ClutchPoints
The Dallas Cowboys face a golden opportunity this Sunday when they travel to Chicago to take on the struggling Bears at Soldier Field. With Chicago’s defense in shambles and key injuries piling up, Dallas is positioned to make a statement in what could be their most explosive offensive performance of the season. Here are three bold predictions for this pivotal Week 3 matchup.
Coming off a thrilling 40-37 overtime victory against the Giants where he threw for 361 yards, Dak Prescott is poised for an even bigger performance against Chicago’s decimated secondary. The Bears just allowed Jared Goff to carve them up for 334 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-21 blowout loss to Detroit, and their defensive woes have only gotten worse.
Chicago’s cornerback situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson is out indefinitely with a groin injury and may require surgery, potentially ending his season. Starting nickel corner Kyler Gordon hasn’t played a snap this season due to a hamstring injury. The Bears are now forced to rely on Tyrique Stevenson and former Cowboys cornerback Nahshon Wright as their starting outside corners.
Against the Lions, both Stevenson and Nick McCloud allowed perfect passer ratings, with Stevenson giving up five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, while McCloud surrendered six catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. This secondary simply cannot handle elite receiving talent, and Prescott has plenty of weapons at his disposal.
With CeeDee Lamb leading the league with 24 targets through two games and George Pickens showing flashes of brilliance in his Cowboys debut, Prescott should have a field day. The Bears defense ranks dead last in the NFL, allowing 9.75 yards per pass play and surrendering 39.5 points per game. Prescott’s mobility has looked renewed this season, as he noted that not running last year “took a toll and honestly why I got hurt”. Look for him to exploit Chicago’s porous pass coverage and weak pass rush for a career-defining performance.
Despite his stellar start to the season with 16 receptions for 222 yards, CeeDee Lamb has yet to find the end zone. That drought ends emphatically against Chicago’s vulnerable secondary. Lamb has been arguably the most consistent receiver through two weeks, with his targets and production split almost evenly between games.
The matchup couldn’t be more favorable for Lamb. He previously torched the Bears for five catches, 77 yards, and a touchdown in their 2022 meeting, and Chicago’s current secondary is far weaker than that version. With Jaylon Johnson sidelined and the Bears likely to focus extra attention on George Pickens, Lamb should find himself in numerous favorable one-on-one situations.
Lamb’s versatility from both outside and slot positions makes him particularly dangerous against Chicago’s makeshift coverage schemes. The Bears allowed Amon-Ra St. Brown to accumulate 115 receiving yards and three touchdowns just last week, and Lamb possesses similar...
