Rapid Reaction: Chicago Bears

CHICAGO -- Several quick thoughts on the Chicago Bears' 45-28 victory within the Dallas Cowboys on Monday nights at Soldier Field.

What it implies: Game on to the Detroit Lions in the NFC Upper title race. The Lions slipped up through losing at Philadelphia on Sunday and opened the door for Chicago to get on the race. The Bears kicked the idea open by destroying the Cowboys. The Lions close the period with Baltimore and the Gambling at home, before playing the actual finale at Minnesota on 12 ,. 29. One Lions mistake can lead to the Bears sneaking away while using the division if they can keep momentum.

Take advantage of the littlest mishaps: That's what the home team did within the first half. After Chicago had taken a 17-14 advantage on Robbie Gould's 27-yard area goal with 1: 38 left within the first half, the Dallas Cowboys had three incompletions about the ensuing drive, which allowed the Bears for taking possession again with 47 clicks remaining.

Instead of sitting about the three-point lead, the Bears mashed on the actual gas with Josh McCown hitting Alshon Jeffery -- who had previously been being draped by two defenders -- to get a 25-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left to move into 24-14. With the quick score, the Bears went into the locker room for the half with momentum.

What was better to the Bears is they got the ball back to start the second half, and scored on that drive as well to move into 27-14 on a Gould 34-yard area goal.

Potent WRs: Jeffery and Brandon Marshall became the 1st set of Chicago receivers to find 1, 000 yards apiece due to the fact 1995 (Curtis Conway and Barry Graham). Jeffery entered the sport with 70 catches for 1, 109 back yards, but Marshall needed 10 yards from the Cowboys to reach 1, 000.

With Marshall in the lead with 100 yards on half a dozen receptions, the duo combined for 184 yards plus a TD.

McCown pinpoint accurate: McCown started Monday night's video game by connecting on 8 of 10 passes for 145 yards on throws traveling more than 10 yards in the primary half. The quarterback's eight deep completions within the first half tied the most McCown had completed in a game.

McCown's play allowed the Contains to reel off 24 points within the first half, which is a serious difference considering the Bears hadn't scored more than 23 points in any of their previous four outings leading in to Monday night.

McCown finished having a passer rating of 141. 9, doing 27 of 36 passes intended for 348 yards, four touchdowns with no interceptions to go with the rushing TD. He's passed intended for 1, 055 yards over yesteryear three games with eight TDs in support of one INT.

What's next: The Chicago Bears take the morning off Tuesday before returning to the facilities to begin preparations Wed for Sunday's game at Cleveland. The Bears face a shorter turnaround in the first of back-to-back road games prior to Dec. 29 season finale from the Green Bay Packers.