The Cardinals are handling things the right way during their winning streak

Three-game winning streaks are rare in the NFL. These are impact statements. These are malicious declarations of intent.

You are a reason to believe in your football team.

The Cardinals spiced up their season on Sunday by defeating the Bears 29-9 before a disappointing meeting between current and former Chicagoans.

Arizona's running game tore apart the Bears' vaunted defense and yielded 213 rushing yards. Their defense sacked Caleb Williams six times while feasting on Chicago's decimated offensive line. The Cardinals coaching staff put their overwhelmed opponents in a blender on both sides of the ball. And their special teams shine every time they step on the field.

What more could you want?

“Our guys are smart. They are preparing properly and playing well,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said.

Since Jayden Daniels and Kliff Kingsbury were embarrassed, the Cardinals appear to have drawn a line in the sand at State Farm Stadium. Their defense has allowed zero touchdowns and eight field goals in the last eight quarters at home and has simply refused to let the other team into the end zone.

After the game, Gannon passed the first ball to special teams coach Jeff Rodgers, who was so hoarse he couldn't speak. Another went to defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, who refused to give up his game-calling duties even though his wife gave birth to their second child on Sunday.

“All three phases stepped up and made great plays,” Gannon said.

This one was particularly sweet. Bears fans came to Glendale in droves on Sunday. They came in replica jerseys and flags flew on their vehicles. They made up about 70 percent of the stadium. And when their beloved team had to admit defeat, they marched silently into the cold with over eight minutes to play.

Here's how to do it. Here's how to silence the disbelievers, change the mood and take back your stadium.

“Winning behavior, man, in everyday life,” Gannon said. “You give yourself a chance to win the game and we do.”

This game was a duel between old rivals from Chicago, the only two original teams remaining since the NFL's founding. But this game was a contrast between a thriving organization building a great culture and an organization full of dysfunction.

That was never more evident than at the end of the first half after the Bears cut the deficit to 14-9.

Most teams started at their own 30-yard line with only 26 seconds left in the half. They defended their hard-fought lead and retreated to the locker room. Instead, the Cardinals remained unabashedly aggressive and stunned the Bears with Emeri Demercado's 53-yard touchdown run.

They covered 70 yards in 22 seconds.

For the Bears, it was the second straight halftime blowout, starting with Jayden Daniels' game-winning “Hail Mary” in Week 8. And while the Bears have never fired a head coach over the course of the season, the Cardinals certainly have Printed edition.

Consider this three-game winning streak a significant breakthrough for this team and the new regime, even if no player would dare deviate from the formula and exude too much happiness/satisfaction after the game.

But the rest of us can dare to dream. The Cardinals have posted a winning streak of four or more games just nine times in their 36-year history in Arizona. They can do that next week against the Jets and potentially enter the bye week with a 6-4 record and a weak schedule.

Winning behavior now leads to actual victories. And that's the most exciting part of the most dominant away game we've seen in a long time.

Reach Bickley at [email protected]. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station.

Follow @danbickley