Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Could the '85 Bears pass rush get through the Great Wall of Dallas' offensive line? Would that Great Wall open up holes for Emmitt against the Bears defense limiting the Bears pass rush? Aikman would have Johnston, Emmitt and Novacek as quick dump offs on passes. Could the Bears corners cover Irvin and Harper?

How would Walter Payton do against the Cowboys speed on defense?

Your thoughts?

Was the Cowboys defense that fast or was the rest of the NFC that slow?

CSKreager wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2026 5:02 pm Was the Cowboys defense that fast or was the rest of the NFC that slow?

Probably the latter. I know that the Bills made them look fast in the Super Bowl.

Da Bears!

If an offense had a chance against them, they’d have to be pass-happy. But even more (MUCH more) important is they having the personnel for it. Now that they had in Aikman, Irvin, Novacek, etc. but Dallas was more a run-team than a pass-team and the main strength of Chicago’s D was the pass-rush and - yes - against the RUN. Stopping Emmitt for the most part would win it for them, I think. Dallas had speed on D IMO. They would do well against Sweetness & Co, but not well enough to win.

I dont feel McMahon and the receivers would have done much against the Cowboys. Payton would have been a load for those smaller Cowboys linebackers, however. The key would have been the Bears offensive tackles getting movement on Haley and Tolbert, who set good edges and defended the run well. Watching Payton block Haley in pass protection would have been fun.

The Cowboys would have to stay disciplined against a 46 pass rush but I believe Johnston and Smith would have picked it up. Stepnoski at center was smaller and would have to handle the pressure up the middle with Singletary zoomed in on Emmitt. The Bears would have trouble with Novachek and Johnston over the middle.

Tough game but I believe Irvin would have been the difference for Dallas.