The Dallas Cowboys had a rough day on Sunday against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, losing 31-14. They lost CeeDee Lamb to injury early on, robbing them of their best skill player. While their offense was hobbled, their defense was just bad.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw a career-high four touchdown passes, with no interceptions and no sacks, as he seemed to be playing while surrounded by an invisible force field.
However, Tom Brady, who called the game for Fox, had a pretty clear idea of why the Cowboys were so bad on defense.
Tom Brady Diagnoses a Myriad of Problems on the Dallas Defense
Brady didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Cowboys’ defense.
Jon Machota posted: “Tom Brady on the Cowboys’ defense: ‘There’s not enough guys in the rush, and certainly no coverage. Another wide open receiver. Matt Eberflus is just looking for answers over there. Not rushing well, not covering well, not knowing their way on defense.’”
Tom Brady on the Cowboys’ defense: “There’s not enough guys in the rush, and certainly no coverage. Another wide open receiver. Matt Eberflus is just looking for answers over there. Not rushing well, not covering well, not knowing their way on defense.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 21, 2025
The aftermath of the Micah Parsons trade has been brutal for the Cowboys. Everyone knew their pass rush would have to adjust and compensate, but Williams could operate almost untouched. The quarterback who was sacked 68 times in 2024, was kept clean by his revamped offensive line.
The Bears’ receivers created separation and made plays all over the field. Williams threw the ball only 28 times, but what head coach Ben Johnson dialed up resulted in Williams completing passes to eight different receivers on just 19 completions.
Luther Burden had three catches for 101 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown catch, while Rome Odunze had three receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown. DJ Moore and Cole Kmet scored the other touchdowns.
The entire day was reminiscent of what Johnson ran on some of his best days with the Detroit Lions.
Caleb Williams’ 65-yard touchdown pass to rookie Luther Burden III traveled 62.1 yards in the air, the longest completion in the NFL this season, and Caleb’s longest completion of his career.#DALvsCHI | #DaBearspic.twitter.com/D5GQjABob3
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 21, 2025
Where the Cowboys go from here is up in the air. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has to put together a cogent and cohesive defensive game plan that puts his players in position to create disruptive plays against the pass and get pressure.
As it stands now, the Cowboys’ concerns about stopping the running game are almost secondary since they couldn’t generate a pass rush against PFSN’s eighth-ranked offensive line.
Things get marginally better for the Cowboys next week when they face the Green Bay Packers’ 21st-ranked offensive line at AT&T Stadium, but they will also get a chance to see what life without Parsons looks like when he’s coming right at them.