Tag: 2022 week 8

Top-10 Toxic, Impact plays from Cowboys’ Week 8 victory over Bears

A look at the 10 plays that had the biggest impact on Dallas’ win vs the Bears. | From @KDDrummondNFL

For the first time all season, every single Dallas Cowboys target had a positive cumulative EPA. What is EPA? It stands for Expected Points Added and it’s a really simple concept to grasp. Based on down, distance and field position, every situation has an impact on the likelihood a team scores, or Expected Points. The impact a single play has on the Expected Points for that drive, positive or negative, are called Expected Points Added.

Obviously explosive plays have a big impact on EPA. Passes of over 20 yards or runs longer than 10 yards qualify as explosive and, as named by former Ravens head coach Brian Billick, are considered toxic to the opponent. Several years ago I added turnovers to the definition and as witnessed in Dallas’ 49-29 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, they have huge momentum in winning and losing.

The influence of a play on a team’s chances of winning take into account the score of a game and the time on the clock. That’s measured in win probability and like expected points, can be measured on a play-by-play basis in Win Probability Added.

Toxicity will normally have large EPA and WPA numbers, but they are not the only way to measure. With Impact Score, we take into account the impact of a big play on the team’s improved chances of winning the game, adding a clutch factor if you will. Here’s a look at the top Cowboys plays from Sunday’s win.

Nom, Nom, Nom: Twitter reacts to Cowboys’ 40-burger win over Bears

The Cowboys offense put on their best performance of the season and Twitter didn’t disappoint. @ProfessorO_NFL takes a look at the best reactions of Week 8.

Did somebody order a “40 burger”? While it may be too early to proclaim that the offense is officially back, it was certainly a sight for sore eyes. Entering Week 8 with a lengthy list of injuries and a bye looming, the Cowboys elected to play it safe and opted to rest several key players including: RB Ezekiel Elliott, WR Noah Brown, DE Sam Williams and S Malik Hooker.

Tony Pollard had his opportunity to showcase what he is capable of and delivered three touchdown runs and over 150 combined yards. Quarterback Dak Prescott had his best performance of the season and looked sharp as he dissected the Bears secondary. With a final score of 49-29, the Cowboys improved their record to 6-2 as the enter the bye week. Here are the best Twitter reactions of the Cowboys win over the Chicago Bears.

3 Stars: Offense finally has to carry Cowboys and their shoulders were indeed broad

The fastest linebacker in the NFL? Not Micah. Meanwhile the Dallas offense finally had to lead the way and @CDPiglet says they showed themselves more than capable in Sunday’s win.

The Dallas Cowboys were winning games while without quarterback Dak Prescott by relying on the defense to hold opponents down and then asking the offense to not make critical mistakes. The reason the team was excited to get Prescott back was because eventually the Dallas defense was going to have a bad game and the offense would need to carry the team to a win. They weren’t going to do that with Cooper Rush under center.

Unexpectedly, the Week 8 Chicago Bears were the team to bring that challenge. They fell behind early but stuck to their game plan of running the ball at Dallas with multiple running backs, the quarterback, and even WR Velus Jones. Chicago ran 14 more plays than Dallas, controlling the clock for over 36 minutes, rushing for 240 yards. The Cowboys’ offense was going to have to show up and more than 400 yards and over 40 points later, last year’s No. 1 offense produced three stars of the game.

Yes, Micah Parsons did take a fumble and return it for a touchdown. Dalton Schultz brought in six of his seven targets for 74 yards, CeeDee Lamb had five receptions for 77 yards and a TD, and Kellen Moore was dialing up a great offensive plan all game. Any of those could have received a star this game, but sometimes it can be about more than who had the best stats of the day.

Good, bad, ugly from Cowboys’ 49-29 victory over Chicago Bears

Contain the QB? Nope. Contain the run game? Nope. So exactly how did Dallas still have their largest win of the season? @BenGrimaldi breaks it all down.

The Dallas Cowboys had their first offensive explosion of the season in their 49-29 routing of the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Dak Prescott returned to the form that made him an MVP candidate in the first half of 202, also utilizing his legs to keep the chains moving in the Cowboys’ sixth win of the 2022 campaign.

This was a game where it seemed like the Cowboys had the game well in hand, but allowed the Bears to stick around with some sloppy play. Luckily, the Cowboys had the right answers, which included Prescott and running back Tony Pollard, to keep the Bears playing from behind.

It wasn’t a fun day for the defense, who were gashed in the running game once again. The unit made enough plays though, despite fighting through some injuries and misfortunes. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly as Dallas won their second game in a row, and heads to their much-needed bye week at 6-2.

Top photos from Cowboys 20-point drubbing of Bears in Week 8

Get those right-click-save-as fingers going because there’s a ton of great photo captures from Dallas’ 49-29 win in Week 8. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys handled their business. Entering the game as 9.5-point favorites, the expectation was that despite the Bears 16-point win the week prior, Dallas was the much better team. The early returns proved that, the middle of the game made one wonder, but by the final window there was no uncertainty. The Cowboys may have given up a ton of ground yardage to Justin Fields and the Chicago offense, but everything else was working for the club.

Dallas won 49-29 for their biggest win of the season and improved to 6-2 on the year. Playing without Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard and the Dallas run game didn’t miss a beat. Quarterback Dak Prescott was precise on almost every throw. A hobbled and further-injured defense was confounded by Fields’ athleticism but still managed to get multiple sacks and added to the scoring column themselves. Here’s a look at the best pics from all of the action in Week 8, courtesy of the USA Today and Getty Images photographers.

Tony Pollard shines in starring role, Cowboys run roughshod on Bears, 49-29

No Elliott? No problem. The Dallas offense hit on all cylinders and the club worked through a couple rough patches to cruise to their biggest win of 2022.

The Dallas Cowboys entered the game with injury concerns, and added more to the bonfire as the game went along. While next man up is really just something coaches tell players to get the most out of their backups, when a team has a roster as deep as Dallas does, it actually can come to fruition. Getting the rare opportunity to be the lead back, fourth-year pro Tony Pollard turned in the best performance of his career.

The pending free agent ran the rock 14 times for a gaudy 131 yards and three touchdowns, including a 51-yarder to cement the victory. Combined with another surreal play by Micah Parsons, a fumble return for a touchdown, Dallas was able to overcome three passing touchdowns by Bears QB Justin Fields and a rushing attack that gained over 200 yards.

The Cowboys scored touchdowns on their first four possessions of the game, something they hadn’t done since late in the 2014 season. They almost gave up the bag though, allowing the Bears to score 10 points in less than a minute before halftime, then close within 5 early in the third quarter. Order was restored however with a sack on the two-point play leading to Dallas going back-to-back with Pollard’s second score followed by the Parsons return.

The Cowboys would add the Pollard score after the Bears stayed competitive to finally put the nail in the coffin with Pollard’s third score. It was the first time a Dallas RB scored three times in a game since Joseph Randle in 2015.

The victory moved Dallas to 6-2 on the year, heading into their bye week. They could not gain ground on the division-leading Eagles who improved to 7-0 with their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

WATCH: Cowboys pave huge hole, Pollard plays the safety en route to another TD

A huge Dak Prescott run sets up an even more impressive jaunt by Tony Pollard to stretch Dallas’ lead once again.

The Dallas Cowboys offense is absolutely back. Any questions about whether or not the group is better with Dak Prescott under center are now making the askers look like idiots. After shaking the rust off in the first half against the Detroit Lions in Week 7, the momentum from the second half continues into Week 8. Prescott’s passing is firing on all cylinders, and now his leg game is back in full effect, too.

Scoring the first touchdown of the game already, Prescott took a 3rd-and-1 sneak and turned it into a 25-yard jaunt.

Already shaken, the Bears defensive front got absolutely manhandled shortly thereafter, as RB Tony Pollard broke through a huge hole before taking the ankles and soul from the last line of defense for a 21-yard score.

Dallas had to respond after a Justin Fields drive moved the Bears downfield for a score, but the lead is back up to 14 points, 21-7.

WATCH: Prescott, Lamb connect for TD as Cowboys stretch early lead

Lamb in the backfield? Make them declare. Lamb on the route? Make them deceased.

The Cowboys’ offense is humming, and pulling out wrinkles. For the majority of the drive, Dallas ran 03 personnel, with no backs, all three tight ends in and WR CeeDee Lamb lined up in the back field. Methodically, short quick passes moved Dallas into the deep end of the Bears side of the field.

Finally, the club ran Lamb, but for little yardage. Rookie Malik Davis took the next carry and got nothing, setting up 3rd-and-9 from the Bears’ 21-yard line. For the first time all afternoon, QB Dak Prescott looked in the direction of Lamb, and it was exactly what the drive needed as Prescott fired a strike into Lamb’s hands.

Prescott is absolutely dealing in the early going, hitting 10 of his first 11 passes for 108 yards and the score. He currently has a 137.9 passer rating as the Cowboys have an early 14-0 lead.

WATCH: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott scores 1st rushing TD in almost a year

The Dallas opening drive went exactly as scripted, culminating in a Prescott jaunt into the end zone.

The Dallas Cowboys have a ton of key players missing their Week 8 game against the Chicago Bears, but one couldn’t tell based on the opening drive. The offense opened up on the field without RB Ezekiel Elliott and starting WR Noah Brown, but they had no problem dissecting the Bears defense playing for the first time without traded edge rusher Robert Quinn.

The Cowboys still had QB Dak Prescott, RB Tony Pollard, WRs CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, TE Dalton Schultz and of course their offensive line. The line was carving road-grade size lanes for Pollard and his 26 yards on the ground.

That run along with Pollard’s 16 through the air opened things up for Prescott’s play-action, designed run around the left side for the first touchdown of the game.

The score was the first time Prescott had run one in since Week 10 of last season against Atlanta. That was his lone rushing score on the year in 2021, in what used to be a staple of his game prior to his horrific injury in 2020.

Prescott opened the game 4-for-5 passing for 39 yards and now the Dallas defense goes to work with a 7-0 lead.

Bears more toxic but Cowboys should have antidote in Week 8 battle

While the Bears are more toxic than the Cowboys, how the teams matchup in the remainder of advanced stat indicators favors Dallas. @ProfessorO_NFL breaks it all down.

The Dallas Cowboys picked up their fifth win of the season against the Detroit Lions last weekend and now will face another NFC North opponent, the Chicago Bears, in Week 8 at home. With franchise quarterback Dak Prescott returning to action from a thumb injury that forced him to miss the previous five weeks, the Cowboys handed the Lions a 24-6 loss. The defense once again came to the rescue wreaking havoc on the Lions offense as they forced five takeaways and accrued five sacks.

The Bears will enter this matchup with a 3-4 record on the season coming off of an impressive win against the New England Patriots in Week 7. After starting the season with two wins in their first three games, the Bears found themselves on a bit of a tailspin, losing three games in a row before righting the ship against New England.  The Bears offense features a formidable running game and an opportunistic defense.

Oh my, already with wins against the Lions and Cincinnati Bengals, the Cowboys have a chance to complete the “Wizard of Oz” gauntlet with a victory against the Bears. Each week we open up the Advanced Stat Notebook to analyze how each team ranks in EPA, DVOA, ANY/A and Toxic Differential. These four key metrics have a high correlation to win probability.