ARLINGTON, Texas (670 The Score) -- On a third-and-1 play in the fourth quarter that the Bears simply had to have Sunday, linebacker Roquan Smith got into the backfield and had Cowboys running back Tony Pollard in his grasp for a pivotal stop. Instead, the play turned into yet another frustrating breakdown.
Smith tripped over teammate Eddie Jackson, and they both went down while Pollard ran 54 yards for a game-sealing touchdown. That was just how Sunday went for the Bears and their defense, which got picked apart by the Cowboys in a 49-29 loss at AT&T Stadium.
“We just got to get better,” Smith said. “We got to take this one on the chin. Hats off to those guys. But we got to get better. It’s embarrassing on the defensive side.
“We didn’t play to our standard. It’s unacceptable, and it starts with me. We got to get better, and we all have to get better for our individual assignments.”
The Cowboys racked up the most points on the Bears since Chicago lost 55-14 at Green Bay on Nov. 19, 2014, which represented one of the franchise’s most embarrassing games. This poor performance was accompanied by a different tone for a young defense in its first season under coach Matt Eberflus.
The Bears have a few young building blocks on defense, but they didn't have the collective talent to contain a high-octane Cowboys offense that compiled 442 yards. Beyond that, Eberflus thought the Bears lacked fundamentals more than talent.
“We have to be able to execute better together as a group in these instances,” Eberflus said. “We’re going to play teams that have good rosters. That's part of football. If you want to be good, guess what? You got to play and compete against those guys.
“I don’t believe that (the Bears lack talent on defense). I don’t believe that. I believe it comes down to guys doing their jobs, coaches getting them to do it the right way together and us playing the way we’re supposed to play. That's what I believe.”
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In some ways, Sunday reminded of the Bears’ loss to the Vikings on Oct. 9. Chicago allowed Minnesota to score touchdowns on its first three drives, over which the Vikings posted 245 yards and took a 21-3 lead. It looked like a blowout was in the making, but the Bears settled in with the right adjustments and stormed back to take a 22-21 lead. The Vikings then scored a late touchdown to earn a 29-22 victory, but Eberflus and his players spoke of starting stronger moving forward.
Once again, the Bears had a poor start Sunday as Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Tony Pollard and their offense continuously marched downfield. Prescott was a efficient 21-of-27 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while Pollard became the latest running back exploit Chicago’s struggling rush defense, carrying 14 times for 131 yards and three scores.
“It did sneak up on us,” Bears pass rusher Trevis Gipson said of the performance by the defense. “We could’ve been more gap sound, could’ve been more (technically) sound. But we can’t hang out heads on this game.”
The Bears avoided a blowout because their offense showed progress. It was a role reversal from the Bears' 12-7 loss to the Commanders on Oct. 13 at Soldier Field, where the defense gave Chicago a chance and the offense squandered its opportunities.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields posted a 120.0 passer rating Sunday, the best mark of his young career. He was 17-of-23 for 151 yards and two touchdowns while adding eight carries for 60 yards and a rushing score. Chicago had 200 yards rushing for the third straight game, the first time that has happened for the franchise since 1968.
The growth of Fields and the Bears’ offense proved to be an important positive despite the outcome.
“I’m getting more comfortable with the offense,” Fields said. “I think our guys are too. I think we’re growing.”
Now sitting at 3-5, the Bears have been a competitive but inconsistent team. They have kept fighting against better opponents but lack the game-changing players to take down the best opponents like the Cowboys.
While the Bears had arguably their best offensive performance of the season, their defense had a disastrous day.
“We have to be better,” Smith said. “It’s that simple. We can’t let no one run the ball, throw the ball and do whatever – or score that many points on us. Period.
“Everyone has to look themselves in the mirror and has to grow from this, get better. There were mistakes out there and they were simple mistakes, but they cost us big.
“Hats off to those guys, but we’ll be better from now on.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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