Chicago Bears vs. Dallas Cowboys: Game Review
Published by Bryan Dietzler on September 20, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears came into this game after a 19-14 Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions that seemed to be an empty one to some fans. The Bears barely beat one of the worst teams in the NFL, even though they put up a ton of yards in the game.
The Cowboys loss to Washington the previous week seemed to be a fluke, and many people felt that the Cowboys would be able to pick themselves up and beat a Bears team that couldn’t hold onto the ball or protect their quarterback. It was the perfect situation. Or so they thought.
Instead of laying down to get beat, the Bears kept on fighting despite the fact they had a lot of trouble protecting Cutler and seemed to allow the Cowboys to pass at will (at times).
However, the Bears rose up, proved their doubters wrong, and won this game, 27-20. The Bears now sit 2-0 and in prime position to take hold of the NFC North next week with a win over the Green Bay Packers.
Scoring Summary
The Bears earned the first score of the game—a Robbie Gould field goal—following a Cowboys turnover.
Dallas would add a touchdown to make it 7-3 after rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant took a Bears punt and returned it 62 yards for a score.
The Bears would go up 10-7 after quarterback Jay Cutler hit tight end Greg Olsen for a beautiful 39-yard touchdown pass.
The lead wouldn’t last long, however, as the Cowboys drove down the field on a long, clock-eating drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Romo to fullback Chris Gronkowski to make it 14-10 in the second quarter.
Chicago would add another touchdown in the second quarter after Cutler hit wide receiver Devin Hester for a 9-yard touchdown pass to put the Bears up 17-14. Chicago would get the last score of the first half when Gould booted a 40-yard field to put the Bears up 20-14 at halftime.
The Cowboys would get the first score of the second half after kicker David Buehler knocked in a 28-yard field goal to make it 20-17 and help to draw Dallas.
The Bears would make it 27-17 following a 3-yard touchdown pass from Cutler to running back Matt Forte in the fourth quarter.
Despite the fact that they attempted a furious comeback to try to tie the game, Dallas could only muster a 48-yard Buehler field goal in the final minutes of the game and the Bears won 27-20.
Stud of the Game
We have never really talked about cornerback D.J. Moore before, but he gets this honor today for his two interceptions as well as his having a hand in creating a fumble that was recovered by middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. For a guy who hasn’t had that much time on the field, Moore displayed the attention and awareness of a seasoned veteran and helped turn the tide in this game for the Bears.
Dud of the Game
The entire Bears offensive line had a very rough start, and it appeared as if the Cowboys would easily seize control of this game and have no problem winning. The O-line allowed Cowboys pass rushers to get to Cutler on an unnerving basis, and it looked as if Cutler was getting pretty frustrated having to deal with all of the pressure.
Things did get better for the offensive line as the game went on, but to start they were horrible. Hopefully the line will be able to gel better (and faster) in future games and will help keep Cutler upright for the most part.
Analysis
If you would have watched the beginning of this game and then turned it off after the first quarter, you would have never thought the Bears would have won this game. Thanks to the play of the offensive line, it appeared as if the Bears wouldn’t be able to do anything through the air and that Cutler would end up being sacked many times and would have surely thrown some interceptions in this game. It looked as if everyone who had counted the Bears out of this game would be right and Chicago would suffer their first loss of the season.
But things would turn out much better for the Bears as the game went on and Cutler, along with his wide receivers and tight end Greg Olsen, had a very good game. The Bears were able to move the ball down the field through the air and get points by passing the ball, which was what this offense was supposed to be all about when offensive coordinator Mike Martz came to Chicago.
Granted, it’s only been two games, but the Bears are looking much more like a winner, and they certainly have answered those who criticized this team before the season began.
Chicago went in to one of the toughest places to play and came out with a win. If this doesn’t make people believe in the Bears then perhaps a win over the Green Bay Packers next Monday night will make everyone believe that the Bears are for real.
The Bears still have work to do, however. They have to hope that left tackle Chris Williams (who went out with a hamstring injury early in the game) will be back and ready to go for their next game because they are really going to need him.
Using the tight ends and running backs to chip the defensive ends and outside linebackers helped them out at times in protecting their quarterback.
Cutler also found that the middle of the Cowboys defense was pretty weak and his tight ends (in particular Greg Olsen) could exploit this advantage. Making smart decisions on offense has really helped the Bears this year.
Next Up
The Bears will host division rival Green Bay at home next Monday night on Monday Night Football. Stay tuned for a full preview of this game coming up next weekend.
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