CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams tied a career high with four touchdown passes and the Chicago Bears gave Ben Johnson his first win as an NFL head coach by beating the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 on Sunday.
The Bears (1-2) got a win they sorely needed coming off a 52-21 blowout loss at Detroit. Johnson called out his team’s practice habits during the week, saying they weren’t “championship-caliber.” But he had to like what he saw against the Cowboys (1-2).
Johnson’s offense broke off several big plays while racking up 385 yards. It added up to a rough day for Dallas defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus in his first appearance at Soldier Field since the Bears fired him as head coach last November.
Williams looked more like the quarterback the Bears need him to become than the one who faded after strong starts the first two weeks. The No. 1 overall draft pick last year, he completed 19 of 28 passes for 298 yards and a 142.6 rating.
Rookie Luther Burden caught his first career touchdown when he hauled in a 65-yarder in the first quarter. The second-round pick from Missouri finished with 101 yards on three receptions.
Rome Odunze had 62 yards and a touchdown catch, giving him four this season.
Cole Kmet caught a 10-yard touchdown pass near the end of the first half. DJ Moore made it 31-14 with a 4-yard TD reception in the third quarter, capping 19-play drive that ate up 9:54.
The Cowboys never really got their offense in gear and couldn’t make the stops they needed after squeezing out a thrilling overtime win over the New York Giants. It won’t get any easier this week with Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers visiting Dallas.
Dak Prescott completed 31 of 40 passes, but had just 251 yards. He threw a touchdown to George Pickens in the second quarter, but was intercepted twice.
Star receiver CeeDee Lamb left with an ankle injury in the first quarter. The four-time Pro Bowler was hurt on a run, when he took a handoff and twisted his ankle as he was tackled by Noah Sewell.
After blowing an 11-point lead in the opener against Minnesota and getting embarrassed by Detroit, the Bears looked better early.
Williams completed 10 of 16 passes for 239 yards as Chicago grabbed a 24-14 halftime lead.
Injuries
Cowboys: CB Trevon Diggs (shoulder) and DT Kenny Clark (ankle) got banged up.
Bears: TE Colston Loveland (hip) was hurt in the first half. … CB Kyler Gordon (hamstring) missed his third game. … LB T.J. Edwards (hamstring) was inactive.
Up next
Cowboys: Host Green Bay next Sunday.
Bears: Visit Las Vegas next Sunday. ___
AP NFL:
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