Rahula Strohl

Bear with Us

Play-by-play of the Bears-Cowboys Sunday night showdown from a guy who burned the mess out of his right thumb last night

Turns out, when a candle has been burning in a glass container since the bar opened at 5 p.m., and you blow out the flame at 3 a.m., the glass is still very, very hot at 3 a.m. and five seconds. Learn something new every day.

And no, I wasn't at the bar from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. If only.

My lack of knowledge of the laws of thermodynamics aside, we have a large-ish football game on tap tonight.

But first, some Nelson Muntz-inspired "HA-ha"s. First goes to the Lions. During the Brewers-Braves game on Fox yesterday, they promoted Fox NFL Sunday and said, "Plus, are the Lions for real?" I guess not.

Second goes to the Redskins. How's that Champ Bailey-for-Clinton Portis deal working out for ya?

Speaking of being for real, I hear a lot of marveling at the amazing Cowboys offense and how they've scored 82 points and can the Bears defense keep up with them? No mention from anyone except , and Mitch Albom (more on him later) about the fact that these 82 points came against the Giants and Dolphins. Last year, when the Bears were 2-0, having outscored the Packers and Lions 60-7, I remember a whole lot of "Are they for real?" questions being asked. I dunno, that may just be me.

(A propos of nothing except the invariable Ben Bohn comment coming presently, the Packers are for real.)

Anyway, some more from this morning's ESPN shows, starting with the best show nobody watches because ESPN doesn't value actual sports analysis, "NFL Matchup" with Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski.

Jaws on Rex: "He is not seeing the field clearly. It's paramount that you see it sideline to sideline. … I think what's happening is he's becoming a checkdown quarterback. In other words, he's looking downfield and if that primary receiver opens up, he's fine, but if that primary receiver doesn't open up, he immediately goes to the checkdown. He's gotta go through that progression first."

And last year, we were complaining that Rex chucked it too much and needed to check it down. Now it appears he's over-compensating.

Merril Hoge demonstrated how Rex's troubles stem from the running backs failing to pick up blitzes through the A-gap—the gap on either side of the center. He also showed that the Cowboys like to blitz through the A-gap. So this is something to watch for.

Jaws also said Tony Romo has a tendency to stare down receivers, and that the Bears' defense is simple but disciplined, and will make Romo pay if he locks on one guy.

Now on to punditry.

On "The Sports Reporters," Albom said that this is the test for him to declare the Cowboys are for real (Thank you! A national sports figure with consistent thinking!). He suggested that Romo-mania is a result of the Cowboys' having nine starting quarterbacks since Troy Aikman retired, therefore fans are desperate to fill the void. Well, the Bears have had 10 since 2001, the first full Aikman-less season, and fans are either ready for No. 11 (Brian Griese) or to go back to the last one (Kyle Orton).

Dan Le Batard said the 2000 Ravens model of winning with a caretaker quarterback and a great defense is no longer palpable in the NFL (didn't say why), but that the Bears don't even have a caretaker quarterback. It is not often noted that the 2000 Ravens also had a peerless special teams unit, as do the 2007 Bears. Mike Lupica brought up the Bears' special teams as a negative: "What does it say when your best offensive weapon is a kick returner?"

I don't know, that their kick returner is one of the best in NFL history?

However, any time the Bears offense wants to pick it up, fine by me.

On "Sunday NFL Countdown," only Tom Jackson picked on Rex when they got around to talking Bears-Cowboys. Emmitt Smith and Keyshawn Johnson picked on the Bears secondary. Johnson said that the Bears just don't have good cornerback play. His proof? "My brother Steve Smith," who ran all over them in the 2005 Divisional Playoffs. Of course, because a playoff game two seasons ago against a receiver of completely different size, speed and style than Terrell Owens is perfectly indicative of how the Bears will perform today. That, my friends, is analysis.

Chris Berman and Da Coach took the Bears, Johnson, Jackson and Smith took the Cowboys.

The weather is gorgeous, Brad Maynard is active, as is Greg Olsen for the first time in his young NFL career. Comment board and auto-refresh are on the right, as is a link to ask questions of David Haugh for his live chat tomorrow at 3 p.m. And please, give him something other than Rex to discuss. He'll be your BFF if you do. If you don't feel like a short-form comment, e-mail me at rstrohl@tribune.com. Football soon.

FIRST QUARTER

Before we start, one more thing from this morning: Terrell Owens, when asked if he thinks the NFL was justified for fining him $7,500 for his camera celebration last week: "I'm just like Bill Belichick. I have a different interpretation of the rules." I like this guy again, because that is hilarious. Oh, and welcome to JohnF and his ever-cheery predictions. And Kane, too. That young guy on the right side? No clue. Must be some punk who thought shaving was necessary. Gloria Estefan has sung the National Anthem, Faith Hill (I think it's her) fills in admirably for Pink (did she get fired?) and that can only mean we're ready for football. John Madden says that until the Cowboys defense gets better, you can't say the Cowboys are tops in the NFC.

Okay, I jumped the gun, we are still at least one ad break from football. Jumpin' jellybeans, just show the flippin' game. Terrell Owens does another lame lead-in tied with a show on the network broadcasting his game, but no one gets naked this time. Which is a relief, since this time it was starring this guy. The kick is squibbed and rolls out of bounds and the Bears will have it at the 40. Muhsin Muhammad in motion, handoff to Benson up the middle and he gets seven, then 12 and a first down to the Cowboys' 42. Grossman drops back and fires downfield to Bernard Berrian, who drops it after taking a hit. Adrian Peterson gets a couple. Grossman hit as he throws and the pass falls short of Rashied Davis and Maynard will punt. He's rusty, it's a touchback and the Cowboys will have it at the 20 with 12:54 left in the first quarter.

Ohio Joe, if Rex stepped into that pass, he would have stepped into a sack. Tony Romo drops back and Mark Anderson and Tommie Harris are coming. Down goes Romo at the 9. These ain't the Giants, buddy. Julius Jones gets a pair to the 11. Urlacher shows blitz, comes and is picked up, Romo fires to Owens a couple of yards shy of the sticks and Charles Tillman, the "weak" cornerback, wraps up Owens immediately, 4th and 2. Punt goes inside the 25 and Hester has nowhere to go because three or four Cowboys are right there, so he steps out of bounds around the 25.

Rex fires to Berrian just shy of the sticks, and he gets a yard past the sticks for 1st and 10 at the 35, from where the Bears use Hester as a decoy on a fake end-around, instead handing off to Benson for a yard. Another yard for Benson, and the Cowboys read that one and hit him in the backfield. Grossman has time and fires to Berrian on the left sideline for 17 yards and the first. Anthony Henry was playing the deep route and Berrian just cut to the sideline. Blitz picked up but Grossman skips the pass to Muhammad downfield on the left side. No excuse for that one, there was no pressure. Marcus Spears jumps into the neutral zone and the Bears have 2nd and 5 from the Cowboys' 42. Benson gets a couple up the middle. Quick slant left to Berrian gets six or seven and the first down to the 32. Another fake end around to Hester and Benson goes to the right sideline for six, and an incidental face mask call gives the Bears the first to the 21. Benson gets dropped for a loss of one by DeMarcus Ware. Four-man rush and Grossman has time to go over the middle to G-Reg Olsen for seven and his first NFL catch. Grossman hits Muhammad on a 3-step drop to the right side, 1st and goal from the 6 as the clock runs under 4:50. Benson gets four off left tackle, then gets nothing up the middle and the clock will be under 3:40 when they snap it again. Grossman has nothing on a rollout right so he chucks it out of the back of the end zone. Al Michaels makes his first "Good as Gould" comment and Robbie promptly responds by splitting the uprights on the chip shot.

Bears 3, Cowboys 0, 3:11 left in the first quarter

Finally! The Coors Light ads use the Dennis Green meltdown material. Sadly, none of the cussing. Robbie Gould's kick goes out of bounds, and Michaels says, "And Dallas doesn't even have Hester running back kicks!" Yeah, that one was weird. Jones gets seven up the middle and is dragged down from behind by Adewale Ogunleye. Dallas false starts, 2nd and 8 from the 42. Another false start and Flozel Adams is not looking like a Pro Bowler against Mark Anderson. Anderson pumps up the crowd from his 3-point stance, and Jones loses two and the crowd is nuts. On 3rd and 15, Romo goes to Patrick Crayton at the sticks. Crayton tips it up and Adam Archuleta, who was also pummeled by Emmitt and Keyshawn this morning, makes the interception.

Boy, give this defense a 7½-minute breather and they play like they're good or something. From midfield, Grossman fires to Berrian on the right side for 15 yards, then Benson gets four up the middle to the Cowboys' 31. That's the quarter.

Bears 3, Cowboys 0

SECOND QUARTER

Well, JohnF and Kane, I'll give you this one. Rex has time, fires over the middle and leads Muhammad by about a yard too much and it's picked off by Anthony Henry. He returns it to the 34. Madden says that one's on Muhammad, who played to the outside of Henry when Rex was expecting him to play to the inside, but there was enough time there that I don't think that was a timing play.

No gain by Jones, then a screen to Jones and he slips out of an Urlacher tackle and seems to get a first down, but they called an illegal block in the back on Jason Witten, and Madden and Michaels don't think it was illegal. He hit Briggs in the shoulder, I think I agree with them, 2nd and 20 on the 25. Marion Barber loses one, then Romo hits Crayton to the original line of scrimmage at the 34, and the punt is almost blocked by Mark Bradley. It isn't, though, and Hester drops the punt and falls on it at the 23.

Benson tries to get outside and can't and loses four. Benson gets five or six up the middle, 3rd and long. Grossman goes up the left sideline for Davis and he can't make the leaping catch, partly because Terence Newman makes a nice play to bat it away. Punt is caught fairly at the 31.

Romo gets rid of it in time under pressure from an all-in blitz and finds Witten over the middle to the Bears' 35, then he hits Owens on the right side for 11 and another first to the 24. To Owens again, this time on the left side and Tillman bats the pass away, but there's a flag. It's offensive pass interference and the replay shows, um, not much to support that. Anyway, 1st and 20, and with an Urlacher blitz swallowed up by Andre Gurode, Romo has time to find Witten again and this time for 22 yards and the first down to the 12. Romo over the middle to Witten in the back of the end zone, but it was a little too high. Madden suggests the Cowboys have abandoned the run against the Bears, which it would appear as Romo passes again, this time just out of reach of the back-up tight end, Anthony Fasano. Romo throws behind Crayton and both quarterback and receiver want a flag, but Tillman was legal on jamming Crayton off the line. Nick Folk ties it with a 30-yard field goal.

Bears 3, Cowboys 3, 8:49 left in the half

Hester fields it four yards deep, takes it out and is dropped at the 17. Benson gets six around right end, but there's a hold on Desmond Clark and it's 1st and 18 from the 9, from where Benson gets three up the middle. Grossman under pressure, tries to roll out of it but Ware is waiting for him there, sacked back at the 4. Peterson gets three up the middle and the crowd doesn't like it. The ball bounces at the Bears' 45, it's fielded at the 48 and returned to the 46.

Briggs and Mark Anderson chase Romo down, he slips away, only to be flattened by Urlacher back at the Cowboys' 46. Romo goes too high for Sam Hurd on the left sideline, 3rd and 18. Urlacher was spying Romo and roaming the underneath route on that sack, and the minute Romo slipped out, Urlacher just launched himself into the backfield. Screen to Jones gets a big chunk, but not enough and as the Cowboys line up to punt, Romo indicates that he'd like them to go for it on 4th and 3. The Bears call timeout with about five minutes left. Darwin Walker didn't get off the field in time, that's why the Bears called timeout. The Cowboys will now go for it, and Owens runs a square-in from the slot and catches the first-down pass at the 28. Romo to Witten on the left side just shy of the sticks, and Witten carries Hillenmeyer as Hunter tries to strip the ball to the 11. Delay to Jones up the middle and he gets dropped for a gain of two by Ricky Manning. Make it a gain of three to the 8, and Romo hits Fasano in the left flat for four. Romo hits Crayton between the numbers in the end zone and Crayton drops it. Brutal. Apparently, he has a broken pinky. The Bears block ANOTHER field goal, and again it's Israel Idonije, and Archuleta scoops it up and returns it to the Cowboys' 48.

Big Cat, I love these special teams, too. I was watching the earlier games today, and they were allowing kick returns past the 30. Seriously, how lame is that? Grossman skips a pass to Clark over the middle and it's the warning. Grossman then hits Berrian on the left side and Berrian fights for the first down. Then a perfectly called slant-and-go, Grossman pump fakes and has Berrian wide open and Berrian drops it. So now both teams have dropped sure touchdowns. Ware blows up a screen and Grossman spikes it, 3rd and 10 and a timeout is called with 1:20 left. Quick slant left to Berrian and Henry makes a nice play to bat it down. Gould lines up for a 50-plus-yard field goal, it's a fake and Gould chucks it downfield for I guess Des Clark, but that just was doomed from the beginning. Cowboys ball at the 35.

Romo's pass is short of his receiver running the seam route out of the left slot, 2nd and 10 on the 35. Barber gets it on a draw, is dropped by Briggs and Ogunleye, but there's a hold, 2nd and 20 from the 25. Romo goes up the left sideline for Owens and even if it wasn't too high, Tillman had great coverage on Owens. Draw to Barber gets six or seven and the Bears call timeout with :46 left. Hester catches it fairly at the 29. Grossman goes over the middle to Clark, who sprints to the sideline and is horse-collared by Roy Williams, the reason that penatly exists, and the Bears have 1st and 10 from midfield. Pass to Moose at the sticks is batted down, then a dump to Peterson loses a yard. Grossman spikes it with :06 left. Grossman is sacked, there's a hold on John Tait, the refs say that the half is over and Wade Phillips thinks the Cowboys should have a shot at the end zone because there was still time on the clock. Grossman tripped over Ware for the second time this game. Not impressive in the first half.

Halftime: Bears 3, Cowboys 3

Halftime thoughts: The Cowboys' defense is bad enough to allow the Bears' offense to move it down the field, but the Bears' offense isn't good enough to finish anything. The Cowboys' offense is good enough to move it down the field, but the Bears' defense is too good to allow them to finish anything. Oh, and the score is now Devin Hester 10, Field Goal Blocks 9.

THIRD QUARTER

JohnF, in answer to your serious question, I remember some games in '05 when Orton was worse. In fact, Rex has played worse than he's playing today. But as I said on Monday, if Rex keeps putting up Kyle Orton '05 numbers (which he's doing today), then the Bears have to ask what Kyle Orton '07 can do. As for Griese, well, I don't know. If they bench Rex despite winning (which, contrary to popular belief, the Bears' defense and special teams are good enough to do), they have to replace him with someone with upside. The Cowboys' kick returner drops the kick and it bounces off his knee out of bounds at the 11. Romo hits Crayton for seven, then Romo scrambles out of pressure and hits Owens at the 30, and Owens gets to the 35. This just in, Lance Briggs is out with a groin injury and Jamar Williams will replace him for the rest of the game. Uh, yikes. Barber gets three yards. Romo goes down the middle just past the reach of Witten, then Romo steps up out of pressure from Alex Brown and a hit by Harris and hits Owens over the middle to the Bears' 43. Owens again gets one coming across the field left to right and he gets the first down to the 32. Ogunleye is down and we take an injury timeout with the clock just under 12 minutes. I can't be exact with times all the time because we get a wide-screen HD feed for NBC, and I have a narrow-screen run-of-the-mill television, so I can only see minutes and tens of seconds. So it's 11:50something. Romo steps out of another Harris sack and again finds Owens, who gets to the 9. We are seeing the major problem with Rex's game highlighted here through Romo's strength—mobility. Jones gets to the sideline and gets four, then Romo fires over the middle to Witten, threading the needle past good coverage by Archuleta for the touchdown. Great pass and nothing to be done there. PAT is good.

Cowboys 10, Bears 3, 10:14 left in the third quarter

Kdog, Tillman has been step-for-step with Owens all game, but when you have to run around with a receiver for seven seconds, he will get free more than a couple of times. Hester drops the kickoff inside the 5, picks it up and gets to the right sideline to the 14. That's two drops for him this game. Moose false starts, 1st and 15 from the 9. Benson gets those five yards back. Grossman rolls right under pressure and throws it away. Boo birds are out. Okey doke, not sure what got into Rex here, under pressure he steps up in the pocket and scrambles 12 yards for the first down. That must have given him a boost, as he fires to Clark on the right side, Roy Williams tries a shoulder tackle, which just pushes Clark upfield some more and the Bears have 1st and 10 at the 22, 52-yard pass. Grossman then over the middle to G-Reg Olsen and he gets down to the 1. Benson gets the touchdown. That was quick and uncharacteristic of the offense this young season. And it's tied.

Bears 10, Cowboys 10, 7:14 left in the third quarter

Tyson Thompson takes it from the 4 to the 25, but the Cowboys hold and it will be half the distance to the goal, however far back that is. I won't find out until commercials end. And at the risk of just turning this into a dialogue with JohnF, the Cowboys did blitz. And when they did, Grossman scrambled 11 yards for a first down. I'm fine if you don't think he's the Bears' best option, but give him credit for a couple of good passes and a great run. Romo hits Witten in the right flat for six yards, then scrambles around and fires downfield to Crayton and is almost picked off by Nathan Vasher. Crowd gets noisy and Romo rolls out and checks down to Barber for the first down to the 25, but there's a flag. Holding on the Leonard Davis and Vasher is down. Too many good players are hitting the dirt here. Vasher walks off the field by himself but it looks like a groin strain and/or pull. More news on that as I get it. On 3rd and 11 from the 8, Romo hits Owens over the middle at the 30 and he runs across the field to the 43. Sam Hurd took out Archuleta with one of those out-of-nowhere blocks. Romo to a wide-open Hurd up the right sideline inside the 35. Darwin Walker gets some jersey and Romo gets out of it, slings it to Owens and Tillman almost picks it off. He's angry that he didn't, 2nd and 10 from the Bears' 32. Quick pass to Crayton out of the slot over the middle and he falls down and rolls, they give him the first at the 22. Romo tries to change the play at the line but has to call time out with 3:40something left in the quarter. John Madden thinks Michigan Avenue is the greatest avenue in the country. What are your feelings on boulevards, John? Cowboys get four somehow (was reading the board), then Barber gets five more, 3rd and 1. Barber has good patience in the backfield and finds enough of a hole for a couple yards, 1st and goal from the 10. Swing pass right to Barber, Vasher wraps him up, then Archuleta tries to flatten him and instead it just knocks Barber free of Ricky Manning for the touchdown. PAT is good.

Cowboys 17, Bears 10, 1:10something left in the third quarter

Hester fields it inside the 5 and shoots through the wedge to the 30, then carries a couple of tacklers to the 35. Grossman to Benson in the right flat for eight. Benson appears to get two for the first down but suddenly the Cowboys say they have it and the refs agree. Lovie challenges, and I think Benson's knee was down, but these camera angles stink and you can either see where Benson's knee was down or where the ball came out, but not both at the same time. The Cowboys will get this based on too many bodies in front of the camera.

So with :30something left in the quarter, Romo hits Jones over the middle and he gets to the sticks, 1st and 10 from the Bears' 31 and the quarter ends.

Cowboys 17, Bears 10

FOURTH QUARTER

Romo pump fakes and goes downfield, but too far downfield, 2nd and 10. They call Harris on encroachment (not sure if he was just really on the ball 'cause the replay angle stunk) and on 2nd and 5, Jones shoots through the middle and down inside the 5, but Flozell Adams held, 2nd and 15 from the 31. Madden suggests the Cowboys are wearing the Bears' defense down, but the loss of Lance Briggs has to account for something, too. Romo steps out of another sack, steps up and hits Witten over the middle right at the sticks, and Witten falls forward to the 20 for the first down. Then Urlacher shoots through the middle, shoves Barber to the side and sacks Romo back to the 31. Barber up the middle for five. A shot of Bob Babich on the sideline and he looks intense. Romo scrambles out of a blitz by Ricky Manning and Urlacher, and locks in on Owens, which Jaws mentioned on NFL matchup, and Tillman almost picks it off. Field goal is good.

Cowboys 20, Bears 10, 12:10 left in the game

Hester fields it at the 5, is stripped at the 20 and Brendon Ayanbadejo scoops it up immediately at the 13. Grossman tries to force it in to Muhammad and Henry picks it off and returns it for six. The chants for Griese start, and I don't necessarily disagree this time. Last year they were winning. Now they aren't. PAT is good.

Cowboys 27, Bears 10, 11:49 left in the game

Hester from five yards deep in the end zone brings it out and he's dropped inside the 10, two flags on the play. The Cowboys take the block in the back. Do we see Griese here? Well, my pick was heinously wrong, except for the blocked field goal. Grossman hits Berrian on the right sideline for 12, then Berrian drops one on the left side that would have been about 15. Grossman dumps off to Peterson over the middle for seven. Peterson gets four up the middle to the 27 for the first. Rex out of the shotgun hits Muhammad on the left side for another first down. The clock rolls under 10 minutes as Grossman fires to the right side out of bounds. A Peterson run gets nothing and the clock will be under 9:20 when this snap comes. Grossman in the shotgun again and he's sacked by Anthony Spencer, who came more or less freely on that play. Kreutz grabbed a face mask on that play and the Cowboys decline. Madden comments that the difference between Grossman and Romo is that Grossman takes the sack on a single free rusher, while Romo gets out of it. There's a flag on the punt, holding on the Cowboys and they'll have it at some yard line that I will impart to you when we return from ads.

A Bad Rex game coupled with a Good Romo performance is just about the worst thing that could happen to the Bears from a PR standpoint. They had a clip of TO saying he watches television and that the Cowboys have been flying under the radar. Is he watching the Hallmark Channel or something? Cowboys get a first down and Tommie Harris is now down. My patience wore thin about a quarter ago. A yard run brings up 2nd and 9 on the 33, then Barber breaks through the right side of the line past the 45 and the clock is at 5:20something. Barber breaks through the first level, shrugs off Urlacher and gets to the 1. This is what the Bears were supposed to do after a 7:30 drive in the first quarter. Barber stuffed on 1st and goal. Not so on 2nd and goal. The Cowboys do to the defending NFC champs tonight what the Bears did to the defending NFC champs last year: Embarass them on Sunday Night Football. PAT good.

Cowboys 34, Bears 10, 3:20something left in the game

Squib kick is fielded by Danieal Manning and he gets it to midfield. Grossman throws the same out route he's been throwing all game and Roy Williams jumps on it and picks it off. Great catch by Williams.

Three runs get a couple of yards and we're on the other side of the warning. Punt goes out of bounds at the 17 or so.

Adrian Peterson runs a bunch and this game is over.

Final: Cowboys a lot, Bears a little (Specifically, 34-10)

Final thoughts: Last year, the Bears were 2-3 in Grossman's five regular-season stinkers. Twice the Bears had the excuse, "Well, we won." Once they had the excuse, "Seriously, it was the last game of the season and I don't think the Packers even cared." Another time they lost by four on the road to New England. That leaves the Miami game, which they tossed out as an aberration, which they could get away with based on Grossman's body of work the week before and after that game. Then came the Super Bowl. Then two bland games to begin the season. Then, at home, in a showdown for who owns the NFC, Bad Rex showed up and not only cost the Bears a win, but got them good and blown out. Now's the time where we'll hear what we heard from Lovie through the 2004 season: "We have to get better production from the quarterback position right now." Just switching over to Comcast Chicago, Jim Miller said they still have to go with Rex and both Miller and Jiggets say Rex needed help from the running game and the wide receivers, who dropped more than a couple of passes. But then as Jiggs talked about the interceptions, he started getting rather fired up. He's about done with Rex, methinks. I have to watch these games for a living, and if Good Rex is only going to show up one series per game, I'm not going to enjoy coming to work. Bears-Lions next Sunday at noon and Bears-Packers in two weeks on Sunday Night Football. They can't afford to be anything but 2-0 in those games after starting off 1-2.

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