Bears vs. Cowboys, Week 3: Will Chicago avoid the dreaded 0-3 start?

The Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys will square off in a Week 3 matchup that could set the tone for whichever team wins (and loses) in a pivotal early-season contest.

The Bears (0-2) already face a rough road to turn a difficult start into a December playoff run. Teams that begin an NFL season 0-2 miss the playoffs nearly 90% of the time. If Chicago drops to 0-3, their chances of making the playoffs fall below 3%.

No team in the 17-game regular season era has begin the season 0-3 and made the playoffs. Only four teams since 1990 have made the postseason after starting 0-3.

So, yeah. No pressure, right?

Meanwhile, the Cowboys outlasted the New York Giants in Week 2 to even their record at 1-1, but questions about Big D's defense remain.

This game is expected to be an old-fashioned shootout, as neither defense enters Week 3 as an intimidating group. The Cowboys rank 27th in scoring defense, while the Bears are dead last at No. 32.

Dallas is 30th in pass defense. The Bears are 22nd. The Cowboys are the 23rd in run defense. The Bears are 27th.

See the point?

And, yep: points are coming in bunches this afternoon.

Dallas is the fifth in points scored; Chicago is 15th. Where the Cowboys have an edge is their pass offense, which is ranked seventh. The Bears are 19th, although a breakout game could be in the cards very soon.

It's hard to find an edge in this game. Maybe it's the Bears' having home-field advantage. Maybe it's the Ben Johnson factor; I'd take Ben Johnson's playcalling over Matt Eberflus' defense seven days a week.

But something tells me the Cowboys offense will just be too much for a Bears defense with a secondary that's limping into this game without Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. As a result, expect a massive game from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, which ultimately will be the difference.

Sadly, the Bears drop to 0-3, and Bears Nation begins their 2026 NFL Draft prep.

Final Score: Cowboys 28, Bears 20