The Chicago Bears host the undefeated Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field in a afternoon matchup.
The Chicago Bears (1–1) return to Soldier Field Sunday for a marquee matchup against the Dallas Cowboys (2–0). Both teams enter Week 3 with something to prove — Dallas aiming to stay unbeaten behind a dominant defense, while Chicago looks to steady its footing with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams at the helm, and pick up Ben Johnson’s first win as a head coach.
Ben Johnson said the game will hinge on the offensive line handling Cowboys defensive tackle Kenny Clark. “Anytime he’s singled up one-on-one, he can give those interior linemen fits. He’s been a game wrecker, in my opinion… We’re going to do what we can to negate him. That’s really the strength of their defense.”
Johnson also highlighted young tackle Darnell Wright, calling him “a little bit of a unicorn… He can be effective in both the running game and in pass protection. He’s a guy that we count on, and we’re trying to feature him in different ways.”
Second-year wideout Rome Odunze may also be featured prominently. “He’s very much a complete receiver,” Johnson said. “He’s got a huge catch radius and can go up and get the football. That’s a unique skillset.”
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen knows the Bears will need to disrupt Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott. “Like most quarterbacks, it’s trying to get him off the spot. I think he’s an outstanding player… We’re going to have to try to do some things to get him uncomfortable in the pocket.”
Allen added that playing sharper on early downs is essential: “Getting teams into obvious passing down situations is a big deal. When they’re mixing up protections with seven- and eight-man looks, it’s not easy to get to the quarterback. So it’s about playing better on first and second down.”
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle acknowledged Chicago has been hurt by mistakes. “Looking at both weeks, we’ve kind of shot ourselves in the foot with either penalties or just mistakes. That can’t happen. We’re working really hard to clean that up.” Still, he sees progress from his rookie quarterback: “I think Caleb played better in this game. He’s improved a little bit at a time. His focus is in the right place, and he’s coming to work every day.”
Williams, meanwhile, is taking that growth seriously. He said his focus between Week 1 and Week 2 was all about fundamentals. “Constant growth in every form and facet is getting the guys out the huddle… and just being able to get comfortable with my footwork. That was a big focus for me this past week. I think I have all the talent in the world to be able to deliver a good ball to my guys and let them go make plays for us as an offense.”
He also emphasized the importance of getting his tight ends more involved in the passing game. “Even in those long down and distances we had last game… being able to get them the ball as fast as possible and let them catch, tuck, knife and get maybe 12, more if they bounce off a few tackles. That’s a part of playing QB, seeing the coverage and popping the ball down to those guys when it’s there.”
Special teams could prove decisive, too. Coordinator Richard Hightower praised the Cowboys’ group as one of the NFL’s best. “Their kicker’s really good, their punter’s a Pro Bowl player, and KaVontae Turpin is arguably the best returner in the NFL. We’ve got our hands full, but we’re excited for the challenge.”
At the same time, he sees a chance for his unit to swing momentum. “We always look at it that way. Whether it’s going good or going bad, we feel like we want to be the difference every week.”
The Cowboys are favored, but with Williams improving, Odunze emerging, and the defense motivated to bounce back, the Bears have the pieces to make this one of the weekend’s most competitive games. Soldier Field should be rocking for this early-season meeting of two very popular teams.
Links: Chicago Bears official site
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