The Chicago Bears were unable to build on their Week 7 win and fell to the Dallas Cowboys, 49-29, on the road in Week 8 of the 2022 NFL season. This fifth loss kept the Bears in a tie for second place with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. Here we will look at David Montgomery and three other Bears most responsible for their Week 8 loss vs. the Cowboys.
It just seems like Halloween and the Bears just do not mix. For the second straight year, Chicago got blown out during this time of the year. The Bears were defeated by the Cowboys after the defense allowed six touchdowns. It was the most points they have given up since a 2014 game when the Bears let the Packers drop 55.
Yes, there were silver linings in this game. Justin Fields was a stud, for one. Their offense also looked much improved. Still, even a potent offense will succumb if the defense's holes don't get plugged.
Here we look at David Montgomery and three other Bears most responsible for their Week 8 loss vs. the Cowboys
4. DE Dominique Robinson
The Cowboys got off to a strong start with 14 points in the first period. However, their offense began to stall late in the first half and early in the second. Dak Prescott, the quarterback, threw an interception and then went three-and-out on successive possessions. The Bears then scored a touchdown to close the gap to five points, and the defense was on the verge of forcing the Cowboys offense off the field for the second time.
That was all derailed by a crucial penalty call. This was when Bears DE Dominique Robinson lined up offsides on third-and-nine, giving the Cowboys a free play. Afterward, the defense looked perplexed as Prescott found Dalton Schultz for a 30-yard gain, which led to another Dallas touchdown a few plays later. That was a big turning point as the Cowboys regained their confidence and never looked back.
Inches of Dominique Robinson’s helmet gave the Cowboys a free play on 3rd & 9 where Dak threw a gorgeous pass to Dalton Schultz for 30 yards. Game quickly went from feeling like #DaBears were about to get off the field and take the lead to Dallas controlling things. #Bears pic.twitter.com/BASeBdxhCq
— Anthony Herron (@BigAntHerron) October 31, 2022
At that point, the game was still up in the air, and maybe the Bears would have been within striking distance if Robinson hadn't lined up offsides. Momentum was clearly with the Bears until that point. Ugh.
3. CB Kindle Vildor
Cornerback Kindle Vildor has been one of the Bears' most impressive comeback stories this season, but he struggled hard in the passing game against Prescott & Co. Vildor did have five total tackles, but this was not his finest performance.
The Cowboys went out of their way to target Vildor early and frequently. While none of them were very deep, he was routinely beaten on slants and shorter passes. Part of it was because of the defensive schemes being called, but part of it was due to him not being in the greatest position to make plays.
2. LB Roquan Smith
Bears linebacker Roquan Smith came into this game with the most tackles in the league. Still, despite what his numbers may suggest, Smith's game-to-game performance has been spotty at best. In this game, he resembled a linebacker mired in quicksand both physically and psychologically.
He was late filling gaps and getting into position to make tackles. In addition, he appeared out of position more often than he usually does. Still, we believe Smith has a lot to show, and this hasn't been one of his finest seasons thus far. The painful truth is that his play has not been that of a player earning $20 million per year. I guess that's a big reason the Bears finally pulled the trigger in trading him to the Baltimore Ravens.
1. RB David Montgomery
Running back David Montgomery hasn't had a good game in a long time. The last time he averaged more than 4.5 yards per carry was way back in Week 2. While he did lose some time due to injury, we feel it wiser for the Bears coaching staff to roll with Khalil Herbert as their primary RB for the rest of the season.
Keep in mind that so far in 2022-23, Herbert has outgained Montgomery by more than 200 yards on almost the same number of carries. Herbert has also been the more explosive back, with superior burst and vision. Much like QB Justin like Fields, he can ignite the Bears offense at any time, and while he suffers with pass protection, his rushing skills can be a game-changer. To illustrate, Herbert had 99 yards on 16 runs versus Montgomery's 53 yards on 15 rushes on Sunday.
This isn't to suggest Montgomery should ride the pine or even be dealt away. He's still a gritty RB who can get the tough yards when it counts. He certainly still has a role in this offense, if a bit diminished. It's just that Herbert has more upside moving forward.
Take note as well that Montgomery caught three passes for 22 yards, but he had a huge fumble in that costly third quarter.
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