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Blame for Bears mess starts at the very top - Michael Wilbon: It wasn't necessary to even look at the scoreboard to see that they were inadequately prepared, inadequately motivated and inadequately inspired. The Bears are rotten from top to bottom, incompetent in every single phase of professional football.
Another disgrace on national TV demands drastic action from Bears owners - David Haugh: The Bears have no identity or direction and no excuse to keep tolerating such embarrassment. How listless do they have to look before somebody in ownership perks up?
Brutal Bears’ season makes sense when you put it all together - Adam Hoge: Lack of discipline has been evident on and off the field all season, and there’s been little accountability shown to help curb the behavior.
10 17 thoughts - Brad Biggs: Anyone considering a Trestman firing to be fait accompli hasn’t been following the Bears very long or chooses to forget the franchise’s past.
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Bears 28. Cowboys 41
Game breakdown - The Tribune's drive charts, performances of note, Cutler and Marshall watch, and more stats from the game.
Game updates - ChicagoBears.com with situational updates from the field as they unfolded during the Bears' 41-28 loss to the Cowboys at Soldier Field. Larry Mayer's pregame Q&As ... Marshall exits early with injury.
Bears fall to 5-8 with loss to Cowboys - Larry Mayer: The Bears allowed TDs on five straight possessions in falling behind 35-7 en route to a 41-28 loss to the Cowboys Thursday at Soldier Field. [NFL Network video highlights]
Bears no match for Cowboys as game gets out of hand - Bob LeGere: Even before this latest defeat, the Bears previous losses had been by 17, 41, 28, 13, 7 and 21 points, leading to questions about whether Marc Trestman's team is even competitive.
Cowboys beat Bears 41-28 at Soldier Field - James Neveau: Tony Romo threw three TD passes, and DeMarco Murray rushed for 179 yards as the Cowboys knocked off the Bears 41-28.
Another national embarrassment for inexplicably bad Bears - Brad Biggs: Once again, the Bears failed to be competitive — a real sin for a team that began the season with so much hope. All that remains is the opportunity to spoil someone else's dreams.
Rapid Reaction - Michael C. Wright: With the Bears playing two of their final three at Soldier Field, it’s worth pondering how much more ownership can take.
Game review - Jeff Dickerson with five things we learned: The Cowboys are 9-4, in large part, because they have forged an identity on offense. The Bears are 5-8, in large part, because they have no identity to speak of.
[Video] PostGame Live - Opening kickoff: Falling flat in loss to Cowboys.
[Video] PostGame Live - Jen Lada and Moon Mullin give initial reactions to Bears' loss to Cowboys.
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Offense
Same old culprit for slow start on offense: ‘Execution’ - Mark Potash: The Bears’ offense added another frustrating chapter to a disappointing season Thursday night, struggling in the first half against a Cowboys defense that seemed to be ready for everything they were doing.
Bears continue to abandon rushing attack - Michael C. Wright: The Bears spoke endlessly about the need to establish the run. Once it was time to put all the talk into action, they abandoned the plan.
Cutler puts up decent stat line, but fails to deliver real production - Mark Potash: Cutler was typically Cutler against the Cowboys — putting up numbers but never really leading the Bears to anything or anywhere. He takes what the defense gives him, and it’s rarely enough to make a difference.
[Video] PostGame Live - 15 on 6: Slow start kills Cutler, Bears in loss to Cowboys.
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Defense, special teams
Defense disaster once again with porous performance reminiscent of 2013 - Rich Campbell: Soft coverage. Ineffective pass rush. Inconsistent run fits. Same themes, just different details.
DeMarco Murray, Tony Romo keep Bears defense off balance - Fred Mitchell: A QB's best friend is an effective running back, and Tony Romo has one of the best in DeMarco Murray. Bears defenders were kept guessing when it came to the duo.
DeCamillis unable to put best foot forward against former team - Not-Hub Arkush: One positive play by the special teams undoubtedly was offset by a litany of penalties and missed assignments, a disturbingly familiar refrain for the Bears this season.
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More from the game
Bears clearly the less talented team, again - Is-Hub Arkush: Out-coached, out-hustled and out-played, the Bears didn’t quit but they were in the game because the Cowboys didn’t know how to put them away.
Paging George McCaskey: Your team got pantsed again nationally - Steve Rosenbloom: If you need something worse than this latest string of pathetic performances to convince you to make big moves, then you really ought to sell the team to someone with a clue.
Bears continue march in wrong direction - Barry Rozner: While firing Lovie Smith was appropriate considering his 3 playoff victories in nine years, Emery's reach for Trestman looks worse with every passing week as Trestman fails to execute a plan and then makes a nonsensical attempt to explain it.
Bears’ white flag has been raised - Dan Durkin: This team has yet to have anything but an excellent week of practice all year, according to Trestman. It’s tone-deaf messaging that has been tuned out by players, who are finding it hard to keep motivated.
Bears were doomed from the start - Chris Emma: While Chicago’s playoff hopes were eliminated essentially eliminated Thursday, this was a long time coming.
Bears fans don't deserve this mess - Not-Hub Arnold: Think last year’s 8-8 finish was disappointing? This year’s Bears team – at 5-8 – aspires to being a .500 team.
Urlacher continues to rip Bears, but they should keep legends happy - Rick Telander Telanders.
That wasn’t bad enough - Dan Bernstein: Any reasonable fan who wants the Bears to move closer to winning the Super Bowl has to hope for losses, the worse the better.
More no-shows could facilitate real change - Mike Imrem: The Bears had only 6,295 no-shows Thursday night. Too bad. Maybe more empty seats would irritate the McCaskeys enough to initiate change.
Cutler on disappointing season: 'Expectations were extremely high' - Dan Wiederer: With three games left, outside speculation regarding Marc Trestman’s job security will only heighten as December drags on.
Bears may have saved Trestman's job with late rally - Moon Mullin: Phil Emery and the organization are looking for positive signs to justify not firing Trestman, and the Bears gave them one with a 21-point rally that will allow everyone at Halas Hall to continue using the word "resilient.
Out of playoff picture, Bears now playing for 'love of the game' - Scott Krinch: Bears could take solace in the fact that they will have a chance to play spoilers.
Game review - Not-Hub Fishbain with what worked, what didn't and the three moments that mattered in the Bears' 41-28 loss to the Cowboys.
Game notes - Dan Wiederer: Bears ran more early, but not better; injury updates.
Game notes - Bob LeGere: Trestman was hoping for more balance; Bears started same consecutive O-line configuration for only the third time all season; injury news.
Game notes - Chris Emma: Bears vow to give their best effort; run game still MIA; Brandon Marshall treated in hospital.
Game notes - Not-Hub Arkush: Brandon Marshall injured; Michael Ola benched; Chris Conte struggles, leaves game with back injury.
Bears quotes - ChicagoBears.com: Inside the locker room with quotes from Bears players following Thursday's loss.
Photos - From ChicagoBears.com ... Daily Herald.
[Video] ChicagoBears.com - "Check out the top plays from the Bears' ..... the Cowboys at Soldier Field." [Well played, CB.com web monkeys, well played. - Den]
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Game grades
[Video] ESPN - Michael C. Wright's game ball goes to Martellus Bennett, who caught 12 passes for 84 yards and a score.
[Video] PostGame Live - The PGL crew pick their Monsters of the Midway.
Game grades - With the exception of for the passing offense, Jeff Dickerson's 'F' key appears to be sticking.
Game grades - Mark Potash: Defense fails miserably.
Moon Mullin's game grades: QB - RB - WR/TE - O-line - D-line - LB - DB - STs - coaching.
Stock watch - Seth Gruen: Shea McClellin had an active night, while Jay Cutler was not sacked through the first three quarters.
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Seems appropriate, if Durkin is correct.