ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Chicago Bears likely will be without quarterback Jay Cutler and several defensive starters when they visit the Dallas Cowboys while trying to avoid a second 0-3 start in as many seasons under Coach John Fox.
Not that Fox is putting much focus on the lengthy injury list .
"You don't have any choice," Fox said. "Nobody comes to rescue you. They're not going to cancel the game. I don't get much into it."
Not that the former Denver coach is particularly stressed about another 0-2 start. Four years ago, his Broncos went from 2-3 to 13-3.
"So it's a start. It's not an ending," the coach said. "A lot of times on the outside it's a crisis or carnival, and we don't look at it that way. It's two games."
If Cutler is sidelined tonight with a sprained right thumb that forced him out during last week's 29-14 loss to Philadelphia, Brian Hoyer is in line for his 27th career start with his fourth different team -- and his first against the Cowboys.
The eighth-year pro was with Houston last season when the Texans rallied from 2-5 to a playoff spot, although he threw four interceptions in a 30-0 wild-card loss to Kansas City and wound up with the Bears.
"I think a lot is made [of] early on, trying to get things together," said Hoyer, whose career record is 15-11. "But it's a long season. That's the biggest thing to stress."
The Bears lost to a rookie quarterback in Carson Wentz of the Eagles last week and face another one this week. Dak Prescott, the Cowboys' third-stringer when training camp started, is filling in for Tony Romo after the 36-year-old's fourth back injury in less than four years. Backup Kellen Moore broke an ankle in camp.
Prescott, with an NFL-record 75 pass attempts without an interception to start a career, led a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter of a 27-23 victory at Washington.
Now he's trying to double the number of victories the Cowboys (1-1) had without Romo in 14 games over three seasons before the 23-year-old joined them as a fourth-round pick.
"I just take a lot of pride in what I do, in my job," said Prescott, the first quarterback drafted by Dallas since 2009. "My job is to play quarterback for this organization and to prepare each and every day to do my best, so that's more of what I take pride in."
The Bears romped in their last trip to Arlington, a 34-18 thumping four years ago on a Monday night. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli had the same job with Chicago then, and the Bears intercepted Romo five times.
The Cowboys have lost eight consecutive home games dating to last year's opener. But Romo has missed seven of them, and he didn't finish the other one. Romo's second broken left collarbone of the season came in a Thanksgiving loss to Carolina.
Although the Cutler injury grabs the headlines, the Bears' defense is hurting more. Linebacker Lamarr Houston tore a ligament in his left knee in the loss to the Eagles, and linebacker Danny Trevathan had thumb surgery this week. Nose tackle Eddie Goldman missed some practices after spraining an ankle against the Eagles. Safety Adrian Amos and nickel back Bryce Callahan went into the concussion protocol.
Sports on 09/25/2016