Cowboys’ X-factor for blockbuster Week 3 clash vs. Bears

The Dallas Cowboys escaped with a win last week. They hardly looked like contenders, though. After surrendering more than 500 yards to the Giants, the defense has come under heavy fire heading into Week 3. Now, Dallas heads to Soldier Field to face a Chicago Bears team that has been equally porous. They have given up an NFL-worst 79 points through two weeks. Something has to give Sunday night. For Dallas, the key X-factor will be its embattled defense.

Previewing Cowboys vs. Bears

The Cowboys and Bears square off in a Week 3 matchup that promises plenty of fireworks. Chicago has already surrendered a helluva ton of points through two games, while Dallas has allowed 61. With both defenses struggling, this contest has all the makings of a high-scoring shootout where explosive plays could decide the outcome.

Dallas is coming off a 40-37 victory over the Giants. That was a game that exposed the Cowboys' vulnerable secondary. Russell Wilson torched them for 450 yards and three touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus now heads back to Chicago determined to make a statement against his former team. The Bears, meanwhile, are licking their wounds after a 52-21 drubbing by the Lions. With Dallas QB Dak Prescott protected by a strong offensive line and throwing to weapons like CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys seem better equipped to rebound. Still, their shaky defense remains the big question mark.

Here we'll try to look at and discuss the Dallas Cowboys' X-factor for blockbuster Week 3 clash vs. Chicago Bears.

Cowboys defense under the microscope

The Cowboys may have beaten the Giants, but their defensive performance was alarming. Dallas allowed 506 total yards. That included 422 passing yards, which was the most they’ve given up through the air since 2016. Wilson connected on seven passes of 25 yards or more, three of which went for at least 45 yards. The Cowboys even gave up a deep touchdown in the final seconds, a play that nearly cost them the game.

Statistically, Dallas has allowed the third-most passing yards in the league through two weeks. What’s puzzling is the inconsistency. Just a week earlier, they held Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts to 144 passing yards and limited AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith to a combined four receptions. Right now, nobody knows which version of the Cowboys’ defense will show up in Chicago.

Injury woes and secondary struggles

Part of Dallas’ problem has been availability. Cornerback DaRon Bland missed last week with a foot injury. Yes, Jerry Jones insists he’ll be back soon. That said, foot injuries for defensive backs are rarely straightforward. Even if Bland returns in the next few weeks, the Cowboys can’t rely on him to be fully healthy over the long haul.

As for Trevon Diggs, his trajectory also sparks concern. Once touted as a cornerstone of the secondary, his form has dipped. That has left Dallas vulnerable on the back end. Without consistent play from their top corners, opposing receivers are lining up Cowboys matchups as career-best opportunities. Recall that Giants wideout Wan’Dale Robinson torched Dallas for 142 yards. That was 42 more than his previous career high. Malik Nabers outpaced even that, exposing just how broken this secondary currently is.

Pressure without Parsons: a missing piece

The Cowboys’ defensive identity used to hinge on Micah Parsons collapsing pockets and DeMarcus Lawrence cleaning up. After moving on from Parsons, however, the pass rush no longer dictates games. That has forced Eberflus to get creative. We have seen them blitz from unconventional angles to generate pressure. The problem? More blitzing leaves more holes in coverage. That only compounds the secondary’s issues.

Dallas needs someone to emerge as a consistent disruptor up front. Without it, the defense has to lean heavily on zone coverages. That opens them up to methodical quarterbacks who can pick apart soft spots. The Bears may lack elite passing firepower, but even average quarterbacks have looked like All-Pros against this Dallas defense.

What it means against Chicago

The Bears don’t boast a ferocious passing attack, but they don’t need to if Dallas continues to hemorrhage yardage. Chicago’s weak pass rush means Prescott should thrive offensively. As such, Lamb and Pickens should have field days against overmatched corners. On the flip side, if the Cowboys want to reassert themselves as contenders, it won’t be because of Dak’s arm. It will be because the defense finally shows life.

Eberflus’ homecoming adds intrigue. That said, sentiment won’t fix coverage busts. The Bears' desperation could turn Soldier Field into a hostile setting. Dallas must weather that energy by controlling the line of scrimmage defensively and forcing turnovers. Otherwise, what should be a comfortable win could turn into another high-scoring nail-biter.

Final thoughts

The Cowboys’ offense is fine. Prescott is healthy, Lamb is elite, and Pickens gives them another dynamic option. The offensive line remains steady, and Brandon Aubrey has been clutch in pressure situations. The real story is the defense. If Dallas can’t shore up its secondary and rediscover a pass rush, every game will turn into a shootout. This means that, eventually, they’ll lose more of those than they win.

Chicago’s defense has been worse, which is why Dallas enters as the favorite. However, this game isn’t about the Bears. It’s about whether the Cowboys’ defense can reestablish itself as a unit capable of supporting a championship-caliber offense.

Jets Trade Pitch Delivers 6-Foot-6 Young QB With Upside

The New York Jets have a quarterback problem, and the Philadelphia Eagles could help them solve it.

Heavy’s Max Dible proposed a trade idea between the two teams that could benefit everybody.

Jets receive: quarterback Tanner McKee

Eagles receive: a 2027 third-round pick

McKee, 25, stands at 6-foot-6 and tips the scales at 231 pounds. He entered the league as the No. 188 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

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Analyst Explains Thought Process of This Jets-Eagles Trade Idea

“The Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year deal, but it’s essentially a one-year contract for all intents and purposes should New York decide it wants out after 2025. Aaron Glenn brought Fields in because of his athleticism, which is the one thing McKee doesn’t really have. So he won’t have the mobility and playmaking Fields does when plays break down,” Dible said.

“What McKee has already shown is a better grasp of NFL passing concepts and a better ability to execute them than Fields, who has had vastly more opportunity and experience. The Jets have the advantage of being in the AFC, which might entice the Eagles more than deals with the Rams, Vikings, or their in-state rivals, the Steelers (even though Pittsburgh is also an AFC team). New York might be picking high enough to find a young signal-caller of their own in the 2026 draft, but a bird in the hand and all that… might make McKee worth it even at a third-round price,” Dible added.

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McKee Has Garnered a Lot of Buzz Among NFL People

Despite humble beginnings as a day three pick, McKee is buzzing amongst key NFL people.

“McKee, 25, is the Eagles’ No. 2 quarterback. He’s become so valuable to the team that they traded last year’s backup to promote him. He’s on his way to becoming a future starter in the NFL,” Zach Berman of The Athletic wrote in a column posted on August 21, 2025.

If he is to become a future starting QB, it likely won’t be for the Eagles. Jalen Hurts, 27, is currently Philadelphia’s starting quarterback. Hurts is currently the No. 11 highest-paid QB in the NFL with an annual salary of $51 million, per Over The Cap.

“There are at least 10 teams in the NFL who would be in the playoffs if Tanner McKee was their starting QB. I’m not even joking. The kid is LEGIT,” beat reporter Nick Faria of Jets X-Factor posted on social media in August.

There are at least 10 teams in the NFL who would be in the playoffs if Tanner McKee was their starting QB.

I’m not even joking. The kid is LEGIT.

— Nick Faria (@Nick_Faria1720) August 8, 2025

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ESPN’s Benjamin Solak created a graphic on August 7 listing all 32 teams in the NFL and revealed whether McKee “would start for your team” in his opinion.

Solak put the Jets in the “without question” category of his graphic.

Would Tanner McKee start for your team? pic.twitter.com/z9i9lDO7MO

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) August 8, 2025

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The Former Stanford Product Has Shown Flashes

McKee appeared in two games during the 2024 season with one start. He finished with a 66.7% completion percentage, threw four touchdowns to zero picks, and totaled 323 passing yards.

The former Stanford product only appeared in one preseason game this offseason, but he dazzled.

McKee went 20-of-25 (80% completion percentage), threw for 252 passing yards, had three total touchdowns, and didn’t have an interception.

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McKee Would Be a Fun Dart Throw for Jets Coaching Staff

The Jets don’t know if they have a franchise quarterback on their roster. Justin Fields has been inconsistent, Tyrod Taylor is 36 years of age, and undrafted free agent Brady Cook is on the practice squad.

McKee has shown flashes that are worth developing. He still has two years left of cheap team control on his $4 million contract. McKee is scheduled to be a free agent in 2027.

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Overcoming Unbelievable Odds

McKee is a cancer survivor.

“Sitting in the hospital at age 16. That’s when his mother noticed a new dark mole on his hairline with suspiciously uneven boundaries. They scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist. Six moles were removed from his back, chest, and forehead for biopsy. The mole on his forehead came back positive for melanoma,” Berman revealed in a column for The Athletic.

“McKee underwent the procedure to test the borders of the melanoma and to see if it had spread to his lymph nodes,” Berman explained.

“Even if the cancer did not spread, another risk existed. The lymph nodes that required removal were close to a nerve that affected his throwing motion. If there had been any damage to the nerve during the procedure, McKee’s quarterback career could have been in peril,” Berman said. “The procedure was successful. The cancer had not spread. The nerve was unaffected.”

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