The Chicago Bears took advantage of early mistakes by the sloppy New York Jets, then held on for a 27-19 victory on Monday night.
Jay Cutler threw two touchdown passes to Martellus Bennett and Ryan Mundy returned an interception 45 yards for a score. Cutler finished 23 of 38 for 225 yards, and Alshon Jeffery caught eight passes for 105 yards for the Bears, who got a 45-yard field goal from Robbie Gould to make it an eight-point game with 3 minutes, 10 seconds remaining.
The Jets had one last opportunity to level the game, getting into Bears territory on Geno Smith’s 51-yard pass to Greg Salas. However, Jeremy Kerley was out of bounds when he caught Smith’s desperation fourth-down heave.
Photo: USA Today
Cutler took a knee three times to seal the victory.
Smith was 26 of 43 for 316 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions — and nearly had a few others. Kerley finished with seven catches for 81 yards and almost came up with a diving grab off a tipped pass in the end zone on the final drive.
The Bears went up 14-0 just over 5 minutes into the game. On New York’s second play from scrimmage, Smith did not see Mundy lurking in the flat as he floated a screen pass to Chris Johnson. Mundy stepped in front of the toss and ran untouched into the end zone for a 45-yard score.
After the Jets stopped the Bears on three plays on their first offensive series, rookie Jalen Saunders dropped Patrick O’Donnell’s punt at his 40 and it was recovered by Ahmad Dixon. Cutler threw deep down the right sideline to Jeffery one play later, and cornerback Darrin Walls was called for pass interference.
Three plays later, Cutler rolled right and found Bennett in the back of the end zone to make it 14-0.
The Jets got on the scoreboard on their next possession, capping an 11-play, 55-drive with Nick Folk’s 43-yard field goal.
Chicago answered with a 15-play, 79-yard drive helped by cornerback Antonio Allen’s holding penalty on a third-down incomplete by Cutler. Gould’s 24-yard field goal gave the Bears a 17-3 lead 66 seconds into the second quarter.
The Jets got their next series off to a good start with a 43-yard completion to rookie tight end Jace Amaro, but they stalled in the red zone again, settling for a 28-yard field goal.
New York got closer with a 77-yard drive on which Kerley accounted for 51 — including a 19-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 17-13.
A video review reversed a call late in the half on which the Jets might have taken the lead. Cutler was sacked by David Harris and lost the ball, but was declared down by contact. A review showed Cutler had fumbled, but Demario Davis’ return to the end zone was negated because the whistle had been blown.
Chicago opened the second half aggressively, marching 80 yards on six plays and capping the drive with Bennett’s 13-yard touchdown catch to make it 24-13.
The Bears nearly had a 12-yard touchdown by Marshall, but it was wiped out by an illegal hands to the face penalty on left guard Michael Ola, who started for the injured Matt Slauson.
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