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Recap: Jacksonville vs. Chicago

Jay Cutler had two touchdown passes and the Chicago defense returned a pair of interceptions into the end zone as the Bears crushed the Jacksonville Jaguars, 41-3.

Published: Oct. 7, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. PDTUpdated: Oct. 7, 2012 at 7:20 p.m. PDT
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Jay Cutler had two touchdown passes and the Chicago defense returned a pair of interceptions into the end zone as the Bears crushed the Jacksonville Jaguars, 41-3.

Cutler went 23-for-39 with 292 yards and an interception, while Brandon Marshall had 12 catches for 144 yards and a score for the Bears (4-1), who have won their past three games. Matt Forte finished the game with 107 yards on 22 carries and also had two catches for 20 yards.

"I thought he played well like he's been playing," Bears coach Lovie Smith said of Cutler. "Jay's put two good weeks together back-to-back like our offense has. Jay's as good as anyone out there, simple as that."

Blaine Gabbert was 17-for-33 with 142 yards and two interceptions for the Jaguars (1-4), who have dropped their past two games. Maurice Jones-Drew carried the ball 12 times for 56 yards in the loss.

"I wish I was standing up here in a better situation, but that's not the case," said Jacksonville head coach Mike Mularkey. "I told the team that I don't no how that happened, especially after a 3-3 half and playing some good football. The way it escalated out of control is unfortunate."

The game was tied at 3-3 at the end of the first half, but it was all Chicago in the second.

Starting the third quarter with the ball, the Bears ate up over nine minutes of the clock on a 17-play, 64-yard drive. They only came away with three points, though, as Robbie Gould's 31-yarder gave the team a lead they would not relinquish.

On the second play of Jacksonville's ensuing drive, Charles Tillman stepped in front of a short pass and took it back 36 yards for a score and a 13-3 lead with 5:04 left in the third.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Cutler found Alshon Jeffery in the end zone from 10 yards out to cap a nine-play, 67-yard drive as the Bears made it a 20-3 game.

Chicago continued to pour it on. On its next touch, Cutler lofted a pass into the right corner of the end zone, where Marshall came down with the ball for a 24-yard score and a 27-3 game with 8 1/2 minutes to play.

Moments later, Lance Briggs picked off Gabbert and took it into the end zone from 36 yards out, while Armando Allen's 46-yard run -- the first touchdown of his career -- with under two minutes to play turned the game into a rout.

Chicago's second possession of the game saw the team go 77 yards and Gould cap the 12-play drive with a 32-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Jaguars responded with a long drive that went into the second quarter. The series stalled at the Chicago 13, and Josh Scobee booted a 31-yarder between the uprights to tie the game less than a minute into the period.

Jacksonville was driving later in the second and got down to the Chicago 21, but Gabbert fumbled the ball on a sack and Chicago recovered.

However, the Bears were unable to take advantage of the turnover and had to punt, but it was with 12 seconds left and Gabbert took a knee to end the half.

Game Notes

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