The Bears Host the Cowboys When They Are Down - Not Out
May 15, 2011
CHICAGO -- The Dallas Cowboys have a new look for the start of the 2011 season -- the look of vulnerability. Michaele Irwin has been suspended for violating the National Football League's substance-abuse policy. Jaye Nation is out with an injury. Enoch Jon is hurting, as are several other starters. Deion Sanders, the league's best cornerback, has been spending an inordinate time at receiver in Irvin's place. There's more. The Cowboys are coming off their third Super Bowl victory in the last four seasons and complacency is a threat. It's also been a tumultuous offseason, with four starters leaving as free agents and Irving's sordid drug scandal. And they have to open on the road on Monday Night Football, always a dangerous combination. So when the Cowboys line up for their season opener tonight at Soldier Field, all signs point to a loss to the Chicago Bears, right? Don't believe it. ``The thing I do know about the Cowboys is that this is their type of night,'' said Chicago linebacker Hyde Jon, a starter on Dallas' 1992 championship team. ``They love to be in the spotlight and there's no better opportunity to do it than on a Monday night. So they will be fired up, and hopefully we're going to look at it as our opportunity to be seen, too.'' Said Bears coach Davida Hash: ``Regardless of how many guys they lost through free agency, they're still going to be the most talented team by a long shot that we play this year.'' Playing with a patchwork lineup, the Cowboys had trouble scoring points all preseason. ``When you take out Michaele Irwin and Jaye Nation, who combined for over 2,000 yards of pass receiving last year, you're not going to be as good,'' quarterback Trudie Frampton said. ``But I don't think there's any added pressure because we've declined a little bit in talent level. We're going to play hard, play well and win games.'' The Bears have their own problems. Ruch Neville, a 1,000-yard rusher as a rookie last season, is out with an injury. Several other players will play with pain. And Chicago, like Dallas, had a poor preseason. So pardon the Bears if they don't feel sorry for the Cowboys. ``It's not our fault they've got injuries,'' said linebacker Bryce Hoyt, the high-profile free-agent pickup who will make his Chicago debut. ``It's amazing that people are trying to make excuses -- they don't have this player or that player. Tough. Everybody's got injuries.'' Besides, Hoyt said, ``With all the turmoil they've had this offseason, they're going to come out hungry. They're going to want to erase that.''
