5 plays that shaped the Cowboys’ high-scoring win over the Bears

The Cowboys just needed to get past the Bears in order to reach the bye week, when their laundry list of injured players could have a chance to rest and recover. But any concerns that this might lead to the team overlooking Chicago were quickly put to rest when Dallas scored touchdowns on their first four drives of the game.

By the end of it all, the Cowboys dropped a 40-burger and posted the highest single game point total of any team all year, notching their sixth win on the season. The Bears finished the first half and started the second half strong, but the Cowboys put their opponent in too deep a hole early on. These five plays were critical in securing a convincing win.

Dak Prescott hits Michael Gallup for big first-down conversion

Mike McCarthy had mentioned earlier in the week the need for the Cowboys offense to get better on third-down conversions. With Dak Prescott and the offense getting the ball to start the game, it wasn’t long before they had their first opportunity to do so.

The offense had moved the ball well, but they drew a third and six at their own 46-yard line. Prescott took the snap and quickly delivered a strike to Michael Gallup for his second catch of the game. Gallup took the pass 11 yards to move the chains.

In recent weeks, that kind of situation would’ve been difficult to convert for this offense, but Prescott was clearly in a groove on Sunday and it showed. Not only did it move the chains, but the play pushed Dallas into Bears territory. Five plays later, Prescott ran into the endzone for the first of many touchdowns on the day.

Dak Prescott’s QB sneak goes for a monster gain

It became clear early on that this Cowboys offense was firing on all cylinders, quickly going up 14-0, but the Bears responded with a touchdown of their own to make it a one-score game. Dallas needed to make it three straight drives with a touchdown to keep their cushion.

Another efficient drive from the Cowboys got them just on the other side of midfield, but they drew a third down with one yard to go. Kellen Moore smartly called for a QB sneak, but even he didn’t expect what happened next.

Prescott took the sneak play for 25 yards and just like that Dallas was in the red zone. It was a huge play that further established this offense’s ability to dominate. The very next play saw Tony Pollard run in for the touchdown.

Malik Davis’ touchdown-that-wasn’t gets Dallas in scoring position

After Pollard’s touchdown, the Dallas defense forced another three-and-out to give Prescott and company the ball again. They responded by doing what they had done all game to that point: fly down the field.

Rookie running back Malik Davis, who saw eight carries on the day with Ezekiel Elliott out, got the ball on a pass play just 11 yards from pay dirt. He cut up field and laid out for the endzone, initially scoring his first career touchdown. After further review, it was ruled that he stepped out just before scoring.

Now set up with first and goal, everyone assumed Dallas was going to hand it off to Davis to get him his touchdown. That made it all the more impactful when Prescott faked the handoff and hit Jake Ferguson for a touchdown. That extended the lead to 28-7, which was ultimately too much for the Bears to overcome despite a valiant effort.

Dak Prescott’s interception leaves the door open for Bears

Another touchdown for the Bears cut the lead to 28-14, but the Cowboys had 40 seconds left in the half and a very real chance to go down the field and score one more time. With Chicago getting the ball to start the third quarter, one last score before halftime would further bury this team.

On the first play, Prescott had CeeDee Lamb over the middle for what would’ve been a big play, but Bears safety Eddie Jackson made a great break on the ball for the pick.

Prescott led Lamb, but his talented receiver didn’t sense Jackson in the area as he swooped in for the play. The Bears only got a field goal out of it, but that proved enough to keep them in this game longer than they had any business being in it.

Dak Prescott goes deep to Dalton Schultz on free play, wakes offense back up

After the Cowboys went three-and-out on their first offensive possession of the third quarter, Chicago scored another touchdown. They failed on a two-point try that would have made it just a three-point game, but the Cowboys were suddenly leading by less than a touchdown.

Their offense needed to wake up, especially with how much clock the Bears were eating up with their run game. The Cowboys quickly reached a third and nine, in danger of going three-and-out again. But when rookie EDGE Dominique Robinson jumped offsides, Prescott snapped the ball and fired a dart over the middle to Dalton Schultz.

The free play turned into a 30-yard pickup that moved the Cowboys into Chicago territory, but it also reinvigorated an offense that had been struggling to move the ball as of late. They moved the chains on each of their next three plays before Pollard ran in for another score. With the Cowboys waking back up on offense, and the Bears proving incapable of scoring in a hurry, this drive had the feeling of an early death knell.

BONUS: Micah Parsons house call ends the game early

We try to highlight non-scoring plays in this series, but we can’t not include this huge play from Micah Parsons, who once again built his case to be this season’s Defensive Player of the Year. After the Cowboys’ last touchdown, the Bears’ chances of completing the comeback were fading fast, but Parsons slammed the door shut.

On third and long in their own territory, the Bears ran a quick checkdown pass that seemed destined to bring up a fourth down. But Leighton Vander Esch forced the fumble, Parsons fell on it, and the rest is history.

Parsons later admitted that he believed he was down by contact and got up to celebrate, but his teammates encouraged him to keep going. That’s when Parsons turned on the jets and scored his first touchdown. And if the win hadn’t been sealed before, this play - with five minutes still remaining in the third quarter - wrapped the game up in bubble wrap. Signed, sealed, and delivered.