Two more sin-bins took Magic Round's running total to 12 in five games as the Roosters staved off a North Queensland comeback to win 30-16.
The Roosters shot out of the blocks before the Cowboys scraped back from 18-0 to 18-16, Lachlan Burr's late sin-binning for a high shot on a falling James Tedesco a nail in the Cowboys' coffin as the Roosters (7-3) kept in touch with the NRL's top four.
Rooster Sitili Tupouniua was the other man sin-binned for a first-half high shot that shifted the balance after the Roosters defied some early pressure to carve out four clinical tries.
Lachlan Lam was sharp in his return from a knee injury and Sam Walker probed to set up his own try in his first NRL appearance at Suncorp Stadium.
When Angus Crichton strolled over for their fourth try in the 26th minute another bloodbath loomed.
But Tupouniua's sin-binning proved pivotal, Cowboys hooker Reece Robson sensing the moment to spark his side.
Scott Drinkwater got busy too, setting up Javid Bowen for the first try before he scored himself from a neat Robson line-break.
Valentine Holmes then trampled Walker in the first set of the second half, offloading for Drinkwater to make it an 18-16 game.
With all the momentum they opted to take the penalty kick, after Crichton was reported for a late shot on Drinkwater.
But Holmes' kick swung wide, shifting momentum back to the Roosters.
Joseph Manu then thought he'd finished a wonderful team try only for Ben Marschke's knock-on at dummy half to be exposed on review.
James Tedesco ensured they capitalised though, streaming through some broken defence and popping a pass to Crichton for his second.
Burr became the 12th man sin-binned in the fifth game of Magic Round, clipping a falling Tedesco high and Adam Keighran's ensuing penalty edged them eight clear with 15 minutes to play.
Defending with a man down, the Cowboys scrambled in defence and chanced their arm with the ball until Daniel Tupou's second try with six minutes to play sealed the result.
