Jay Cutler leads Chicago Bears over Dallas Cowboys
All eyes were on the quarterbacks Sunday afternoon in Cowboys Stadium, and it was Jay Cutler who won the duel to take the Chicago Bears to 2-0 with a 27-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Cutler finished
21-for-29 for 277 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Tony Romo put up some numbers too, finishing with 374 yards passing, but couldn't capitilize on his opportunities, and threw two picks to his one touchdown pass. He wasn't helped by the Cowboy's complete
lack of a running game, a missed field goal in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game, or a late fumble by receiver Roy Williams.
Things could get worse for Dallas too, with Romo's favourite target, tight-end Jason Witten leaving the game with a concussion and Pro Bowl cornerback Mike Jenkins' status also in doubt after leaving the
game with a knee injury. Jenkins will have a scan on Monday.
Another intriguing matchup on show was between two of the big-name offensive co-ordinators in the game. It was another duel that went the Bears way on this day. Mike Martz's offense was in full flow,
with three different recievers catching touchdowns, and six recievers finding the stat sheet.
In Jay Cutler, Chicago has a talented quarterback that's full of confindence, a dangerous combination. It's a confidence that has spread throughout the offense, and seems to flow from a confindence in
their offensive coordinator as much as anything.
"We just executed exactly what he (Martz) said. If you execute the offense exactly how it's meant to be, most of the time you'll be in good position to do well," said tight-end Greg Olson after the win.
Jason Garrett may model his system after Martz's, but has found considerably less success so far. In what has become a recurring theme in Dallas, offensive co-ordinater Garrett gave up on the run early
on in the game, leaving the Cowboys' three-headed monster at running back with only 38 yards rushing on just 19 carries.
Coach Wade Phillips described the state of the Cowboy's season, "I think it is a crossroads right now," Phillips said.
Adding to the pressure are the expectations of owner Jerry Jones, who desperately wants the Cowboys to play a home game in the Super Bowl, which will be played in Cowboys Stadium. Jones is prepared to
hold off any executions...for now.
"The best thing I can do right now is not knee-jerk," he said.
However, Jones added, "I'm mad, I'm upset, I'm very frustrated and extremely disappointed."
The Cowboys will need to turn it around in a hurry if they want to meet their owner's expectations. They find themselves at 0-2, with a very difficult away game with the Texans coming up. No team has
ever started 0-3 and reached the Super Bowl.
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