ARLINGTON, Texas — The Cowboys scored touchdowns on their first four possessions for the first time in almost eight years.

On the fifth one, they threw an interception into Eddie Jackson’s arms with 35 seconds left in the first half. The Bears turned the turnover into a field goal and trail the Cowboys 28-17 Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

Despite them scoring 10 points in the final 40 seconds of the half, the deficit should provide a much-needed wakeup call about the Bears’ ceiling coming off Monday night’s 33-14 win against the Patriots.

The Bears are one of the NFL’s best second-half defenses; through seven games, they allowed only 35 points, the third-fewest in the league. For the second time in four games, though, the defense was outclassed in the first half; the Vikings scored touchdowns on their first three possessions on Oct. 9.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields had 13 passing yards at the end of the first quarter and just 46 yards at halftime. He’s completed 8-of-11 passes, but leads the team in rushing with 41 yards. His passer rating is 110.4.

The Bears inching their way down the field won’t work in the second half if they want to catch up.

The Cowboys had little trouble scoring on their first drive, marching 75 yards on 11 plays for a touchdown. On third-and-3, quarterback Dak Prescott took a designed run left for a seven-yard score.

The Bears went three-and-out on their first drive, slowed by Fields leaving a deep shot to Equanimeous St. Brown short on first down and, on the next play, Dante Pettis being flagged for offensive pass interference.

That produced yet another way-too-easy drive for the Cowboys, who went 69 yards on only eight plays. Facing third-and-9 from the 21, they sent receiver CeeDee Lamb in motion from right to left, where he ran a post route. Prescott found him in the end zone between safeties Jaquan Brisker and Jackson for a touchdown.

Less than 10 minutes into the game, the Cowboys were up 14-0. The Bears countered with a long, plodding drive — one that lasted almost seven minutes and featured 10 run plays and two passes. Fields scrambled for 14 yards on third-and-4 and 15 yards on second-and-6. It was a designed run that landed Fields in the end zone, though; on second-and-goal from the three, he ran left, untouched, to go down 14-7.

The Cowboys’ best play of their next drive should have gone for only a yard or two. On third-and-1 from the Bears’ 41, Prescott took a snap from under center and plunged forward trying to get the first down. No one tackled him, though, and he kept running for 25 yards. On the next play, the Bears gave up an 18-yard touchdown run to Tony Pollard.

The Bears wasted their next drive. They followed a one-yard run with a sack and then a misguided double pass in which Fields threw to Pettis, who launched a pass across the field that kicked away. Pettis was flagged for an illegal forward pass, though, and the Bears were forced to punt.

Fields went to the injury tent after the drive but never missed a snap.

Led by Lamb, who had two catches for 37 yards, Cowboys were went 54 yards on eight plays for their fourth touchdown in a row. This one landed in the arms of tight end Jake Ferguson, who celebrated his one-yard touchdown by pretending to hog tie a teammate.

With 45 seconds to play, Fields threw an interception to Trevon Diggs — but the play came back when Cowboys defensive lineman Chauncey Golston was ruled to have hit Fields in the head when knocking him to the ground. The Bears scored on the next play, a 17-yard pass on a crossing route from Fields to receiver N’Keal Harry.

Harry hadn’t caught a touchdown pass since December 2020, when the former first-round pick was a member of the Patriots. He played his first game with the Bears on Monday.

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Maine South’s defense earned the headlines after shutting out Bolingbrook’s high-powered offense in the Class 8A first round on Friday.

The Raiders arrived in Park Ridge averaging 42 points and wound up losing 24-0. But it isn’t big news that Maine South has an excellent defense. The Hawks have allowed more than 20 points just twice this season (Prospect, New Trier).

Maine South’s crisp, dynamic passing attack was a revelation. Senior Ryan Leyden threw for 222 yards against Bolingbrook’s quality defensive backfield. It was his first start since he was injured on Sept. 2 against Warren.

Leyden, a lefty, connected with six different receivers. Maine South coach Dave Inserra said Leyden is still working off some rust, but the Hawks are a significant threat in Class 8A now.

“I’m getting a lot more comfortable reading blitzes and with the play calls and line calls,” Leyden said. “I’ve learned a lot the past four years, especially last year behind Rowan Keefe on the state runner-up team.”

Roadrunning

Nazareth popped into the Super 25 early in the season and then faded out of the spotlight for the majority of the season. The Roadrunners finished 5-4 and squeaked into the playoffs.

A deeper look at Nazareth’s schedule is revealing. The losses are all to teams that spent most or all of the season ranked: Lemont, Marist, Notre Dame and St. Rita. The Roadrunners opened the season by beating Kankakee 2-0.

Things are clicking now for Tim Racki’s squad. Nazareth is averaging 42 points in its last four games and scored a season-high 48 in its first-round road win at Glenbard South on Friday.

The Roadrunners might not be as star-studded as some past groups, but there are game-breakers on the roster. Sophomore Logan Malachuk took over as the starting quarterback last season. He’s a solid passer and is developing into a significant threat on the ground. Wisconsin recruit Justin Taylor has played as a receiver and a running back and made an impact in several positions on defense.

Nazareth will host Rockford Boylan (9-1) in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. A showdown with Morgan Park would loom in the quarterfinals.

Public League update

A record 25 Chicago Public Schools teams advanced to the state playoffs. The first-round results were mixed.

There were four games with Public League teams facing each other, so obviously the Public League went 4-4 in those.

In the other 17 games, Public League teams finished 2-15. Simeon and Morgan Park were the only winners. The lopsided scores are more of a concern than the overall record. Only Amundsen, which lost 35-21 to Harlem, was competitive. The combined score in the other 14 Public League losses was 770-79.

CPS schools have made great progress this season. Simeon, Morgan Park and Kenwood are each serious threats in their classes and Payton, Goode and UP-Bronzeville also advanced to the second round. The next step is getting a handful of teams up to Amundsen’s level of competitiveness.

Looking ahead

There are seven matchups between ranked teams in the second round but there are a handful of other matchups to keep a close eye on.

In Class 8A possible upsets include Warren at Andrew and Lyons at Plainfield North. Bremen travels to Chicago to take on Kenwood in what should be a very competitive Class 6A showdown.

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From a technical standpoint, Nikola Vucevic hasn’t changed a thing with his three-point shot.

Not a tweak to the fundamentals, not a new and improved shooting program.

“Sometimes I’ll do reps, sometimes I’ll do competition shooting,” the Bulls big man said of his process. “I always look to find some fun, shooting games and competing against myself are the hardest ones. Nothing crazy. Just reps, reps, reps, continue to work, things I’ve been doing for a long time.”

What has changed from last season for Vucevic?

His attitude.

It was well documented that the 2021-22 campaign was a rough one for the former two-time All-Star. Playing alongside DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine for the first time, Vucevic took the approach of being option three in that priority list.

It proved to be a tougher adjustment to make than Vucevic anticipated.

In his Orlando days, he was the offense. He was still dependent on teammates feeding him the ball, and feed him they did. That frequency led to him having a short-term memory. Miss an easy shot? No worries. He’ll get a chance on the next possession.

With DeRozan and LaVine that was not the case.

Welcome to life with two other alphas.

So when Vucevic missed easy shots last year or blew a lay-up, he would get stuck on it. Sometimes enough where he would carry it to the other parts of his game. Not because he questioned his ability, but because he knew the opportunities for redemption were few.

What a difference an offseason has made.

Vucevic’s attitude this season seems to be less about where he sits on the priority list and more about LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevic being a tripod. Kick one of the legs out and they all fail.

“I know how good I am,” Vucevic said after the Saturday loss to Philadelphia. “I know what I bring to the table. I’m a two-time All-Star so I didn’t get to where I am by chance. I know the work I put in, the time I put in.

“It’s just different sometimes for me still playing as a third option. Before, when I was the main option [with the Magic], even if the ball didn’t go in right away, you know I’ll get my shots. Last year I was pressing a little bit on it. This year, I’m just able to settle my role more.”

That was evident against the 76ers and All-NBA goliath Joel Embiid.

Vucevic finished with 23 points, 19 rebounds and three assists, becoming the first player in franchise history to make five 3-pointers with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds.

Of those five three-pointers he made, it came on just seven shots, displaying his efficiency.

The bigger picture was it helped rocket his three-point percentage on the season up to 36.4% after a dismal 31.4% last season.

And if LaVine had a little better court vision, who knows?

With the Philadelphia game there for the taking and just 37.8 seconds left, LaVine settled for a 20-foot jumper that he missed, not noticing a wide open Vucevic to his left, all but unguarded behind the arc in the corner.

“After looking at it, I should’ve thrown it to Vooch,” LaVine said afterward. “It was a bad read on my part. If you’re gonna take it, make it. If not, I gotta find Vooch. I wish I was able to re-do it.”

Vucevic wasn’t about to point any fingers.

“I don’t think he saw me,” Vucevic said. “It was a solid shot by him. It just didn’t go in. I didn’t want to yell or anything because he was going into the shot and I didn’t want to disturb him. I know he didn’t miss me on purpose.”

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The first round went as expected, with no real upsets at all. That may have been dull, but it sets up a spectacular second round. There are seven matchups between schools in the Super 25 and plenty of other great games scheduled.

With so little happening the major decision this week revolved around Maine South. I was very impressed with the Hawks on Friday. Ryan Leyden missed most of the season with an injury. His return has made all the difference. I considered bumping Maine South up near the top five, but didn’t pull the trigger.

Naperville North, which lost to Marist, drops out and is replaced by Glenbrook South. The Titans have been on the cusp of the rankings for more than a month. Their convincing win against Homewood-Flossmoor gave them the nod over Andrew.

The other movement was Brother Rice jumping a few spots down at the bottom. The Crusaders handled a good Jacobs team rather easily on the road.

Week 11’s Super 25With record and last week’s ranking

1. Mount Carmel (10-0) 17A: at Downers Grove North

2. Loyola (9-1) 28A: at Edwardsville

3. Lincoln-Way East (10-0) 38A: at Neuqua Valley

4. York (10-0) 48A: at No. 10 Marist

5. Simeon (10-0) 56A: vs. No. 14 Crete-Monee

6. Glenbard West (9-1) 68A: vs. No. 22 Glenbrook South

7. Hersey (10-0) 77A: at No. 18 Batavia

8. Lemont (10-0) 86A: at Quincy

9. Prospect (9-1) 97A: vs. No. 11 St. Rita

10. Marist (8-2) 108A: vs. No. 4 York

11. St. Rita (8-2) 117A: at No. 9 Prospect

12. Warren (9-1) 128A: at Andrew

13. Maine South (8-2) 138A: at No. 24 South Elgin

14. Crete-Monee (8-2) 146A: at No. 5 Simeon

15. Prairie Ridge (9-1) 156A: vs. Kaneland

16. St. Charles North (9-1) 167A: at Hoffman Estates

17. Wheaton North (9-1) 177A: vs. No. 19 Lake Zurich

18. Batavia (7-3) 187A: vs. No. 7 Hersey

19. Lake Zurich (9-1) 197A: at No. 17 Wheaton North

20. Brother Rice (6-4) 237A: vs. Collinsville

21. Plainfield North (10-0) 218A: vs. Lyons

22. Glenbrook South (9-1) NR8A: at No. 6 Glenbard West

23. Sycamore (10-0) 225A: at Carmel

24. South Elgin (10-0) 248A: vs. No. 13 Maine South

25. IC Catholic (9-1) 253A: vs. Stillman Valley

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Justin Fields’ big night in Foxborough is a sign of things to come as the Bears will continue to take advantage of their best player on offense.

Justin Fields had a big game against the New England Patriots, with 14 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown with 12 designed QB runs.  Fields will likely see a similar type of workload against the Dallas Cowboys because doing so opens up the offensive versatility in Chicago.

The key weapon for the Bears is not only Justin Fields running ability but how they can threaten teams in a not-so-obvious passing situation.  If the Bears are at any point at third and 10 or less and they empty out the backfield and look like they’re going to pass, there’s no guarantee they will.  Justin Fields ran QB power from an empty set against the Patriots on a key third and seven in the game with Fields gaining over 20 yards on the run.

As the Cowboys you don’t want to drift into zone coverage and leave only four men at the line of scrimmage being run blocked by five offensive linemen.  If Justin Fields runs power he’s going to have a convoy of blockers in front of him and not much to stop him from getting to 10 yards.  Leave one man chasing the play from behind, and if Fields makes one tackler miss that means the Bears are going to have the advantage in picking up the first down.

Make it look like you’re running the ball and suck the defenders up to the line and Fields is going to throw the ball over the top of the oncoming tacklers who just left their coverage responsibilities behind.  It’s a dangerous game of cat and mouse that favors the Bears because Fields’ rushing talent is better than 30 other QBs in the NFL and even some of the best running backs.

The Bears need not worry about Justin Fields getting injured because Fields is big and durable, plus Fields’ using designed runs gives him the advantage while running with the football.  If Fields is running by design, he has the advantage.  If he’s scrambling then he’s going to be more vulnerable to getting teed off on by the Cowboys defense.

If the Bears pull off the upset against the Cowboys today on the back of Justin Fields, then it will announce to the rest of the league that the second half of the season in Chicago could be where the Bears make their run to the playoffs.  Anything is possible if Fields played as he did against the Patriots on a game-to-game basis.

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ARLINGTON, Texas — As expected, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott won’t play against the Bears on Sunday. He didn’t practice all week after spraining his right knee against the Lions, and was ruled out Sunday.

Tony Pollard, who shares running back duties with Elliott, is expected to see increased carries.

Bears offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood, whom the Bears activated on Friday after he returned from mononucleosis, is active. Whether he plays is another question. The Bears are expected to start veteran Riley Reiff at right tackle after they ruled out Larry Borom with a concussion on Friday

The Bears also ruled cornerback Lamar Jackson, tight end Jake Tonges and receiver Isaiah Coulter inactive.Leatherwood was the No. 17 overall pick last year, but things quickly went sour between him and the Raiders. After being drafted to play left tackle, they moved him to right guard and cut him before the start of this season. The Bears claimed him on waivers, but shortly put him on the Non-Football Illness list and didn’t activate him until this week.

Standout linebacker Micah Parsons, meanwhile, is active after being limited in practice because of a shoulder injur. He was expected to play all week.

Receiver Noah Brown (foot) and safety Malik Hooker (hamstring) are among the inactive Cowboys.

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An update on likely trade scenarios throughout the NFL has Roquan Smith possibly being dealt this week.

Roquan Smith is actively being shopped by the Chicago Bears.  The fifth-year linebacker has multiple teams interested in bringing him aboard before the November 1st trade dead line.  But if Smith isn’t traded, he’s likely to receive the franchise tag.

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