Cowboys vs. Bears: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

When the Thursday Night Football schedule was released before the 2014 NFL season began, the showdown between the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys was supposed to be a critical one in the NFC with playoff implications. 

The 5-7 Bears didn’t exactly play their part.

Dallas is still right in the thick of the NFC East and wild-card races with its 8-4 record, but it needs a win over the Bears before two difficult contests against the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.

With that in mind, here is a look at the essential information for Thursday’s game.

Cowboys at Bears

Date: Thursday, Dec. 4

Time: 8:25 p.m. ET

TV: NFL Network

Spread: Dallas -3.5, via Odds Shark (as of Monday evening at 10:30 p.m. ET)

Injury Update

DATE	POS	PLAYER	INJURY	NFL STATUS
11/27/14	G	Eben Britton	ILLNESS	PROBABLE
11/27/14	DB	Chris Conte	Eye	LEFT
11/27/14	CB	Kyle Fuller	KNEE	QUESTIONABLE
11/27/14	DB	Tim Jennings	Groin	LEFT
11/27/14	WR	Brandon Marshall	ANKLE	PROBABLE
11/27/14	T	Jordan Mills	RIBS	PROBABLE
11/27/14	DT	Jeremiah Ratliff	KNEE	DOUBTFUL
11/27/14	DE	Trevor Scott	KNEE	DOUBTFUL
11/27/14	LB	Darryl Sharpton	HAMSTRING	OUT
11/27/14	S	Brock Vereen	SHOULDER	PROBABLE
11/27/14	DL	Cornelius Washington	Chest	LEFT
11/27/14	WR	Chris Williams	HAMSTRING	OUT

DATE	POS	PLAYER	INJURY	NFL STATUS
11/27/14	DT	Josh Brent	GROIN	PROBABLE
11/27/14	DE	Tyrone Crawford	KNEE	PROBABLE
11/27/14	T	Doug Free	FOOT	PROBABLE
11/27/14	DT	Nick Hayden	SHOULDER	PROBABLE
11/27/14	S	Jeff Heath	THUMB	PROBABLE
11/27/14	LB	Rolando McClain	KNEE	PROBABLE
11/27/14	CB	Tyler Patmon	KNEE, ANKLE	OUT
11/27/14	QB	Tony Romo	BACK	PROBABLE
11/27/14	LB	Dekoda Watson	HAMSTRING	OUT
11/27/14	WR	Terrance Williams	FINGER	PROBABLE

*Injury reports courtesy of CBS Sports.

Preview

John F. Rhodes/Associated Press

Despite the difference in records between the Bears and Cowboys, recent history would indicate Chicago has an excellent chance to win this game. The Bears beat Dallas in 2010, 2012 and 2013, and the quarterbacks have an interesting history, via Zach Zaidman of Chicago Bears Radio Network:

This year’s version of the Chicago Bears has fallen short of those recent teams and preseason expectations.

The Bears were supposed to dominate on the offensive side of the football after finishing second in the league in points per game last year and bringing back all of their main pieces. Instead, they are a mediocre 19th in the league in scoring offense after all of Sunday’s games finished.

They have experienced pass-protection struggles and health setbacks on the offensive line, lingering injuries to Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery early in the season and numerous Jay Cutler turnovers (he already has 14 interceptions and 11 fumbles).

To make matters worse, Chicago is fresh off a loss to the Detroit Lions where it threw the ball 48 times and ran it only eight times. That type of one-dimensional offensive attack is fairly easy for opposing defenses to stop, which is why head coach Marc Trestman said it would be different against Dallas, via Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com:

"

We’re just trying to get some balance in our offense. We’ve got to take the mistakes we made last week and turn them into a positive this week. One of the things we know we have to do is we have to attempt to run the ball more. As I said to our team, ‘We don’t have to run the ball for 7 yards a carry.’ Running the football has a residual effect on a lot of different things. It helps your movement game. It helps your play-action game. We all know these things. We didn’t get it done last week. We admit to that, and we have to move forward.

"

For as disappointing as the Bears offense has been though, the defense has been the biggest issue.

It is 30th in the league in points allowed per game and 30th against the pass, which is a problem against a Cowboys offense that has a number of weapons.

DeMarco Murray and the dominant Dallas offensive line is second in the league in rushing yards per game, but don’t be surprised if Dez Bryant is the breakout player on Thursday. Cornerback Charles Tillman has missed the majority of the season with injury, which has forced rookie Kyle Fuller into a larger role for Chicago.

While he has been one of few bright spots for the Bears defense, he is less than 100 percent. He was questionable all week before the loss to the Lions and allowed 146 receiving yards and two touchdowns to Calvin Johnson. Elite receivers like Johnson and Bryant are impossible to deal with on their own, let alone with a banged-up rookie.

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Even if Marshall, Jeffery and Matt Forte find a way to put some points on the board against a vulnerable Dallas defense that was just burned by the Philadelphia Eagles for 33 points in a blowout loss, stopping the Murray and Bryant combination will be too much to handle for the defense.

The silver lining for disappointed Bears fans is that every loss brings the team closer to a better draft pick. Plus, it’s Bulls season now anyway. 

Prediction: Cowboys 31, Bears 20

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