Week 4- Bears @ Cowboys, Game Preview

Week 1- Both teams clicking on all cylinders.  One upends the defending world champions on their home field.  The other shows the world that their new-found offensive weapons are something to be reckoned with.  The word "Superbowl" is mentioned when talking about both teams.

Week 2- Both teams get embarrassed on the road.  One gets a long week and takes a 20-point loss.  One gets a short week and takes a double digit loss. 

Week 3- Both teams pick up much needed victories, but neither is impressive.  Both offenses struggle with lackluster OL play, inconsistency from receivers, erratic QB play, and underwhelming play calling.

Despite being polar opposites schematically and philosophically, the Bears and Cowboys have been mirror images of each other for a few years now.  Both teams have pretty boy QBs, that have dated reality TV stars, and who the media loves to hate.  Both teams have also very recently taken heartbreaking Week 17 losses to allow their biggest rivals to be the "last team in" the playoffs, only to see said rival hoist the Lombardi trophy, 5 weeks later.  So far this season, both teams have shown flashes of brilliance on offense, but both have been carried by strong defense, particularly pass defense.

The Cowboys bolstered their pass game this offseason by signing FA, Brandon Carr and trading up to draft #1 CB, Morris Claiborne.  The Bears kept the status quo, and it has paid heavy dividends.  Tim Jennings currently leads the NFL, allowing a 4.6 passer rating to QBs who dare throw his way.  Jennings leads the league with 4 INTs, and one of his pass breakups last week led to a Major Wright TD to ice the Rams.  Yet, Jennings has had a ton of balls thrown his way.  That says to me, Charles Tillman must really be playing good football on the other side of the field.  Throw in DJ Moore having a strong Week 3, and there's your key matchups on both sides.

Tillman-Jennings-Moore will presumably play a lot of man coverage vs. Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Kevin Ogletree.  Likewise, Claiborne and Carr will be 1-on-1 a lot vs. Marshall and Jeffery.  Helping the Bears trio is a defensive front 4 that has been dominant getting after the QB this year.  The Bears lead the league with 14 QB sacks, with 5 players having at least 1.5.  So, the Bears will come after the suspect Cowboys OL from all angles.  But I would be foolish if I left out the fact that the 'Boys have possibly the best pass rusher in the NFL going against possibly the worst pass blocking OT in the NFL, on their side.  If the Bears help out Webb a lot, watch for the blitz (don't have much help for Ware rushing the passer) and the Cowboys to gamble with their CBs and try to force Cutler into a poor throw. 

The Cowboys have been strong defensively to start the year, but I feel there are ways the Bears can attack them.  Some of the parts have changed, but Week 2 from 2010 is a blueprint of how the Bears can win this game.  The Bears need to play fast.  Not sure how much no huddle the Bears have in the playbook, but the Cowboys aren't a very deep team defensively.  Ratliff and Coleman missed last week along their D-line.  Spears and Lissemore have joined them on the injury report for this week.  The Bears need to get the ball out of Cutler's hands quickly and put pressure on the Cowboys to tackle the Bears big WRs in the open field.  Unlike 2 years ago, I do think the Bears will be able to run the ball against Dallas.  Bush looks good to go this week, but if Forte also is able to go, the Bears will have the potential to hit them up inside and out to keep them off-balanced. 

I also look for special teams to have an impact in this game.  Hester loves it indoors, and has been closer and closer to breaking one the last 2 weeks.  Bryant has also shown some explosion in the return game and had a return TD vs. the Bears in 2010.  Short fields will play a huge factor this week, with 2 struggling offense.  But despite the struggling offenses in this one, I actually expect some points to be put on the board.  Maybe even as many as the 47 from a couple years ago.  Winner gets a huge boost, as the victor will move to 3-1 in the competitive NFC.  Dallas may have more at stake with games @ Balt, Atl, and Philly with the Giants also coming to town in the next 5.  The Bears follow with 4 games they should be favored in, before the schedule gets really tough.  A Bears win would give them a strong shot at a playoff berth.