Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard had a golden opportunity in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears, getting his fourth career start with Ezekiel Elliott sidelined with a knee injury, and he didn't disappoint: the 2019 fourth-round pick ran for 131 yards and a career-high three rushing touchdowns on a career-high 14 carries. His career day powered the Cowboys to a 49-29 win, running their record to 6-2 as they enter their Week 9 bye week.
Pollard's performance made him only the sixth player in Cowboys history with more than 100 rushing yards and three rushing downs in a game and the first to do so since Julius Jones against the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He is now the third player to accomplish the feat this season, joining Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill.
Quarterback Dak Prescott also looked more like himself in his second start back from a fractured thumb, completing 21 of 27 passes for 250 yards, two passing touchdowns and an interception. Prescott also had a 7-yard rushing score on the game's opening possession.
The Cowboys' 49 points scored are the most the Bears have allowed since surrendering 55 points in the 2014 season against the Green Bay Packers, and Sunday is only the 12th time in Bears' franchise history that they have allowed 49 or more points in a game.
Despite falling behind 28-7 to begin the game, the Bears opted for a run-heavy attack, rushing on 43 of their 61 offensive plays. Quarterback Justin Fields had 151 passing yards and two passing touchdowns on 17 of 23 passing Sunday for a career-high 120.0 passer rating in addition to 60 rushing yards and another touchdown. Fields had plenty of success scrambling earlier, but the Cowboys kept him in the pocket in the second half and he ended with four sacks taken.
The win improves the Cowboys to 6-2, keeping them within striking distance of the undefeated Eagles in the NFC East with nine games remaining after their bye week. Chicago falls to 3-5 overall with losses in four of their last five games after starting the 2022 season 2-1.
The Cowboys could not be stopped to begin the game, scoring a touchdown on each of their first four possessions for the first time since Week 16 of the 2014 season against the Indianapolis Colts, a game they won 42-7. Prescott began the scoring with a 7-yard rushing touchdown, followed by a 21-yard dart to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Pollard tacked on an 18-yard rushing touchdown, which Prescott followed with a 1-yard touchdown toss to tight end Jake Ferguson off a play-action pass. The Cowboys led 28-7 midway through the second quarter. That was enough as NFL teams are now 49-1 since 2000 in games when their offense scored a touchdown on each of their first four drives.
After the Bears trimmed the lead to 28-23 thanks to a Prescott interception and the Bears scoring an early third-quarter touchdown, Pollard ran for two more rushing scores, and Micah Parsons tallied his first career touchdown on a 36-yard fumble recovery. The double-P's accounted for 21 of the game's final 27 points scored. Overall, the Cowboys offense was too much for a Bears team built to run the football and play from ahead.
Allowing the opponent to score four consecutive touchdowns and allowing 49 points overall is a recipe for disaster. The 49 points allowed were the Bears' most in a game since 2014 when Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw six passing touchdowns against them in the first half of a 55-14 loss in Week 10 of the 2014 season. Falling down by 21 to start the game just won't win you many games, especially for this Bears team that runs the football on 59.9% of their offense plays, the highest rate in the NFL.
The Bears were in striking distance against the Cowboys, down 35-23 midway through the third quarter before a fumble by running back David Montgomery doomed their comeback chances since Parsons scooped up Montgomery's fumble for six points in the other direction.
After a 16-0 run by the Chicago Bears that spanned the end of the first half and the beginning of the third quarter, Micah Parsons put his foot down. Bears running back David Montgomery gained 13 yards on a checkdown from Fields before fumbling when being dragged down by Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Montgomery lost control of the football, bobbling the pigskin before it rolled 5 more yards downfield. Parsons dived on the football and got low enough to avoid Fields' jump toward him before getting up and sprinting 36 yards for his first career touchdown.
The play helped secure the Cowboys' win as a three-score second-half deficit was simply too much for the NFL's top rushing offense since the Bears offense simply isn't built to play from behind in 2022.
The play of the game couldn't be anything else besides Parsons' first career touchdown via fumble recovery. He displayed great athleticism, showcasing the ability to dive for the ball before quickly popping back up after avoiding Fields and sprinting toward the end zone. He looked like a running back rumbling toward the end zone. Parsons has showcased his versatility in his young career by seamlessly rotating back and forth between the defensive line and linebacker positions, now he has let Mike McCarthy know that he could handle a carry or two at running back if needed.
The Cowboys will rest up on their bye week before heading to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in a homecoming game for head coach Mike McCarthy in Week 10. The Bears return home to Chicago to face Tua Tagovailoa's 5-3 Miami Dolphins in Week 9.
The Bears punt with 1:31 left to play, leaving the Cowboys to kneel out their sixth win in 8 games. Dallas will take a 6-2 record into their Week 9 bye week. The Bears fall to 3-5 in head coach Matt Eberflus' first season as Chicago's head coach.
The Cowboys force a turnover on downs on fourth and 11 for the Bears. Chicago reached as far as the Dallas' 18, but down by 20, they needed touchdowns, not field goals. Cowboys ball up 49-29 with 5:12 left in the game.
Tony Pollard now has a career-high three rushing touchdowns following a 54-yard score on third and one. He made one count to bounce to the outside and that was all he needed before sprinting down the left sideline untouched. 49-29 Cowboys with 10:35 to go in Arlington, Texas.
Following Justin Fields' 10-yard passing touchdown to tight end Cole Kmet, his first touchdown since the 2020 season (28 games ago), the Bears once again fail to convert a two-point try. 42-29 Cowboys with 13:40 left in the game.
Linebacker Micah Parsons does everything for the Cowboys defensively, and now he has his first career touchdown. He scooped up a fumble by Bears running back David Montgomery, somehow avoided being touched on the ground after recovering the fumble, and sprinted 36 yards for the touchdown. Parsons spoke all week about how his 40-yard dash time was faster than Justin Fields', and he proved it on that scoop-and-score. 42-23 Cowboys with five minutes left in the third quarter.
Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has tied his career-high for rushing touchdowns in a single game with his second score of the day. This one from seven yards out. His only other multi-rushing touchdown performance came in Week 15 of the 2020 season against the San Francisco 49ers, a 41-33 Cowboys victory. 35-32 Cowboys with 6:51 to go in the third quarter.
Bears running back Khalil Herbert experienced the full gamut of emotions on that drive, initially fumbling before a replay review established he retained possessions, and now a 12-yard rushing touchdown. 28-23 Cowboys after the Bears fail on their two-point conversion attempt. The Cowboys will look to regain momentum with 9:42 left in the third quarter.
After what appeared to be a Cowboys takeaway via a fumble by Bears running back Khalil Herbert, the replay review overturned that call, and the Bears retained possession. Immediately after the review concluded, Fields found receiver Darnell Mooney deep down the field for a 36-yard gain to the Cowboys' 36.
The Cowboys punt for the first time today. 28-17 Cowboys through two drives in the second half.
The Cowboys defense bounces back to start the second half, forcing a quick three-and-out after surrendering 10 straight points to end the first half. 28-17 Cowboys, Dak & company getting ready to start their first drive of the second half.
Fields' quick scoring strike is followed by an immediate interception from Prescott, giving the Bears an opportunity for more points before receiving the ball to start the second-half.
Justin Fields goes from turning the ball over to throwing a 17-yard touchdown to wide receiver N'Keal Harry within the span of a couple plays. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs intercepted the Chicago signal-caller, but the play was erased thanks to a roughing-the-passer penalty on Dallas defensive end Chauncey Golston. A huge play for the Bears to condense the Cowboys lead to 14, 28-14, with 40 seconds left in the half since the Bears will receive the second-half kickoff.
With Dak Prescott completing a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ferguson off play-action, the Cowboys have scored a touchdown on the first four drives for the first time since Week 16 of the 2014 season against the Indianapolis Colts. Dallas won that game 42-7. Cowboys lead the Bears today 28-7 with just under seven minutes left in the half.
Tony Pollard with a couple quick cuts, and he's gone. An 18-yard rushing touchdown for Pollard, 21-7 Cowboys. Three drives, three touchdowns for Dallas, and 67 scrimmage yards for Pollard on eight touches. He's making a case for taking Elliott's starting spot early with Zeke resting a knee injury. 21-7 Cowboys with 10:50 left in the first half.
Justin Fields trims the Cowboys lead to 7 with a three-yard quarterback draw. Fields totaled 32 rushing yards on four carries during the possession. Fields had a career-high 11 designed runs in the Bears' 33-14 triumph against the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football last time out. If the Cowboys can't secure the edge defensively, the Bears will hang around. 14-7 Cowboys with 13:41 left in the first half.
End of the first quarter, 14-0 Cowboys. However, the Bears are driving as they face a third-and-two from the Dallas 10. Quarterback Justin Fields has all 29 of his rushing yards on the possession with gains of 15 and 14 yards on the ground. It will be interesting to see if the Bears go for it on fourth down if they are stopped short on third down. The Bears defense has had no answers for the Cowboys' offense so far, allowing touchdowns on both Dallas drives.
The Cowboys offense is humming today. An easy eight-play. 69-yard touchdown drive. Dak Prescott has completed 17 of his last 19 passes dating back to last week's game against the Lions, capping the possession with a 21-yard strike to receiver CeeDee Lamb. Prescott is 10-of-11 passing today against the Bears for 107 yards and that touchdown. 14-0 Cowboys with 5:19 left in the first quarter.
The key for the Bears to win today is for them to establish their running game and stay ahead of the sticks. Dante Pettis' offensive pass-interference is not what the doctor order. If you let the Dallas defense get into third and medium or long against an offense, that offense is in trouble. Thanks to the penalty, the Bears are forced to punt on their first drive. 7-0 Cowboys with 8:31 left in the first quarter.
Jerry Jones had discussed Dak Prescott using his legs more as a threat in the Cowboys' offense down in the red zone. There's exactly what Jerry had in mind with Dak's seven-yard score on third-and-two from the seven. 7-0 Cowboys, Bears' first offensive possession up next.
Tony Pollard had averaged 6.2 yards per scrimmage touch since the start of the 2021 season, the most among 40 running backs around the league with over 200 touches in that span entering Week 8. He showed off that burst in erasing the Cowboys' 12-men-on-the-field penalty with the 17-yard carry for a new set of downs.
The Cowboys have one of the best defenses in the NFL this season, ranking second in scoring defense and first in sacks this season. Their 29 sacks are their most through the first seven games of a season since 1987 (34).
The Bears have three games with over 200 yards rushing this season, tied with the New York Giants for the most in the NFL this season. They also have consecutive 200-yard rushing games for the first time since 1985, the season of their last Super Bowl title.
This matchup features two of the NFL's best linebackers:
Roquan Smith:
leads NFL in tackles (78), most by any Bears player through 7 games since at least 1987 (as far back as Pro Football Reference data goes back)
Only player with multiple sacks and interceptions this season
Week 7: 1st player in the NFL with 10 tackles, a sack and an interception in a game this season
Micah Parsons:
8.0 sacks this season, second-most in NFL behind Matt Judon (8.5)
NFL-high 36 pressures this season
Tied for 4th-fastest player to 20.0 career sacks (23 games) since stat became official in 1982
Fastest player to 100 tackles AND 20.0 sacks (23 games) since 1987 (as far back as tackles data exists)
