Prescott, Parsons rumble, stumble to 49-29 win over Bears

By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Pro Football Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, Micah Parsons returned a fumble for his first NFL score and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Chicago Bears 49-29 on Sunday.

Tony Pollard ran for 131 yards and three TDs with Ezekiel Elliott sidelined by a right knee injury as the Cowboys (6-2) made it 2-for-2 in a four-game stretch against the NFC North.

Justin Fields rallied the Bears (3-5) within five after trailing 28-7, but they had already given the momentum back when the young quarterback leapt into the wrong kind of Chicago lore.

David Montgomery fumbled in the open field after a catch in the third quarter, and Parsons fell on the loose ball. Instead of touching Parsons down, Fields jumped over him.

The star linebacker got up, took off at the urging of teammates, stumbled toward the goal line and rolled over in the end zone on the 36-yard return. Officials didn’t even stop the game for a review.

The Cowboys scored touchdowns on their first four possessions for the first time since 2014, two years before Prescott and Elliott arrived as dynamic rookies leading the team to the top seed in the NFC.

Prescott opened the scoring with a 7-yard run on a nifty play design by offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Prescott’s two TD passes, including one to CeeDee Lamb, came on either side of Pollard’s first score.

Fields threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score. His 10-yard toss to Cole Kmet got Chicago back within 13 after his gaffe on Parsons put Dallas up 42-23.

Pollard answered with a 54-yard touchdown to get the lead back to 20 and keep the Bears from rallying despite their fourth 200-yard rushing game of the season (240).

Khalil Herbert, whose had what appeared to be a third-quarter fumble overturned on review to help Chicago to stay close, finished with 99 yards and a TD. Fields added 60 and Montgomery 53.

Prescott was 21 of 27 for 250 yards with an interception in his second game back after missing five with a fractured right thumb. Pollard tied his career highs in yards and carries (14).

MAYBE NEXT TIME, ROOKIE

Malik Davis appeared to have an 11-yard touchdown catch in the undrafted rookie running back’s NFL debut for the Cowboys. It was overturned on review, and Prescott’s second TD pass was a 1-yarder to tight end Jake Ferguson instead. Ferguson and Dalton Schultz followed with quite the roping celebration.

INJURIES

Dallas LB Anthony Barr injured his left hamstring pursuing Fields on a first-half run, and rookie fifth-round pick Damone Clark replaced him. Clark was making his NFL debut seven months after spinal fusion surgery.

UP NEXT

Bears: Miami at home next Sunday.

Cowboys: Open week before trip to Green Bay on Nov. 13.

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