On Deck will be here all season to provide you with everything you need to know (and a few things you don't) about every Cowboys game during the 2014 season.
The Opponent: The Bears have to be the most talented, dysfunctional team in recent memory. They have so many weapons on offense, yet they're so bad on most nights. It starts with the bipolar play of quarterback Jay Cutler and trickles all the way down the roster, including arguably the most scary wide receiver duo in the league and arguably the most all-around running back in football in Matt Forte. The Bears were doubled up by the Lions on Turkey Day just before the Cowboys were dominated by the Eagles.
Past Meetings: The Cowboys are 13-11 all-time against the Bears with the Bears having won the last three meetings, including last year's 45-28 debacle in Chicago.
Key Matchup: Cowboys secondary vs. Bears receivers — As mentioned above, the Bears might have the most fearsome wide receiver duo in the league in Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, not to mention one of the more athletic tight ends in the league in former Cowboys Martellus Bennett. The Cowboys' secondary has been exposed in recent weeks, much like the rest of the defense, and if Jay Cutler is on, it could be big trouble for Dallas. Of course, Cutler being on is no guarantee.
Who's Hot: Not much to discuss here for the Cowboys, but rookie linebacker Anthony Hitchens continues to impress as the latest in the "next man up" deal for the Cowboys at that position. Hitchens had 10 tackles and two assisted tackles in Thursday's loss to the Eagles.
Jeffery got the Bears off to a great start in their Thanksgiving loss to Detroit when he caught two first-quarter touchdown passes to help the Bears build a 14-3 lead that quickly disintegrated. Bennett also had a big day receiving with eight catches for 109 yards
Who's Not: Tony Romo had his worst game of the season, and it's not too surprising as the perpetually banged up quarterback had to play on four days of rest for the first time this season after he'd grown accustomed to taking Wednesdays off and having plenty of time to prepare for Sunday kicks. He tossed two picks and threw for just 199 yards.
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After his two first-quarter touchdown passes, Cutler went downhill, tossing two picks as the Lions rolled the Bears from the second quarter on. Matt Forte, for some reason, only carried the ball five times and gained six yards against the league's best run defense.
