Of the various stats that confirmed the shortcoming of the Chicago Bears protection to cease the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, right here’s one which didn’t make the sport ebook.
Within the guests locker room after the Cowboys’ 49-29 victory, Bears linebacker Roquan Smith used the phrase “embarrassing” thrice and “unacceptable” thrice, with one “inexcusable” and one “irritating” blended in.
Security Eddie Jackson added to that rely.
“That’s what it’s — it’s embarrassing,” Jackson stated. “The offense put up (nearly) 30 factors. It’s like, what extra can you actually anticipate?”
On a day when the Bears offense confirmed continued indicators of development, the protection was practically powerless from the begin to cease quarterback Dak Prescott and operating again Tony Pollard.
The Cowboys acquired ultimately zone on their first 4 drives and 6 of 9 total earlier than the ultimate kneel-down. They punted twice, and Jackson intercepted Prescott on the opposite drive, one of many few huge performs from the protection. The Cowboys transformed 9 of 11 third downs, with Bears coach Matt Eberflus saying the Cowboys had too many third-and-short conditions.
“Everybody has to look themselves within the mirror and we simply need to develop from this and get higher,” Smith stated. “As a result of there have been errors on the market. It was easy errors, however they value us huge.”
Prescott was taking part in in his second recreation after a thumb harm stored him out for 5 video games, however he didn’t present any of the rust he had in Week 7. He accomplished 21 of 27 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 34 yards and a landing.
The Bears sacked Prescott solely as soon as, and Jackson stated Bears gamers acquired “riled up” when the Cowboys went up-tempo. A few different Bears gamers talked about not being prepared for the Cowboys recreation plan.
“There was nothing the place we stated, ‘Oh, they’ll’t deal with it,’” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy stated of going up-tempo. “It was simply actually we’ve been averaging, what, 58 performs a recreation? So we needed to rise up and get as many punches as potential no matter who the opponent was. I feel it speaks to the arrogance that we’ve got as an offense.”
Whereas the Cowboys confirmed injured operating again Ezekiel Elliott cheering on the sideline on their huge video board above the sector, Pollard made positive they hardly missed Elliott. Pollard rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries — 9.4 yards per carry.
Pollard’s 54-yard landing run on third-and-1 early within the fourth quarter was the Cowboys’ ultimate dagger. Jackson acquired behind the road of scrimmage to chase Pollard, however Jackson and Smith acquired tripped up on one another. Pollard left linebacker Nicholas Morrow diving at his ankles on the 50-yard line and security Jaquan Brisker greedy at his toes on the 5.
It was removed from the one time Pollard evaded Bears defenders, together with a nasty reduce to get by Jackson on an 18-yard, second-quarter landing run.
“He’s a shifty man, speedy man,” Jackson stated. “Hits holes, will get to the second stage good and tries to make guys miss. As we speak he did that. We noticed that on movie, what he does. We didn’t do an important job protecting him beneath management.”
The Bears protection had an emotional week. After a 33-14 upset victory over the New England Patriots on Monday, common supervisor Ryan Poles traded revered veteran and workforce captain Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday. Bears gamers admitted throughout the week that the commerce was robust for them on and off the sector.
However Jackson, who was named a captain to interchange Quinn, wasn’t utilizing that as an excuse.
“I’m not going accountable this on that,” Jackson stated. “We’ve acquired a job to do as males. We’ve acquired to return out right here and put together properly and we’ve acquired to execute. I felt like right now it wasn’t good execution.
“To come back out and allow them to rating the primary (4) drives, that’s not us. So we’ve acquired to get that fastened — and quick.”
Jackson’s fourth interception of the season — on the drive after a Justin Fields landing go — appeared to provide the Bears momentum going into halftime. Kicker Cairo Santos made a area purpose to chop the Cowboys result in 28-17.
However after the Bears reduce that result in 5 factors within the third quarter, the Cowboys put collectively a 75-yard landing drive, fueled by Prescott hitting tight finish Dalton Schultz for 30 and 14 yards. Pollard capped it together with his second landing run, a 7-yarder.
Three performs later, linebacker Micah Parson returned a fumble 36 yards for a landing to swing the momentum solidly again within the Cowboys’ favor.
The efficiency got here after the Bears held the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots to 12 and 14 factors in back-to-back weeks. Eberflus careworn that Bears defenders have to get again to fundamentals as they give the impression of being to bounce again from the tough outing.
“We didn’t do an excellent job, actually all day, on run protection,” Eberflus stated. “We didn’t do a superb job of sustaining our gaps, sustaining our duties.
“I informed the blokes after the sport, guys are going to have a look at the tape and also you’re going to see it. You’re going to see there’s no thriller right here. It’s about good fundamentals, approach. And also you’ve acquired to try this down in and down out to play good protection.”
()
