CHICAGO – For the first time in five years, the Cowboys will be a winning team this year. Of course, the goals are now a little higher for this team that improved to 9-4 Thursday night by waxing the Bears at Soldier Field.
Check out the instant reactions from the staff of DallasCowboys.com.
David Helman: I picked the Cowboys to win this game, but it was a serious struggle for me to convince myself that this team could go on the road and handle this Bears offense. Clearly, I didn't need to worry so much. Aside from a few hiccups, like losing track of Martellus Bennett in the end zone, the Cowboys executed their gameplan to perfection. They ran the ball well, they controlled the clock, they tackled well. Tony Romo got back to the efficiency that has marked his season. Even if the passing game wasn't exactly explosive, it didn't really need to be. The Cowboys leaned on DeMarco Murray in a way they haven't over the past month or so, and Dez Bryant made his presence felt early and often. Like I said earlier, this win isn't going to get the Cowboys into the playoffs, but it's going to keep them in the discussion. This team has a winning record for the first time in five years, and it has everything to play for with three games left. You can't ask for much more than that.
Bryan Broaddus: I thought it would have been a great opportunity for the Cowboys to jump on the Bears early due to how poorly they tend to be defensively in the first half of games. It was when the Bears got into the 2nd half they had done a much better job of tightening things down and slowing down opponents. What was surprising to me in the first half is that it appeared the Cowboys were able to get really anything productive going through the air. Running the ball was solid but I felt like it wasn't until the two minute drive before the half that Romo was able to really see the field. It was after that drive where things seemed to pick up for the offense which I thought could have been done much earlier in the game. Give the Cowboys credit though, they were able to hammer the Bears in the 2nd half and that was something that not many opponents had accomplished.
Nick Eatman: Bust! Wrong, wrong, wrong. Hope you guys can forgive me. I guess I should've looked more into Chicago's record than their personnel. This was a mismatch between a team playing for the playoffs and a team playing to get the season over with. I thought Jason Garrett's decision to go for two fourth downs on the first scoring drive sent a positive message to his team. So I picked Hanna scoring a touchdown? Really? I couldn't have gone with Beasley or Escobar? Still, the Cowboys used their role players well but both DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant were huge throughout the game. And that Romo guy? Well, it just goes to show what a full week of practice does for this game. As for me, I need to be more of a believer of this team.
For the initial gut feeling predictions of the staff writers posted on Wednesday, click here:
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/12/03/dallascowboyscom-writers-share-gut-feelings-cowboys-bears-showdown
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