Cowboys-Bears preview

CHICAGO, Ill. - Soldier Field will host the latest edition of Thursday Night Football, when the Chicago Bears meet the Dallas Cowboys in primetime.

Both sides are coming off uninspiring Thanksgiving Thursday defeats, both in their division.

Dallas (8-4) is licking their wounds after falling 33-10 to the Philadelphia Eagles in a much-anticipated Turkey Day contest that decided the first-place position in the NFC East.

Tony Romo was sacked four times and hit five more by the Eagles' front-seven and DeMarco Murray, football's leading rusher, was held to a season-low 73 yards on the ground.

They would only muster a single touchdown drive, from Murray at the start of the second quarter, and were outshot 20-3 afterwards. 

Tony Romo was held without a touchdown pass for the first time in 39 starts.

"We should have been better," he said. "I should have been better. And I am going to play much better next week, I can promise you that."

Their offensive line, hailed before then as the best in the game, struggled to protect Romo and Murray against a swarming Eagles front, consistently pressured, even overpowered, as the Cowboys' offense was held to 267 total yards to Philly's 464.

"I think we definitely had some things that we took a step back on, did some things that were a little bit uncharacteristic and we don't really know why," center Travis Frederick said. "Just not us."

Like leaving Mychael Kendricks unblocked to stuff DeMarco Murray on a late 4th-and-1 rush attempt after the front five all but dissolved.

"When we watch the tape, we are going to see that we did not block well enough," Romo told the Dallas Morning News.

Rookie guard Zack Martin struggled in the Cowboys' run game and Doug Free was raced around and pushed back by Connor Barwin.

"They'll bounce back," Romo said this week of his front. "We had a lot of guys who didn't feel as though they put their best foot forward last game, and I think that'll change next week."

"We've just got to focus, and have more patience, especially on the road, and not make many mistakes. I think we'll be fine," DeMarco Murray said.

Murray still heads the Cowboys' 3rd-best rushing offense, and himself holds the best marks in football for rushing yards per game (118.9) and on the season (1,427). His 8 rushing touchdowns are second-best in the league, behind only Marshawn Lynch.

But Chicago ranks 10th in stopping the run and is yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season, a feat Murray has reached in 10-of-12 games.

Chicago (5-7) froze the Cowboys 45-28 the last time they met, 8 degree Monday night meeting last season.

Josh McCown quarterbacked the Bears in that contest after Jay Cutler was sidelined with an injured ankle, throwing a career-high 4 touchdowns and leading an offense that scored on their first eight possessions. 

This year, they are seeking their third-straight home victory after falling in their first two to Buffalo and Green Bay. 

And their third-straight win over the Cowboys in an all-time series they trail 13-11.

They fell 34-17 to Detroit on Thanksgiving despite taking an early 14-3 lead on two quick touchdowns from Cutler to Alshon Jeffery. But Matthew Stafford would throw three touchdowns in the second quarter as the Lions outscored the Bears 31-3 in the second half.

Detroit's Calvin Johnson caught two scores and Joique Bell rushed for two more in a game that found the Bears finish with only 7 rushing attempts from their backfield.

And Chicago finishing with 13 yards against the Lions' best-ranked rushing defense.

"We have to attempt to run the ball more," Bears coach Marc Trestman admitted this week. "It's something we certainly want to do each and every week. We didn't get it done last week. We admit to that, and we have to move forward and we've got to get some more balance in our football."

Bears running back Matt Forte has 5 touchdowns on the year and holds the 8th-most rushing yards in football (828), though was held to only 6 yards on the ground in Detroit. He would gain 52 yards on 6 receptions.

"He's almost half of their offense if you put it all together," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said of Forte. "Very versatile, very productive, and they use him really well, similar to what Philly does in using their backs in a lot of different ways."

Forte's 69 yards per game may improve against a Cowboys' run-stop that allows 120 every game, the 22nd-most, and the third-most touchdowns (12).

The 7th-year back would like to take advantage of those numbers.

"It's of the utmost importance," Forte said of the Bears run game, "especially if we're playing outside with the weather and stuff. You can't just sit back there and throw 50 passes a game and expect to win." 

DeMarco Murray has four touchdowns in three appearances in Thursday night contests, and Tony Romo won seven of his nine, though Chicago is 3-1 all-time against the Cowboys in primetime meetings.