, but ended up needing big plays from Terrell Owens, Tank Johnson and Keith Davis to stave off the Bengals (0-5).

Owens went from having 20 balls come his way in a loss to Washington last week to having less than five this time. His only catches were a 10-yarder in the first half and a 57-yarder in the fourth quarter. He also had one run for eight yards.

Quoteworthy: “You don’t get crowned champions for being the best-looking team right now.” -- Tony Romo, Cowboys quarterback