This Thursday night matchup has massive playoff implications for both sides. The Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears had very different outcomes on Thanksgiving Day. Dallas suffered a home loss which dropped them to 6-6 and the Bears stole a victory in Detroit to improve to the same mark.
Chicago seems like the team that needs this win more. They are currently third in the very competitive NFC North and two games behind the Minnesota Vikings for the second wild card spot. A loss in this game could end their season. Dallas is hanging on by a thread in the NFC East lead thanks to a terrible division.
The Bears will be home for this game. Here are the two biggest X-Factors as they prepare.
2. Secondary
The Bears need their defense to look like 2018 in this game. Dallas likes to throw the ball around. They have talented receivers in Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. This has put them in the top spot in total offense and passing yards per game. Chicago needs to be up to the challenge.
Buster Skrine will need to bounce back after having a tough game on Thanksgiving. Eddie Jackson will survey the field from the safety position and may come up with another pick. When playing the Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott is usually the player to watch out for. The Bears have stopped the run effectively this season and will need to do the same through the air if they want to win.
1. Mitchell Trubisky
This one seems obvious. Trubisky will be the Bears' biggest X-Factor in every game they play for the rest of the season. It has been a season full of negativity for the former No. 2 overall pick. Trubisky has not played well at all in any stretch of the imagination. On Thanksgiving, he was able to silence the critics for one week.
Trubisky played his best game of the season when the Bears needed it the most. He threw for 300 yards for the first time this season and threw three touchdowns, including one late in the fourth quarter to clinch a victory. For Chicago to come out on top, Trubisky will need to manage this game. He has eight turnovers on the season and cannot pick up a ninth tonight.
Chicago will have to try to establish a small rushing attack, which has been nearly impossible. This will take pressure off Trubisky but ultimately, it is up to him to make the right decisions. He is coming off his best game of the season and will need to duplicate the performance in this game.
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