The good: The Bears actually have a decent shot at the playoffs if they can sweep their final four games. This is their last chance to turn it up a notch and reach a level that was expected of them all season.
The bad: A defense that is still missing Akiem Hicks is worried about the availability of cornerback Prince Amukamara, who is doubtful with a hamstring injury.
The ugly: A pair of 6-6 teams? This matchup was supposed to be much better.
Let’s get to it ...
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Offense: Dallas ‘D’? Elite times three
No part of the Bears faces the bigger test Thursday night than the offensive line, which will be tasked with trying to stop DeMarcus Lawrence and Co. from tearing Mitch Trubisky apart. “These guys are elite, elite, elite in that regard,” left guard James Daniels said of the Cowboys’ pass rush this week.
Trubisky has already taken more sacks in 11 games this season than he did in 14 a year ago. If he can’t make quick reads and get the ball out quickly, that newfound confidence could evaporate quickly.
Did you know?
- WR Allen Robinson leads the Bears in receiving with 71 catches for 850 yards and 5 TDs. Of his 71 catches, 44 (62.0 percent) have gone for first downs. Robinson is on pace to become the first 1,000-yard receiver for Bears since Alshon Jeffery in 2014.
- Other than the two wins against the awful Lions, Mitch Trubisky has just one game with a passer rating above 90 this season. Is he ready for the chaos the Cowboys’ pass rush will serve up?
Defense: A little help, please
As Khalil Mack fights his way through constant double and triple teams this season, Leonard Floyd should be one of the prime benefactors of all the attention directed elsewhere. But three quarters through his fourth season, the 2016 first-round pick continues to be merely serviceable when the situation demands more, Jason Lieser writes.
Did you know?
- Leonard Floyd leads the Bears with 11 quarterback hits, but he’s on pace to finish with just four sacks for the second straight season.
- The Bears rank seventh in the NFL in rushing defense and only two teams (Jets, Buccaneers) allow fewer yards per carry, but they’ll have their hands full Thursday with Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott.
Special Teams: Not getting their kicks
Remember the dramatic kicker derby that played out through training camp? Don’t worry if your memory is fuzzy, the Bears are expected to conduct the same kind of tryout during 2020’s camp. Eddy Pineiro is 21st in the NFL in field-goal percentage at 75 (15-for-20). He’s 30th in the NFL for field goals from 40 to 49 yards, making two of four. Cody Parkey — remember him? — is at least 2-for-2 from that range in his brief playing time this season.
Did you know?
- Pat O’Donnell is second in the NFL with 67 punts in 12 games. Only the Jets’ Lachlan Edwards (69) has more. The Cowboys’ Chris Jones, meanwhile, is 29th with just 35 in 12 games.
What They’re Saying
- Khalil Mack on the Bears’ chance to prove the doubters wrong: “We love this. If you play this game and you love this game, you can’t wait to do the impossible in the sense. You can’t wait to go out and prove yourself.”
- Matt Nagy on how the Bears dug their way out of a four-game losing streak: “No one, not one time, started pointing fingers. No one started blaming. I hate blamers. Hate’s a strong word, but I dislike blamers. We never did that. Coaches, players, anybody — we just tried to come up with solutions.”
From Our Notebooks
- Our experts make their predictions for Bears-Cowboys.
- Four starters — receiver Taylor Gabriel, tight end Ben Braunecker, right tackle Bobby Massie and linebacker Danny Trevathan — have already been ruled out for Thursday night’s game. Prince Amukamara is also listed as doubtful. That means Kevin Toliver and nickel cornerback Buster Skrine figure to play bigger roles this week.
- Akiem Hicks appears excited to get back to playing football instead of rehabbing a “humbling” dislocated left elbow. The star lineman practiced Wednesday for the second straight day and hopes to suit up Dec. 15 when the Bears face the Packers at Lambeau Field.
- We haven’t seen many trick plays from coach Matt Nagy yet this season, but that doesn’t mean they’re not in the playbook.
What’s Next?
The Bears get 10 days off after facing the Cowboys, and they’ll need it to get ready for a three-week gauntlet including games against the Packers, Chiefs and Vikings. No more easy wins on the schedule.
On the Podcast
In the latest edition of Halas Intrigue, the hosts discuss Hicks’ impending return, the challenge presented by the Cowboys and more.
Also, got any questions for the Bears? Email us or tweet at @suntimes_sports and we’ll see if we can get them answered in one of our next newsletters.
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