The Chicago Bears defense, still smarting from a 31-point loss to the Detroit Lions a week ago, snapped back Sunday with a convincing performance against the Dallas Cowboys during the Bears’ 31-14 win at Soldier Field.
The Bears braced for a shootout with Dak Prescott and company, down three defensive starters — including two defensive backs — while facing star wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
But, for the most part, the Bears defense put the clamps on Dallas.
They disrupted the Cowboys’ high-powered offense with seven quarterback hits, four turnovers and two sacks.
“That was us out there,” Bears safety Kevin Byard said. “We were out there playing fast, flying around, playing with physicality.
“Obviously, it was a lot of noise this week (after the Lions loss), and rightfully so, being 0-2 and having a start that we had. But we wanted to be able to go out there and prove ourselves right, not necessarily proving anybody wrong, but just proving that we are a good defense and we can play to the level that we played today.”
Byard said the game plan was to play shell coverage and limit explosive plays, particularly to Lamb, who exited in the first quarter with an ankle injury.
But the defense’s biggest contribution came on cornerback Tyrique Stevenson’s first-quarter fumble recovery, which turned everything around for the Bears.
The Bears had the opening drive, but lost yardage and punted after three plays.
During Dallas’ first possession, Cowboys running back Javonte Williams broke off a 22-yard run, but Stevenson stripped the ball and maintained possession before falling out of bounds.
The Bears drove 71 yards on five plays and scored on Caleb Williams’ 35-yard pass to Rome Odunze.
“Beginning of the game, we had a three-and-out, and you don’t want those to start the game when you get the ball first,” Williams said. “And for Tyrique to be able to make a play like that, it energized the team in all three phases.
“Us being able to get the ball back right there, that started the scoring for us. And so the momentum for us was important. Happy for him to be able to have that moment.”
Byard added, “(Stevenson) made a hell of a play. … It kind of set the tone of how the game obviously went.”
It was also a milestone day for Byard and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Edmunds had a pair of interceptions — his first career game with two — both of which occurred in Bears territory and spoiled scoring threats from Dallas.
The first interception came early in the fourth quarter with the Cowboys facing first-and-10 at the Bears 36-yard line. Prescott targeted Pickens, but he flubbed the catch and Edmunds came down with the ball.
Edmunds picked off Prescott again when he tried to hit Jalen Tolbert in the end zone on fourth-and-1 with 4:53 left.
“Those plays don’t happen, man, unless the other 10 guys on the field (are) doing their job,” Edmunds said.
The linebacker also broke up two passes and matched a career second-best 15 tackles, which he had Sept. 17, 2023, when the Bears lost 27-17 in Tampa Bay.
“I feel good” about the performance, Edmunds said. “The biggest thing for me was just coming in the locker room and seeing everybody smile.”
Byard, playing his 150th career game, had an interception with 58 seconds left in the game after the Cowboys had turned over the keys to backup quarterback Joe Milton.
“The main thing we were out there trying to get a win,” Byard said. “I took a moment pregame to think about just the matter of years I’ve been able to play at a high level. It’s just been a true blessing. But, I mean, it’s just a great team win.”
Dominique Robinson had four tackles and his first sack of the season.
“We actually didn’t do anything super different (scheme-wise),” he said. “We actually kind of simplified some things.
“Played a little faster.”
From the outset, injuries put the Bears defense at a disadvantage — or at least it seemed.
They placed top cornerback Jaylon Johnson on injured reserve Saturday with a groin injury.
Four other defensive players were inactive, including defensive backs Kyler Gordon (starter) and Jaylon Jones, and linebackers T.J. Edwards (starter) and D’Marco Jackson.
But it was the injury to Lamb, after a tackle for a 1-yard loss by linebacker Noah Sewell on a run play, that likely had the biggest impact on the Cowboys’ fortunes.
The Cowboys were still able to move the ball in the air (275 yards) through Pickens and tight end Jake Ferguson (82 yards on a game-high 13 catches) and on the ground (121 yards), as Javonte Williams rushed for 76 yards on 10 carries.
Prescott also completed 77.5% of his passes, but his two picks and Williams’ lost fumble killed drives, and the Bears held the Cowboys to two field goals, a touchdown and a two-point conversion.
Prescott entered the game leading the league in third-down completions (15), with 11 picking up first downs.
Since 2019, Prescott had converted on third down in 44.7% of his attempts, behind only Patrick Mahomes (48.6%) and Joe Burrow (46.7%) among qualifiers.
But on Sunday, Prescott picked up just two first downs on nine third-down attempts (22%) and another on fourth down.
Bears defenders said their focus was sharpened after a players-only meeting on Wednesday.
“The first two weeks it hurt,” Edmunds said. “We had some tough conversations, the conversations that needed to be had, and our focus was just on playing a complete game.”
Defensive back Jaquan Brisker added, “We were talking about being the best defense in Bears history, in the league, top five — we can’t give up 50 points.
“So it’s just a mentality. We just had to make sure to get everything off our chest and be on the same page. And we did that today.”
After all the grief the Bears defense caught after Week 2’s 52-21 loss in Detroit — and for coughing up the Minnesota Vikings’ 27-24 comeback win in the season opener — Sunday’s first victory of the season was “super-satisfying,” Robinson said.
“We knew it was just a matter of time before everything started clicking. We have to continue to do that every week.”