OFFENSIVE AWAKENING: 5 observations from the Cowboys’ win on Sunday over Chicago

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ron Jenkins/AP/Shutterstock (13578375x) Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott reacts after running for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, in Arlington, Texas Bears Cowboys Football, Arlington, United States – 30 Oct 2022

OFFENSIVE AWAKENING: 5 observations from the Cowboys’ win on Sunday over Chicago

The Dallas Cowboys (6-2) offense was firing on all cylinders, racking up 442 total yards, as they head into their bye week with a 49-29 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

Prescott shines in victory

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott came out Sunday and played like one of the top paid quarterbacks in the NFL, leading the Cowboys offense to an explosion of points.

Prescott, who finished completing 21 of 27 passes for 250 yards in the win, led the Cowboys to four touchdowns on their first four drives of the game, something the Cowboys hadn’t done since a Week 16 win over Indianapolis in 2014.

When Prescott, who completed passes to seven different receivers, was not dicing up the Bears’ pass defense, he was slicing through their run defense.

Prescott finished with 36 yards rushing, including a 7-yard touchdown run to start the scoring for the Cowboys in the first quarter.

Despite throwing his second interception of the season, his performance today should silence all talk about the hand injury that sidelined him for five weeks earlier in the season.

Run game keeps rolling

Tony Pollard and the Cowboys’ running game continued to chew up yards and defenses, the latest a 200-yard performance on Sunday against the 29th ranked run defense of the Bears.

Pollard, who had 51 yards rushing at the half, finished with 131 yards on 14 carries in the win.

Pollard scored on runs of 54, 18 and seven yards, as starting back Ezekiel Elliott was inactive for the game with a sprained knee. Quarterback Dak Prescott, who had 36 yards rushing on three attempts, added a seven-yard TD run of his own that got the scoring started for Dallas in the first quarter.

For Pollard, it is the first time he has rushed for three touchdowns in a game, and the first time he rushed for two TDs in a game since a Week 15 win over San Francisco in 2020.

Malik Davis, who served as the primary backup for Pollard, finished with 23 yards on eight carries.

KaVontae Turpin added an 11-yard run around the left end, while CeeDee Lamb had 1-yard rushing on a handoff early in the first half.

Run defense falters

The Cowboys’ run defense continues to be a spot of concern, as the Bears rushed for 240 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday.

Quarterback Justin Fields, who regularly broke Cowboys’ containment on scrambles, finished with 60 yards on eight carries, while rushing for 27 of those yards on four third-down runs that moved the chains for Chicago.

Running backs Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery added 99 and 53 yards each, as the Cowboys continue to search for a solution to their deficiencies in stopping the run.

On the Bears first touchdown drive of the game, a 3-yard quarterback run, the Cowboys allowed 68 yards rushing, including a 14-yard scramble from Fields on third and four from the Dallas 32.

Velus Jones added 33 yards on two carries for the Bears in the loss.

Gallup makes impact early

Cowboys’ wide receiver Michael Gallup just put up his best performance of the season, pulling down four catches for 49 yards in the Cowboys’ victory over Chicago.

Gallup, who had no catches in last week’s win over Detroit, was involved from the very first offensive snap of the game, making a four-yard catch to start the game for the Cowboys.

With the second half focused on the running game, Gallup did not add to his first half numbers over the final 30 minutes.

Miscues hurt Dallas defense

The Dallas Cowboys’ defense gave the Bears too many opportunities on Sunday, by committing several penalties and giving up big plays on third down.

Both of which kept the Bears offense on the field and ended in points.

The Cowboys’ defense was penalized five times for 36 yards while also allowing Justin Fields and the Bears to find successful plays on six third downs in the game.

Fields had runs of 18 and nine yards on different third downs in the first half. Both drives ended in Chicago touchdowns.

The 29 points the Cowboys allowed are the most the defense has given up in almost a full year. The Cowboys gave up 33 points to Las Vegas last Thanksgiving, the most until today’s effort from the Bears.

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