Bears 31 Cowboys 24
CHICAGO —December football in Chicago has some meaning after all.
In arguably their most complete game of the season, the Bears disposed of the Cowboys 31-24 on Thursday at Soldier Field to keep their remote playoff hopes alive.
The prime-time matchup pitted a pair of surprise 6-6 teams. But the Bears looked like the group on the upswing, amassing 382 yards of offense as they took a commanding 17-point lead by the third quarter.
It was their fourth win in five games —and their third in 12 days. They now have 10 days to prepare for their NFC North matchup with the Packers on Dec. 15.
Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the offense ran as smoothly as it has all season.
Allen Robinson caught two touchdown passes in the first half. Anthony Miller grabbed his first of the season, a 14-yarder that he caught behind the line of scrimmage before speeding and spinning his way into the end zone. And Trubisky punished the Cowboys with his arm and his legs better than he has any other team this season.
Trubisky threw an interception on the Bears’ first drive of the game but rebounded quickly to lead four straight scoring drives. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 244 yards and rushed for another 63 yards on nine carries. He helped the Bears score more than 25 points for just the second time this season.
The Bears defense did its part despite being down multiple starters. That included long-term absences like Akiem Hicks and Danny Trevathan, who both have been out for weeks with elbow injuries. It also included two new ones. Cornerback Prince Amukamara sat out with a hamstring injury, and inside linebacker Roquan Smith left after the first drive of the game with a pectoral injury. Second-year cornerback Kevin Toliver and inside linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis filled in.
But the Bears still held the Cowboys offense, which entered as the most prolific in the NFL, without a touchdown after the opening drive until the first play of the fourth quarter. And the Cowboys’ second touchdown —running back Ezekiel Elliott’s second of the game —was a product of a short field because of a David Montgomery fumble.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t throw a touchdown pass until late in the fourth quarter.
Cowboys kicker Brett Maher made a 31-yard field goal with 8 seconds to play, but the Bears recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.