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“To be a champ, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will.” ~ Sugar Ray Robinson, Welterweight Boxer and Divisional World Champion Five Times
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Murray, Romo lead Cowboys over Bears 41-28.
By ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive end Jared Allen (69) and defensive end Willie Young (97) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Tony Romo has bigger goals for the Dallas Cowboys so he wasn't about to get too excited over securing a winning season.
To him, that was just one step.
DeMarco Murray ran for a season-high 179 yards and a touchdown, Romo threw for three scores and the Cowboys beat the Chicago Bears 41-28 on Thursday night.
The Cowboys (9-4) made it look easy for most of the night against a struggling team that lost star receiver Brandon Marshall to a rib injury. Dallas clinched its first winning season since 2009 and guaranteed it will finish above .500 after three straight 8-8 finishes. But the Cowboys are looking for more, with an NFC East title and first playoff appearance in five years in sight.
''Other than the fact we still have all our goals in front of us,'' Romo said when asked about clearing the eight-win mark. ''I think that that's more for you guys to do your 8-8 stuff.''
Led by Romo and Murray, Dallas rebounded from a blowout loss to the Eagles on Thanksgiving and pulled within a half-game of them with another showdown in Philadelphia next week.
The Cowboys took a 14-7 halftime lead and scored 21 unanswered in the third quarter before the Bears (5-8) rallied in the fourth.
With that, the Cowboys improved to a league-best 6-0 on the road, where they have won seven straight since a blowout loss at Soldier Field on a bone-chilling night last December.
Romo, who has been bothered by a bad back, kept checking down and completed 21 of 26 passes for 205 yards. His rating for the game was 138 coming off a rough outing against the Eagles.
Murray, the league's leading rusher, carried 32 times. He also had 49 yards receiving on nine catches.
''Like a lot of great backs through the years in this league, oftentimes these guys get better the more touches they get,'' coach Jason Garrett said. ''I think he's demonstrating that. He just has such a good feel for running the football.''
Dez Bryant had six receptions for 82 yards. Cole Beasley caught two touchdowns, and the Cowboys converted 7 of 14 third downs along with 2 of 2 fourth downs.
For the Bears, it was just another rough night in a disappointing season that will likely end with them missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.
''This team competes hard every day to get better and it competes hard in the football game,'' coach Marc Trestman said. ''That would be totally disrespecting our football team to think they're not going out and competing as hard as they can.''
Marshall's injury was another blow for the Bears.
He was hurt taking a knee to the right side from the Cowboys' Barry Church following a reception in the second quarter. That happened moments after he made a spectacular 42-yard catch, juggling the ball with his right hand, to help set up a touchdown.
TV cameras showed him leaving Soldier Field in an ambulance, and Marshall later posted on Twitter, ''Thanks for the Prayers. .. I'm Good. (hash)MindOverMatter.''
Jay Cutler was 32 of 46 for 341 yards and two touchdowns. Martellus Bennett had a career-high 12 receptions for 84 yards against his former team, but the Bears had trouble sustaining drives.
They also did not get much from the run game after managing just eight attempts in the loss at Detroit a week earlier. Matt Forte had 13 carries for 26 yards after tying a career low with five rushes against the Lions.
''You just want to be in it at the end (of the season),'' Cutler said. ''Unfortunately throughout the year we've done some things to not give ourselves a chance and we're upset about that.''
Murray accounted for 105 yards during a busy half as Dallas, running for 65 and a touchdown and adding 40 receiving. Romo kept checking down and completed 17 of 21 passes for 123 yards, including a 13-yarder to Beasley in the closing seconds.
That sent the Cowboys to the locker room with a 14-7 lead and they added to it in the third quarter.
Romo connected with a leaping Beasley for a 24-yard TD early in the quarter after Anthony Spencer stripped Forte near midfield following a screen pass, making it 21-7. The Cowboys increased their lead to 21 minutes later when Romo found Gavin Escobar in the back of the end zone, a 43-yard catch by Bryant setting up that score.
Joseph Randle added a 17-yard TD run late in the quarter to make it 35-7.
Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent played for the first time this season after serving a 10-game suspension and being held out for two more following his intoxication manslaughter conviction.
He hadn't played since Dec. 2, 2012, six days before the drunken-driving crash that killed teammate Jerry Brown.
''I've been blessed to be put back in this position and I'm gonna take advantage of it,'' Brent said.
Notes: Beasley, who entered the league in 2012, came into the game with just three career TD catches. ... The Bears held out kicker Robbie Gould (right quadriceps) and defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff (knee). ... Chicago S Chris Conte left the game in the third quarter with a back injury.
Bears may have saved Trestman's job with late rally in loss. What's Your Take?
By John Mullin
The future of Marc Trestman for 2015 was fairly assured going into Thursday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. Barring a catastrophic, franchise-embarrassing final four games, Trestman is generally expected to be given a third year to try to get this Bears thing fixed.
That catastrophic piece was forming through three quarters of the Bears’ 41-28 loss to the Cowboys.
But in the span of less than a full quarter, Trestman’s players may have in fact saved his job after putting it at serious risk (again). Whether they saved some other staff jobs, however, is another matter.
The Bears (5-8) don’t fire coaches in-season. Trestman wasn’t going to be fired no matter how this and the next couple game days played out.
“The only thing I’m concerned about is the health of my football team right now, and some of the players on it,” Trestman said. “I’m concerned with bringing them in tomorrow and coaching them up to do a better job than what they've done. That’s my only focus and will be my only focus.”
But general manager 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.”
To put this in context: Emery explicitly said that the tipping point for giving Jay Cutler a new contract was the comeback Cutler orchestrated in the late-season win at Cleveland.
This for Trestman, coupled with the mini-comebacks from 10-0 deficits against Minnesota and Tampa Bay, was his “Cleveland.”
The Bears scored two touchdowns in barely 1 minute of the fourth quarter, part of a rally from a 35-7 deficit back to 38-28.
Trestman problems remain
Trestman, hired to fix the offense after the Lovie Smith years, has overseen 15 consecutive games without the Bears scoring 30 points. That included Thursday night, when the Cowboys were topping 30 for the seventh time in their 13 games this season.
After paying lip service to the need for balance after the play-calling debacle in Detroit, Trestman’s play-calling ran Matt Forte six times and had Jay Cutler throw it 13 – a rate of 31-percent run, not even up to the 37-percent run rate that has so clearly not worked all season.
“We only had 20 plays in the first half,” Trestman countered. “We tried to run the football. They were certainly making every effort to stop the run.”
By comparison, the Cowboys put the ball in DeMarco Murray’s hands on 24 (16 runs, eight pass completions) of their 38 plays in the first half. Dallas called 16 running plays to 22 pass plays. Whereas the Cowboys knew the Bears were going to run and stopped them, the Bears knew the Cowboys were going to run and couldn’t stop them: 194 yards and two touchdowns on 33 rushing attempts.
Tucker at increasing risk
As coaches are clear about, coaches don’t cut players; players cut themselves with their performances. The “coaches” equivalent of that is increasingly playing out on defense and special teams.
For the sixth time in the span of 13 games the Bears were crushed by double digits, which traces directly to defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, fair or not. Trestman made a point of describing Tucker’s work as “amazing” last season when injuries riddled the defense; this year the talent cupboard was stocked with offseason signings and four draft picks in the Bears’ first five on defense.
The Bears have allowed 34 or more points six times in 13 games and are again among the most scored-upon teams in the NFL, with nothing to suggest an improvement is coming.
Defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni has been a defensive coordinator. As was discussed during the off-week following four losses in the preceding five games, an interim appointment cannot be ruled out.
The same may be invoked on special teams, where a Bears unit that has problems all year allowed a punt to be tipped and an extra point to be blocked.
“Listen, there are no moral victories,” Trestman said. “We’re not playing well enough in all three phases to win on a consistent basis. That is definitely true.”
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: I'm going to be very frank, forthright and directly to the point. I feel and know that Chicago is arguably the greatest sports city in America. The fans love and support their teams unconditionally. Chicago is truly a Bears town, however, this year's edition of our beloved Bears has been more than frustrating and disappointing. After a showing of great promise last season, this season is a total BUST!!! The old saying is, "A fish rots from the head down." And that is surely what's going on in this situation and here's why I think so.
1) While Marc Trestman and Lovie Smith are great guys and terrific football people, they are not head coaches. I am not attacking them personally, I am talking about job performance. Phil Emery made the same mistake that Jerry Angelo made; they hired coordinators instead of a head coach. Lovie Smith was a defensive coordinator and a good one at that. His defense carried the Bears when he was here and often scored more points than the offense and won several games. Marc Trestman was brought in to build the offense up and to be able to keep up with opposing teams by scoring as many or more points than they did. Lovie had an offensive coordinator to handle the offense and Trestman had a defensive coordinator to handle the defense. Both of their coordinators were mediocre at best and it showed. Lovie did have a great special teams coordinator and that helped tremendously. Marc does not have that luxury and it's hurting him. The Bears need to hire a true head coach that will oversee his coordinators and hold them responsible and accountable for the offense, defense and special team's performance.
2) Leadership. This is lacking in this team's performance. It's obvious from the way they play. At times, it seems as if the coaching staff has lost the team. There's no fire or sense of urgency. The players seem to be going through the motions but it also seems as if they don't know their assignments or are confused about them. Also, where is the veteran players' leadership model for mentoring the younger players and new draftees? It seems to be missing. One tremendous problem is that you can't build a team's camaraderie when you're changing players every week and 31 of your 53 players are pick-up players cut by other teams. Guys need to play together for awhile to learn tendencies, gain respect and learn to trust each other. That's not happening on this team.
3) Granted, the Bears have had a lot of injuries but so have other teams, that's a big part of the NFL. The Bears arch rivals are the hated Green Bay Packers. The last year they won the Super Bowl was 2011. They had more injuries than you can imagine but they had the "next man up mentality" and their players and rookies performed admirably. Our offensive line performed superbly last year and fell apart due to some injuries this year. My question is, where is our depth? You have to have that in the NFL.
I can go on and on and I think Marc Trestman can be successful but he's going to have to get an offensive and defensive coordinator that he can trust and work with, let them do their jobs, become more forceful and demanding and again hold the coaches, players and associated personnel that he is responsible for accountable. New schemes, new plays, new attitudes and work ethics must be instilled or we will see the same thing next year as we have seen this year.
In the first paragraph of the CSAT/AA take, I said that, "A fish rots from the head down", Mr. Emery (GM), is a major part of this process and the situational problems experienced this season also. He stated that Lovie could not take us to the next level and he was bringing in someone that could do that. It's not happening. We're taking steps backwards. Man up, address the situation with your head coach, position coaches and players. When everyone leaves at the end of this season, there should be no doubt of what the expectations are for the 2015 season. "Get on board with the program or move on." This city loves it's Bears and only want the best for them. It is a major source of "Pride" for Chicago and one that everyone in the city of Chicago can embrace. Don't let us down again next year and please, please, just beat the Packers. That will be a major step in winning the hearts of all the Bear fans around the world back!!!
Now that you know how we feel and what we think, what's your take? Please go to the comment section at the end of the blog and let us know how you feel. Marion P. Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica blog editor.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Canadiens-Blackhawks Preview.
AP
The Chicago Blackhawks' recent stretch has seen them roll through some of the best the Western Conference can offer.
One of the East's top teams has seen in person just how formidable they can be.
The Montreal Canadiens look to avenge last month's blowout loss to the red-hot Blackhawks and re-establish their dominance following a rough patch Friday night in Chicago.
The Blackhawks (16-8-1) have won a season-high four straight and nine of 11 after taking care of Central Division-leading St. Louis 4-1 on Wednesday. Their previous two victories were by the same score, beating defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles and West-leading Anaheim.
"We've been playing the right way, particularly lately," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Eventually, you get your turn."
Wednesday marked Chicago's return home after a 10-day, six-game road trip which included five victories. The Blackhawks have averaged 4.7 goals in the last eight games, compared to 2.5 through their first 17.
"We have way more pace to our game," Quenneville said. "Way more directness, way more consistency, better thought process. Everybody's excited right now.
"We got some momentum and everybody's having fun with it. We came together on that trip and got it going."
Patrick Kane has led the charge with eight goals and seven assists over his last nine games after scoring twice Wednesday. Linemate Kris Versteeg assisted on both of Kane's goals and has 14 points in his last eight contests.
Brad Richards has also displayed the talent level Chicago hoped to see after signing the 34-year-old center in the offseason. Richards has three goals and two assists in his last three games. He had only three goals through his first 22 games.
Richards, Kane and Versteeg all scored against Carey Price in a 5-0 win at Montreal on Nov. 4.
The Canadiens (17-8-2) bounced back from that game to win six straight and Price has since posted a 1.71 goals-against average, but his team heads into the rematch in a funk. Montreal has dropped four of five to lose its lead atop the East, including a 2-1 defeat in Minnesota on Wednesday behind just 19 shots.
"When we have success, it's for a reason: we're all on the same page and we all play a certain way," club points leader Max Pacioretty said. "When we get away from that, we're just another team. When we play the way we're capable of ... that's when we have success and that's when we're a great team."
The primary reason for the Canadiens' recent woes has been their offensive shortcomings. Montreal's already average offense, which scored 2.68 goals per game through the season's first 19, has averaged 1.88 in the last eight.
Tomas Plekanec ranks second on the team with 18 points but has one in the past five games. David Desharnais, who had 16 goals last season, has scored one in his last 20 games.
Patrick Sharp led Chicago with 34 goals last season but hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in the first meeting with Montreal. Sharp skated with the team this week, though, and may return Friday.
Chicago's Antti Raanta performed well Wednesday with 40 saves in place of Corey Crawford (foot) and will likely start Friday as well.
Montreal has lost all four of its visits to the United Center since winning there Feb. 27, 2002.
Blackhawks use 3-goal 3rd to beat Blues 4-1. (Wednesday night's game, 12/03/2014).
By JAY COHEN (AP Sports Writer)
Chicago Blackhawks goalie Antti Raanta (31) makes a pad save as St. Louis Blues left wing Alexander Steen (20) and Jori Lehtera (12) try for a rebound shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014, in Chicago. Also defending on the play is defenseman Johnny Oduya. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Kris Versteeg scored 59 seconds into the third period, Patrick Kane added two more goals, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1 on Wednesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
Back at home after a 5-1 road trip, Chicago killed off each of St. Louis' five power plays and won for the seventh time in eight games.
Martin Brodeur was the backup to Allen in St. Louis' first game since the NHL's winningest goalie signed a one-year contract on Tuesday.
The line of Versteeg, Brad Richards and Kane has played a key role in the Blackhawks' resurgence. Versteeg has four goals and 10 assists in his last eight games, and Kane has eight goals and seven assists in his last nine games.
Versteeg put Chicago in front for good when he one-timed a pass from Jonathan Toews into the lower right side of the net for his eighth of the season. He then made a pair of nice passes to Kane to help the Blackhawks put the game away.
Crawford had made 14 consecutive starts, but he hurt his left foot when he missed a step while leaving a recent concert and is expected to be sidelined two to three weeks. Crawford said Wednesday he was embarrassed and frustrated, but declined to reveal any further details about what happened. He said he is focused on returning quickly.
The Blues, trying for their third consecutive win, got off to a fast start, with Cole and Alex Pietrangelo shooting pucks off the post in the first 6:45. St. Louis had three power plays in the first period, but Chicago killed them.
The Blackhawks jumped in front when Brandon Saad stole the puck from Cole near center ice and started a 2-on-1 rush with a pass to Kruger, who beat Allen for his fourth goal at 15:57.
St. Louis used a delayed penalty to tie it at 1 in the second. With the Blues enjoying a 6-on-5 skating advantage, Patrik Berglund passed to an open Cole on the right side for his second goal at 12:38. The Blues outshot the Blackhawks 13-7 in the period.
NOTES: Brodeur tops the NHL's career lists for wins (688), games played (1,259), losses (394) and shutouts (124), all with New Jersey. ... Blackhawks D Brent Seabrook played 25 minutes after he missed practice on Tuesday due to an illness. ... In addition to Crawford, the Blackhawks scratched D Adam Clendening and F Jeremy Morin. ... St. Louis scratched forwards Joakim Lindstrom and Magnus Paajarvi.
Blackhawks Recall Goalie Scott Darling.
CBSChicago.com/sports
Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Blackhawks have recalled goalie Scott Darling from AHL Rockford, they announced Tuesday afternoon.
The 25-year-old Darling posted a 2-1 mark with a .933 save percentage and a 1.98 goals against average for the Blackhawks earlier this season. He’s 8-2-1 with a .929 save percentage and 2.05 goals against average for the Icehogs.
The Blackhawks host the Blues on Wednesday night. Chicago starting goalie Corey Crawford is out with a lower-body injury that he suffered off the ice. The team hasn’t elaborated on how serious Crawford’s injury.
Antti Raanta will start in goal against St. Louis.
FYI: Corey Crawford hurts foot leaving concert, out 2-3 weeks.
By Josh Cooper
Welcome to the famous 'Dubious Cff-Ice Injury Club,' Corey Crawford. It's a pretty legit group — from Claude Giroux shattering a golf club (roar), to Erik Johnson tearing up his knee on a golf cart, to even Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch slipping on a piece of ice getting into a New York City cab.
And there's always a degree of shadiness to all of them because let's face it, hockey players like to go out, and they like to have fun, and who knows what contributes to these factors.
Anyway, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune, Crawford is out 2-3 weeks with a left foot injury sustained while leaving a concert. While Crawford wouldn't say how it happened specifically, above is an unrelated photo of him that was taken at House of Blues in Chicago on Monday.
According to Kuc, Crawford said he missed a step while walking out of a concert, but wouldn't say if alcohol was involved.
But he was indeed contrite in his comments, the vagueness of which can be construed as, 'yeah, it was':
"I'm pretty embarrassed about it, frustrated. Things were going really well. Right now I'm just thinking about trying to get back as quickly as possible and make sure I'm right back where I was (where) I left off.”
Later in the story Crawford said he feels "pretty bad about it ..."
So this means Chicago will probably go with the tandem of Scott Darling and Antti Raanta for the interim.
Hey, these guys are human beings. It could have happened to any of us. But since Crawford is an NHL star being handsomely compensated for his services and a public figure, he will have to deal with the shame of his injury which occurred while having fun. Oh, the horror.
Blackhawks recall Klas Dahlbeck, send Adam Clendening to Rockford.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks swapped defensemen with the Rockford IceHogs late Wednesday night, recalling Klas Dahlbeck and reassigning Adam Clendening.
The 23-year-old Dahlbeck has six points (two goals, four assists) and is a plus-4 in 22 games with the IceHogs this season.
Clendening was called up to the Blackhawks right before the Circus Trip. The team had just lost defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk for three to four months to a patella injury/surgery. Clendening scored his first NHL goal on his first shot in the Blackhawks' 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Nov. 20. He was a healthy scratch the past three games, however, including Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues.
Blackhawks recall Klas Dahlbeck, send Adam Clendening to Rockford.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks swapped defensemen with the Rockford IceHogs late Wednesday night, recalling Klas Dahlbeck and reassigning Adam Clendening.
The 23-year-old Dahlbeck has six points (two goals, four assists) and is a plus-4 in 22 games with the IceHogs this season.
Clendening was called up to the Blackhawks right before the Circus Trip. The team had just lost defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk for three to four months to a patella injury/surgery. Clendening scored his first NHL goal on his first shot in the Blackhawks' 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Nov. 20. He was a healthy scratch the past three games, however, including Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues.