Tag: Chicago Bears vs. Dallas Cowboys

Bears-Cowboys was most-watched Thursday Night Football game this season

The Bears and Cowboys drew massive ratings in their Thursday Night Football showdown, where the world watched Chicago dominate Dallas.

Under the Thursday night lights, the Chicago Bears made a statement with a 31-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys, where their offense, defense and special teams took care of business.

Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky came to life against a talent Cowboys defense, where he lit them up for four touchdowns — three through the air and one on the ground.

It wasn’t just Chicago that got a glimpse of the Bears’ stellar performance. In fact, 18.8 million people watched the Bears dismantle the Cowboys on national television.

Thursday’s Bears-Cowboys game was the highest-rated Thursday night game this season on FOX, NFL Network and Amazon. It was also the second-highest since FOX launched its Thursday night slate last season.

The Bears won their third straight game — and four of their last five — to improve to 7-6 on the season.

As they look to make a playoff push, Chicago will need some help in the form of losses by the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. But most importantly, they need to take care of business by winning their final three games beginning with Green Bay in Week 15.

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5 takeaways from Bears’ convincing 31-24 win over the Cowboys

The Bears delivered a beat down of the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football, and there was plenty to take away from Chicagos convincing win.

The Chicago Bears are riding a three-game winning streak and slowly, but surely, are increasing their playoff odds by the day, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 31-24 in front of a raucous crowd at Soldier Field.

After a slow start on both sides of the ball, the offense and defense both turned it around and dug the Bears out of an early 7-0 hole. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky played his best game of the season, accounting for all 4 touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) and showing he may not be the bust many pegged him to be halfway through the season.

Meanwhile, the Bears defense locked in on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and forced him out of the pocket on many occasions. His timing was disrupted and, despite scoring 17 points in the final quarter during garbage time, he couldn’t rally his team back from such a large deficit. Dallas has now lost three straight and is searching for answers while attempting to compete for the NFC East division title.

The Cowboys may be moving backward, but the Bears are surging forward with just three weeks to go. Here are my five takeaways from Thursday’s convincing win.

1. Mitchell Trubisky played his best game as a Bear

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Mitchell Trubisky’s best game as a Bear wasn’t the 6-touchdown performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018, or even last week’s game Thanksgiving showing against the Detroit Lions. No, it was Thursday evening against the Dallas Cowboys.

Trubisky looked poised all night, threading the needle on multiple occasions to wide receivers Anthony Miller and Allen Robinson and taking the game over with his legs, particularly on the Bears’ final touchdown drive. This is the quarterback fans have waited to see. Trubisky not only kept the offense ahead, he did it in a figurative “do or die” game, in which a loss would have truly all-but eliminated the Bears from playoff contention.

The game not only keeps the Bears “in the hunt”, but also silences the chorus of fans, media, and players who may have wanted Trubisky out of Chicago. These final few games of 2019 were always going to be big for the Bears’ quarterback, and he has risen to the challenge thus far.

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Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky made NFL history against the Cowboys

Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky played his best game of the season in a 31-24 win vs. Cowboys. It was also a performance that made NFL history.

Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had his best performance of the season in a 31-24 dismantling of the Cowboys on Thursday night, and it was a performance for the record books.

Trubisky became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 70% of his passes (30 attempts), throw three or more touchdowns, rush for 50 or more yards and rush for a touchdown.

Trubisky completed 23-of-31 passes for 244 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 115.5. He added 63 yards on the ground on 10 carries with a rushing touchdown.

While Trubisky’s third season hasn’t gone as planned, he’s put together five solid games, including back-to-back games where he played lights out.

In the last four games, Trubisky has accounted for 13 touchdowns (11 passing, 2 rushing).

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Best photos from Bears’ 31-24 dismantling of Cowboys

The Bears beat down on the Cowboys in a 31-24 victory at Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football. Here are the night’s best photos.

The Chicago Bears (7-6) dominated the Dallas Cowboys (6-7) in a 31-24 victory at Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football.

The Bears offense had its best performance of the season against a top 10 defense in the Cowboys. For the second consecutive week, it was Mitchell Trubisky’s day to shine. The third-year quarterback completed 23-of-31 passes for 244 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also added 63 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown.

Chicago’s defense also managed to contain the NFL’s best passing offense, contrary to some garbage-time yards and scores by Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense in the fourth quarter.

The Bears have now won four of their last five games, and they’re making a push for a Wild Card berth in the final quarter of the season.

Here are the best photos from Chicago’s satisfying victory over Dallas:

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Instant analysis of Bears’ 31-24 win over Cowboys

The Bears dismantled the Cowboys 31-24 to win their third consecutive game, where QB Mitchell Trubisky found success against Dallas.

The Chicago Bears delivered a 31-24 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football to improve to 7-6 on the season. It was Chicago’s third straight win as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive in the final quarter of the season.

Coming off an impressive performance against the Lions, the Bears offense had its best performance of the season against a solid Cowboys defense. They totaled 31 points and 382 yards en route to a convincing win that has this offense riding high after struggling most of this season.

Mitchell Trubisky continues to thrive on Thursdays. Following an impressive three-touchdown performance against the Lions on Thanksgiving, which earned him FedEx Air Player of the Week honors, Trubisky one-upped himself with his best game of the season against Dallas when the Bears needed it most.

Trubisky completed 23-of-31 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns with one interception for a passer rating of 115.5. He tossed two touchdowns to receiver Allen Robinson, who five receptions for 48 yards, as well as one to receiver Anthony Miller, who three catches for 42 yards.

While Trubisky lit the Cowboys up through the air, he also used his legs to make plays, something that he did successfully last season but has shied away from this year. Trubisky had 10 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown, and he was able to utilize his mobility to pick up key first downs.

Newly-minted NFC Special Teams Player of the Month Cordarrelle Patterson continued to prove his versatility on special teams and offense on Thursday. Patterson had two kick returns for 44 yards, and he added one reception for 33 yards on offense.

The Bears saw substantial production from their tight ends against the Cowboys, where J.P. Holtz and Jesper Horsted shined for Chicago. Holtz led the team in receiving with 3 receptions for 56 yards, including a 30-yard reception that set up the Bears’ first touchdown of the game. Horsted added 4 catches for 36 yards, which doubled his total catches in his previous two games.

While the score might not indicate it, the Bears defense took care of business against the NFL’s best passing offense. The Cowboys drove 75 yards in 17 plays on the opening possession, and it looked like they might have their way with Chicago. But the defense buckled down and contained quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was held to under 100 rushing yards for the fifth straight game.

While the Cowboys stacked yards and points against the Bears’ prevent defense in the fourth quarter, Chicago was able to stop one of the league’s best offenses without some of its biggest playmakers, including Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, Prince Amukamara and Roquan Smith, who was injured on that first drive.

Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski led the team in tackles with 10 combined tackles. Linebacker Khalil Mack and safety Eddie Jackson each had a sack of Prescott.

The Bears are riding a three-game winning streak with 10 days to prepare for a divisional contest against the Green Bay Packers. If Chicago can keep this momentum going — and the offense and defense continue to do their jobs — things should get interesting in these final three games.

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WATCH: Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky scores 4th touchdown vs. Cowboys

Mitchell Trubisky has accounted for 4 touchdowns against the Cowboys, and he used his legs to pick up his latest to extend Chicago’s lead.

Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky continues to light up the Cowboys. After throwing three touchdown passes, Trubisky used his legs to pick up his fourth score of the night.

After the Cowboys scored a touchdown to cut Chicago’s lead to 24-14, the Bears offense answered with a 3-play, 60-yard scoring drive.

Following a 22-yard completion to Allen Robinson, Trubisky kept the ball and ran 23 yards for the score.

Trubisky has 64 rushing yards against the Cowboys, which is shy of his career high of 81 against the Patriots last season.

In the last four games, Trubisky has accounted for 13 touchdowns (11 passing, 2 rushing).

The Bears lead the Cowboys 31-14 with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

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WATCH: Mitchell Trubisky finds Allen Robinson for 2nd TD vs. Cowboys

Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky and WR Allen Robinson connected for a score for the second time in the first half against the Cowboys.

The Chicago Bears offense has picked up right where they left off following their Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions.

Chicago’s offense has moved the ball on every one of their four possessions, including their second touchdown drive of the night.

In the waning minutes of the first half, the Bears offense orchestrated a 14-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a Mitchell Trubisky 8-yard touchdown pass to Allen Robinson.

The touchdown was the second thrown by Trubisky and Robinson’s second touchdown of the night. It’s Robinson’s second multi-touchdown game of the season, his previous came against the Oakland Raiders in Week 5.

The Bears’ 17-point first half is the second best output of the season. They put up 21 points against the Washington Redskins in Week 3, the result of several takeaways.

Chicago leads Dallas 17-7 at halftime.

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Cowboys Wire

Before tonight’s game, we caught up with Cowboys Wire to get the scoop on the Bears’ Week 14 opponent.

The Chicago Bears (6-6) look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive against the Dallas Cowboys (6-6), who are also trying to stay alive as the postseason approaches.

The Bears are coming off a 24-20 comeback victory over the Detroit Lions, in which their offense showed signs of life for the first time this season. The Cowboys, however, had a surprising 26-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving.

Before the game, we caught up with managing editor KD Drummond of Cowboys Wire to get the scoop on the Bears’ Week 14 opponent.

Here are five questions with Cowboys Wire:

Bears Wire: Jason Garrett seems like he’s headed to the chopping block by Jerry Jones. Just how hot is Garrett’s seat right now, and is there any scenario that keeps Garrett in place beyond 2019?

Cowboys Wire: The seat is so hot, there’s really no reason for Garrett to sit down anymore. It’s going to take a miracle run for Garrett to return in 2020, the club is going to have to make it to the NFC Championship and be competitive, at minimum, for him to return. The funny part? This team is capable of doing so. They are bad right now, but they have the talent up and down the roster to be a team no one wants to face in the playoffs. They can win home or away and can score with relative ease when they aren’t shooting themselves in the foot. Finding a way to make that happen down the stretch is, well, a stretch, but it is possible.

BW: Dak Prescott was considered an MVP candidate earlier this season. But these last couple of games he hasn’t played as well. What’s the cause of Prescott’s struggles, and how heavily do the Cowboys need to lean on him as they make a playoff push?

CW: Everyone should throw the game against New England out of their judgment of Prescott’s season. Those weather conditions played the biggest factor in that horrible day, and he deserves a mulligan for that. The interesting thing to come from that game is the performance that followed. He looked completely out of sorts against the Bills, and it raises the question that’s been brought up in the past: How confident is Prescott in his ability? In 2017, when he was attacked relentlessly in a loss to Atlanta where he was sacked eight times, he lost confidence in himself and went on one of the worst runs of quarterbacking in recent memory. This year his confidence has been sky-high, and QB coach Jon Kitna has a lot to do with that. We saw against Buffalo what happens to him when his belief is low. What that looks like in the cold night of Chicago is a huge litmus test.

BW: Dallas’ defense looked lost about QB Josh Allen and Buffalo’s offense last Thursday. How would you assess the play of the Cowboys defense recently? What are their biggest weaknesses, and how might they be able to best the Bears offense?

CW: The Cowboys defense is an enigma, and the biggest issues have been in their back seven. The linebackers haven’t played up to their 2018 standards, and Leighton Vander Esch is missing another game with a neck injury. Jaylon Smith has been bad in coverage, and Sean Lee has looked his age; the brain is still savvy, the body less so. In coverage, Chido Awuzie has been a constant target because he never tries to locate the ball. That’s a sore spot as none of the Cowboys’ secondary players do a good job unless they are coming downhill, but he’s the worst at it. The pass rush will be the key for Dallas, if they can get their four-headed dragon of DeMarcus Lawrence, Robert Quinn, Michael Bennett and Maliek Collins going to pressure and take down Mitchell Trubisky.

BW: The Cowboys have some significant injuries that might impact Thursday’s game, including WR Amari Cooper, LB Leighton Vander Esch and DT Michael Bennett. What are the statuses of those players and the likelihood they’ll be ready for Thursday night?

CW: Cooper and Bennett are going to play, Vander Esch is out. Dallas may also be without change-of-pace RB Tony Pollard, so expect Ezekiel Elliott to get a heavy workload.

BW: What’s your prediction for the game?

CW: I’m not at all confident in it, but I think the Cowboys playing on a full week’s rest can avoid the normal offensive malaise of the Thursday night road team. Cowboys 28, Bears 24

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3 key matchups to watch in Bears vs. Cowboys

As the Bears prepare for the Cowboys, they’ll face a tall order as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive. Here are matchups to watch.

When the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys kick off at Soldier Field on Thursday evening, it will officially mark the beginning of the fourth quarter of the 2019 NFL season.

Each sitting at 6-6, the Bears and Cowboys still eye a spot in the postseason, although the Cowboys’ road to the playoffs is much smoother than the Bears’. Nonetheless, neither team can afford a loss in December and will look to inch closer towards securing a playoff berth.

With injuries sidelining impactful players on both teams, this game will come down to a few key matchups. Here are three of the biggest:

1. OLB Khalil Mack vs. LT Tyron Smith

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

A (literal) battle of the heavyweights, Mack and Smith are perennial Pro Bowl players who will go head to head for a significant portion of the game. Statistically, Mack hasn’t reached his totals from 2018 and is in danger of missing out on double-digit sacks for the first time since his rookie season. But he has five forced fumbles and is still a game-changer when coming off the edge. He’ll line up on both ends of the line but will face a major test when lining up across from Smith.

Smith has only surrendered one sack this season, and the offensive line as a whole has given up 19 total, tied for third-best in the league, according to Football Outsiders. Getting to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will be paramount when it comes to winning this game.

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Bears vs. Cowboys, Week 14: How to watch, listen and stream

The Bears host the Cowboys in a pivotal NFC showdown to keep their playoff hopes alive in search of a Wild Card berth.

The Chicago Bears look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive as they host the Dallas Cowboys at chilly Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football.

This will mark the second straight Thursday matchup for the Bears, as they defeated the Detroit Lions 24-20 on Thanksgiving, and the Cowboys, who lost 26-15 to the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving.

Here’s how you can tune into the game on Thursday:

Game Information

Chicago Bears (6-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (6-6)

Date: Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019

Time: 7:20 p.m. CT

Location: Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)

Television

FOX, NFL Network, Amazon Prime

Announcers

Joe Buck (play-by-play)

Troy Aikman (analyst)

Erin Andrews (reporter)

Kristina Pink (reporter)

Stream

FuboTV (try it free)

Radio

WBBM 780 (Chicago) and 105.9 FM

Satellite Radio

Bears feed: XM 805

Cowboys feed: XM 808

National feed: XM 88

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