Arizona remains atop the standings in the NFL after an easy win on a cold and rainy day in Chicago.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, returning after missing the last month with an ankle injury, looked as good as ever, passing for two touchdowns and running for two more in a 33-22 win.
The game was never really in doubt. The Cardinals scored a touchdown on their first possession, extended their lead to 14-0 before the first quarter was over, and cruised through the second half.
Bears quarterback Andy Dalton had an ugly game, throwing four interceptions, and the Bears’ offense looked out of sorts. With Bears coach Matt Nagy on the hot seat, a game like this pretty much ensures that he won’t be back as the Bears’ head coach in 2022.
The loss drops the Bears to 4-8, and as a team without a first-round draft pick in 2022 (traded to move up in this year’s draft and select Justin Fields), the rebuilding effort won’t be easy.
But for the Cardinals, everything is looking up. At 10-2 they have the best record in the NFL and the inside track to the all-important No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, which comes with a bye week and home-field advantage. Arizona is playing great football as the season heads into the stretch run. The Cardinals might just be Super Bowl favorites.
