Bears hang on
Bears defensive back Brock Vereen broke up this pass intended for Jets receiver Jeremy Kerley in the end zone in the final minutes, locking up the win for Chicago.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman needed a few extra minutes to clear his head.
His team took advantage of mistakes by the New York Jets to jump to an early lead, but then things got a little too close for comfort in a 27-19 win Monday night.
"It was quite a game," Trestman said after arriving a few minutes later than usual for his postgame news conference. "I thought we played an excellent football team. They have the ability to run it and they play terrific defense. I’m just proud of our football team. It was a team win."
Jay Cutler threw two touchdown passes to Martellus Bennett, and Ryan Mundy returned an interception 45 yards for a score. Cutler finished 23-for-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 3:10 remaining.
The Jets had one last opportunity to tie, getting into Bears territory on Geno Smith’s 51-yard pass to Hawaii alum Greg Salas. But Jeremy Kerley was out of bounds in the back of the end zone when he made a leaping grab of Smith’s desperation fourth-down heave from the Bears 9.
Cutler took a knee three times to seal the victory for the Bears.
"We just have to ride this momentum," Cutler said.
Smith was 26-for-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.
"There were some plays you wish you could have back," Jets coach Rex Ryan said.
The Jets lost wide receiver Eric Decker in the first half to a hamstring injury; he was questionable for the game with tightness in the hamstring. Decker said he pulled himself out when he couldn’t get it loosened up. Defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson also left with an injured right knee, but Ryan didn’t think it was serious.
NFL STANDINGS
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
| East | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Buffalo | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 62 | 52 |
| New England | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 66 | 49 |
| Miami | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 58 | 83 |
| N.Y. Jets | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 62 | 72 |
| South | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Houston | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 64 | 50 |
| Indianapolis | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 95 | 78 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 43 | 69 |
| Jacksonville | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 44 | 119 |
| North | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Cincinnati | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 80 | 33 |
| Baltimore | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 65 | 50 |
| Pittsburgh | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 73 | 72 |
| Cleveland | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 74 | 77 |
| West | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Denver | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 75 | 67 |
| San Diego | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 69 | 49 |
| Kansas City | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 61 | 65 |
| Oakland | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 37 | 65 |
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
| East | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Philadelphia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 101 | 78 |
| Dallas | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 77 | 69 |
| N.Y. Giants | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 58 | 77 |
| Washington | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 81 | 64 |
| South | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Atlanta | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 103 | 72 |
| Carolina | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 63 | 58 |
| New Orleans | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 78 | 72 |
| Tampa Bay | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 45 | 95 |
| North | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Detroit | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 61 | 45 |
| Chicago | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 75 | 62 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 50 | 56 |
| Green Bay | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 54 | 79 |
| West | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA |
| Arizona | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 66 | 45 |
| Seattle | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 83 | 66 |
| St. Louis | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 56 | 85 |
| San Francisco | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 62 | 68 |
WEEK 4
Thursday
N.Y. Giants at Washington, 2:25 p.m.
Sunday
Green Bay at Chicago, 7 a.m.
Buffalo at Houston, 7 a.m.
Tennessee at Indianapolis, 7 a.m.
Carolina at Baltimore, 7 a.m.
Detroit at N.Y. Jets, 7 a.m.
Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh, 7 a.m.
Miami vs. Oakland at London, 7 a.m.
Jacksonville at San Diego, 10:05 a.m.
Philadelphia at San Francisco, 10:25 a.m.
Atlanta at Minnesota, 10:25 a.m.
New Orleans at Dallas, 2:30 p.m.
Open: Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle, St. Louis
Monday
New England at Kansas City, 2:30 p.m.
BEARS 27, JETS 19
| CHICAGO | 14 | 3 | 7 | 3 | — | 27 |
| N.Y. JETS | 3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | — | 19 |
First Quarter
Chi—Mundy 45 interception return (Gould kick), 14:28.
Chi—Bennett 7 pass from Cutler (Gould kick), 9:54.
NYJ—FG Folk 43, 3:42.
Second Quarter
Chi—FG Gould 24, 13:54.
NYJ—FG Folk 28, 9:57.
NYJ—Kerley 19 pass from Smith (Folk kick), 3:45.
Third Quarter
Chi—Bennett 13 pass from Cutler (Gould kick), 11:28.
NYJ—FG Folk 22, :27.
Fourth Quarter
NYJ—FG Folk 42, 9:52.
Chi—FG Gould 45, 3:10.
A—78,160.
| Chi | NYJ | |
| First downs | 17 | 21 |
| Total Net Yards | 257 | 414 |
| Rushes-yards | 21-60 | 26-114 |
| Passing | 197 | 300 |
| Punt Returns | 1-11 | 3-10 |
| Kickoff Returns | 4-73 | 4-81 |
| Interceptions Ret. | 2-57 | 0-0 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 23-38-0 | 26-43-2 |
| Sacked-Yards Lost | 4-28 | 3-16 |
| Punts | 5-42.6 | 3-48.3 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 4-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 9-95 | 6-78 |
| Time of Possession | 28:08 | 31:52 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Chicago, Forte 13-33, Cutler 5-14, Jeffery 2-13, Carey 1-0. N.Y. Jets, Ivory 10-44, Johnson 10-34, Smith 3-20, B.Powell 2-13, Vick 1-3.
PASSING—Chicago, Cutler 23-38-0-225. N.Y. Jets, Smith 26-43-2-316.
RECEIVING—Chicago, Jeffery 8-105, Forte 6-43, Bennett 5-54, Holmes 2-9, Rosario 1-8, Marshall 1-6. N.Y. Jets, Kerley 7-81, Ivory 4-52, Amaro 3-54, Cumberland 3-18, Nelson 3-15, Salas 2-56, B.Powell 2-6, Decker 1-19, Sudfeld 1-15.
