Dallas Cowboys vs Chicago Bears Match Player Stats On Dec 04, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 4, 2014

Cowboys 41, Bears 28: Tony Romo threw three touchdown passes and DeMarco Murray rushed for 179 yards and another score as Dallas posted a crucial road win.

Romo finished 21-for-26 for 205 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes to Cole Beasley as the Cowboys (9-4) moved a half-game behind division-leading Philadelphia in the NFC East while improving to 6-0 on road. The Cowboys surrendered 21 points in the fourth quarter but never trailed as Murray lugged the ball 32 times and went over 1,600 yards rushing on the season.

The Bears (5-8), who lost receiver Brandon Marshall to a rib injury in the first half, got a pair of touchdown passes from Jay Cutler (32-for-46 for 341 yards) and a dozen receptions for 84 yards and a TD by tight end Martellus Bennett. But, Chicago fell behind 35-7 by allowing Dallas to score on six straight drives and had its frantic comeback bid halted on an interception by Cutler in the end zone with under two minutes to play.

The Cowboys struck first after a scoreless opening period when Murray capped a 51-yard drive set up by a partially blocked punt with a 1-yard dive on fourth down. The Bears answered on their next possession, also converting on a fourth down before Cutler found Bennett open in the end zone from 12 yards out, but Romo connected with Beasley on a 13-yard scoring pass with eight seconds left in the half to give Dallas a 14-7 lead.

The Cowboys appeared to break things open in the third quarter as Romo found Beasley from 24 yards and tight end Gavin Escobar on an easy toss from 6 yards before Joseph Randle scampered for a 17-yard score to make it 35-7. Chicago answered with scoring runs by Matt Forte and Cutler following a 27-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Marshall (3 receptions, 61 yards) was injured midway through the second quarter when he took a knee to the back and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. ... Cowboys DT Josh Brent made his season debut in his first game since Dec. 2, 2012. Brent was involved in a drunken-driving crash during the week following that game and served a 10-game suspension this season. ... Chicago rushed for just four yards in the first half and finished with 35 yards. ... The Bears have allowed 30 TD passes on the season, the most in franchise history.