ARLINGTON, Texas – The Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys were tied 0-0 through the first quarter Monday night.
Tony Romo of the Cowboys was 5-of-6 passing for 50 yards, but had already been sacked on a third-down play.
Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte was back in the Bears lineup after missing the last game with a sprained right ankle.
After going up the middle for 8 yards on Chicago's first offensive play, Forte came out of the game and got re-taped. He returned before the end of that series and was stuffed for a 3-yard loss on a screen play.
He got hurt Sept. 13 at Green Bay, and had practiced only on a limited basis last week after missing the win over St. Louis.
Forte had two carries for 9 yards and the one reception through the first quarter.
The Bears defense with five 30-something starters had an NFL-high 14 sacks through the first three weeks of the season, and upped that total on the first series when Henry Melton sacked Romo on third-and-7 from the Bears 40.
Melton is from nearby Grapevine and played running back at the University of Texas.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was 5 of 7 for 22 yards. He has been sacked 11 times this season, and on the last play of the first quarter avoided DeMarcus Ware and scrambled for a 2-yard gain, not enough on third-and-9 play.
Chicago was set to punt starting the second quarter.
The Cowboys were already without linebacker Anthony Spencer because of a strained pectoral. Then inside starting linebacker Bruce Carter suffered a left hip injury in the first quarter and his return was questionable.
Both the roof and the huge doors were open at Cowboys Stadium, the first time since a Monday night game against the New York Giants two years ago that it was like that. The announced game-time temperature was 80 degrees on a clear October night in Texas.
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