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Let’s take a look at the best plays by the Bears in their Week 16 win over the Jaguars.
The Chicago Bears kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominating 41-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, where the Bears’ offense scored 30-plus points for the fourth straight game. The victory sets up Chicago for a chance to earn a postseason berth in Week 17.
Let’s take a look at the best plays by the Bears in their Week 16 win over the Jaguars.
The Jags may have lost big to the Chicago Bears, but they won big in terms of the 2021 draft.
Just as they have since Week 2, the Jacksonville Jaguars came out on the losing end Week 16. The loss marked their 14th straight game, this time to the Chicago Bears by the score of 41-17. With the loss, the Bears now have won the last three out of four matchups against Jacksonville and have helped cement the Jags with having the worst record in the NFL.
With their latest loss, the Cardiac Cats have not tasted victory since their season opener against their AFC South rivals in the Indianapolis Colts. Through multiple quarterback changes and key injuries, the Duval County faithful have not seen a win for quite some time and it’s been pretty hard to watch. The team allowed 40 points for the second time this season and have lost their last three games by double-digits.
In another demoralizing blowout, it’s hard to tell who truly stood out, however, there were the good spots along with the bad. Here are the winners and losers from the Jaguars Week 16 matchup against the Bears:
Winner: LB Joe Schobert
Jaguars linebacker Joe Schobert had an active day in the midst of an offensive onslaught from the Bears. He finished the game with eight total tackles, one sack, a pass deflection, and an interception on a poorly decided throw by Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
Schobert provided a solid day in helping to slow down the run as Bears running back David Montgomery averaged 4.1 yards per carry. While that’s a good figure, much of his yards came off a big 26-yard rush.
On a day where the entire defense was completely gashed, the former Pro Bowl linebacker did well in making his presence felt during the game.
With a defense filled with injuries, 2018 first-round pick Taven Bryan has not been heard from much.
An absolute afterthought on defense at this point, Bryan finished the game against the Bears with only one tackle and has not had more than 20 snaps in a game in the past three weeks. With the defense needing some kind of spark, the Jags have used undrafted rookie free agent defensive tackle Doug Costin in his place who has been much more effective as he finished with four tackles including one for loss.
As Bryan’s snap share dwindles, it could mean the end of his tenure soon in Jacksonville.
We went with a second loser here because we wanted to save the best for last.
As for Josh Jones, Sunday was a rough day for him. In the first half, tight end Jimmy Graham was able to beat him for a touchdown pass on a slant route. Graham also beat him in the second half on a wheel route (loss his footing) that resulted in a touchdown, too, and there were moments in between where the veteran safety struggled.
Jones started his career in Jacksonville on a high note and was one of the standouts of their Week 1 victory, garnering a 70.3 Pro Football Focus grade. That came after a strong training camp that made the team confident enough to trade safety Ronnie Harrison to the Browns. However, since that moment it hasn’t been pretty and he currently holds a grade of 47.3 via PFF.
How can a team that has done so much losing be winners? Well, the answer to that question was revealed this Sunday after the brutal loss from the Bears.
The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has been a huge topic this year as it has been regarded by many experts as one of the most quarterback-talented drafts in a long time. The race for the highly-coveted pick came down to the Jaguars and the New York Jets and was decided after the Jags’ loss against the Bears.
Both are teams that are trying to press the reset button on their current quarterback situation. That made the 2021 draft the perfect one to get the No. 1 pick, as Clemson Trevor Lawrence seems to be on the verge of declaring. As many know, that’s a huge deal because many draft pundits have deemed him the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck.
Despite their loss Sunday, the Jets handled business on their end and won their second consecutive game. As a result, the Jags will have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
If Lawrence declares, Jacksonville could soon have their franchise quarterback in due time. Needless to say, that would be an incredible boost to a fanbase that has seen nothing but despair and failed quarterback selections over time.
Outside of an incredible 2017 season, the Jags fans have seen nothing but constant losing as they are 53-122 since 2010. If the Jaguars are able to successfully have Lawrence in a teal uniform, the fans will hope that he can finally be the one to turn around the misfortunes that have constantly plagued the franchise.
Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.
The Jags endured another beatdown Sunday but the sting didn’t last long as they acquired the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars kept it competitive in the first half against the Chicago Bears as they entered the half with the score at 13-10. However, the wheels fell off in the second half, and the result was a 41-17 beatdown.
The third quarter, in particular, was when the Bears came to life. With the first drive of the second half going to them, the Bears started things off with an 11-play drive of 77 yards. The drive was one that mostly featured former Jags receiver Allen Robinson, who was on fire for most of the game and finished the day with 10 catches for 103 yards. Once they found themselves in the end zone, quarterback Mitch Trubisky then took matters into his own hands and ran one in for six.
The next two Bears drives were also good for touchdowns. The drive that followed Trubisky’s touchdown mostly featured running back David Montgomery, who touched the ball five times in the eight-play drive. When the Bears got in striking range, he scored with a tough 6-yard score, which put the score at 27-10.
During the next drive, it only took Jags veteran quarterback Mike Glennon two plays to give the Bears the ball back as he threw a pick to linebacker Roquan Smith. The pick was his second by Smith, who played lights out on the defensive end.
Two plays later, Trubisky was able to hit tight end, Jimmy Graham, on a wheel route where he was able to get behind safety Josh Jones. The score then moved to a 34-10 figure with over two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Jags couldn’t get much going in their next drive, either, and ended up punting the ball once again. The Bears then answered with a nine-play drive for just under 50 yards. Running back Artavis Pierce was the one to ultimately end it by getting in on the success of the run game with a 3-yard score. Kicker Cairo Santos then connected with the point after attempt late in the fourth quarter to put Chicago up 41-10.
A few drives later, Glennon would connect with receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. with a nice pass where he split the safeties to put the game at its final score of 41-17.
Ultimately, the Bears finished with 391 total yards on the day while the Jags had 279. Glennon finished the process 24-of-37 for 211 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks. Running back Dare Ogunbowale, who started with James Robinson out, led the team in rushing with 14 carries for 71 yards.
In terms of receiving, D.J. Chark led the way with four catches for 62 yards. He also snagged one of the Jags’ two touchdowns in the first half with a highlight toe-tap reception on Bears rookie Kindle Vildor.
Defensively, cornerback Greg Mabin led the way with 10 tackles but they mostly came as a result of Robinson having his way with the secondary. Linebacker Joe Schobert wasn’t too far behind him with eight total tackles, a sack, a pass breakup, and a pick.
In the end, the score marked another embarrassing loss at home for Jacksonville, but the sting of getting ran out of their own stadium for the fans would only last for a little while. Moments later, the New York Jets, who played the Cleveland Browns, would eventually win their second consecutive game and hand the Jags the No. 1 overall pick.
With the Jags losing to the Bears and the Jets winning, the Jags could tie Gang Green’s record at the end of the season, but they won’t be able to surpass them as one game remains. If both the Jags and Jets finished with 2-14 records, the league’s tiebreaker rules would reward the Jags the No. 1 overall pick.
Of course, that put the Jags in the driver’s seat to draft Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is thought to be the next Andrew Luck-type prospect. Now, fans of the Jags will have to endure the wait as he makes his decision, but many believe he will enter the draft.
As for the current Jags roster, one game remains and it will be against their divisional rivals in the Indianapolis Colts. The game will be a must-win for Indy as they try and land a wild-card spot, which means the Jags could potentially spoil things with a win. Kickoff for that game will be on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. EST.
The Bears overcame an uneven first half to rout the Jaguars 41-17, moving into the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoff picture.
With the Chicago Bears in firm control of their playoff destiny, two wins to close out the season would lock up the seventh seed in the NFC. So even against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that had lost 13 straight games, there was a lot on the line.
The Bears overcame an uneven first half to rout the Jaguars 41-17 on Sunday in Jacksonville, moving into the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoff picture. Now, Chicago needs just one more win — or an Arizona Cardinals loss — to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2018.
Despite the victory — which included two takeaways — Chicago’s defense once again struggled, this time against a bad offense early on in the game. The rapid decline of this once-dominant Bears defense is especially concerning considering Chicago is heading into Green Bay in need of a win in Week 17.
While the Bears offense only managed 10 points in the first half against one of the worst defenses in the league, they came to life in the third quarter — of all times — to take firm control of the game. Chicago scored 21 points in the third quarter to jump out to a commanding 34-10 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Bears have now scored 30-plus points in four straight games for the first time since 1965, a clear indication that it’s likely head coach Matt Nagy and his coaching staff, and possibly quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, will return to Chicago in 2021.
Many players contributed to Sunday’s win and some could’ve had better days. Here are studs and duds from the Bears’ win over Jacksonville.
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The Chicago Bears took care of business against the Jacksonville Jaguars, taking them down 41-17, officially moving them into the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture and clinching the first overall pick for the Jaguars.
Things got off to a rocky start, however. After the Bears took a 10-3 lead, the Jaguars responded with a touchdown drive to tie the game at 10-10. Things appeared to get worse when Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky threw an interception in the redzone late in the second quarter.
An interception by Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon on the Jaguars ensuing possession did allow the Bears to take a 13-10 lead after a successful field goal by kicker Cairo Santos, but the Bears were not playing at a high level. That changed in the second half, though.
Chicago scored 21 points in the third quarter and left the Jaguars in the dust. The Bears outscored them 28-7 in the second half, easily getting the victory. At 8-7, the Bears are over .500 for the first time since early November.
Many players contributed to the win and some could have had better days. Here are the studs and duds from the Bears’ win over Jacksonville.
With a Cardinals loss on Saturday and a Bears win on Sunday, Chicago has now taken control of the seventh spot in the NFC playoff race.
In the year of 2020, it’s been a wild ride for the Chicago Bears, who it feels like have played three different seasons. After a 5-1 start, the Bears lost six straight games, where it felt like they were going to blow everything up at season’s end.
Now, Chicago is riding a three-game winning streak and have found a way to not only sneak into the postseason discussion, but they now control their own destiny in the NFC playoff hunt.
With an Arizona Cardinals loss on Saturday and a 41-17 Bears win on Sunday, Chicago has now taken control of the seventh spot in the NFC playoff race.
#Bears rout the #Jaguars 41-17 to win their 3rd straight game and improve to 8-7.
A win next SUN vs #Packers or a loss by the #Cardinals at #Rams and CHI will enter the playoffs.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) December 27, 2020
With just one game remaining in the regular season, the Bears are in firm control of their playoff destiny. A win next week against the Green Bay Packers will clinch a postseason berth. Which is certainly a tall order, but there could be a guardian angel looking out for the Bears.
If the Rams beat the Seattle Seahawks and the Packers beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, Green Bay would secure a first-round bye in the playoffs, which could leave the Packers with nothing to play for in Week 17 against Chicago. That would mean potentially resting their starters, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Davante Adams, at Soldier Field.
But the Bears can still sneak into the playoffs if they lose next week — if the Los Angeles Rams deal a loss to the Cardinals. Still, all you can ask for at this point is for Chicago to be in control.
If the Bears win, they’re in. It’s as simple as that.
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The Chicago Bears took care of business against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 41-17 blowout win to keep their postseason hopes alive.
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Before we recap the game, we want to give a special thanks to the San Francisco 49ers for beating the Arizona Cardinals. With the Cardinals’ loss, all the Bears have to do is win out as they control their destiny. They got one of their wins in a 41-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
It was a tale of two halves for the Bears and Jaguars. The Jaguars were able to get on the board first with a 26-yard field goal, but the Bears were able to answer with a Mitchell Trubisky passing touchdown to tight end Jimmy Graham.
Then it seemed like the Bears were going to get off to that comfortable lead as they took a touchdown lead with a Cairo Santos 20-yard field goal, but the Jaguars would end up tying the game. Former Bears quarterback Mike Glennon was able to find DJ Chark Jr. for a 20-yard touchdown to make it 10-10.
The Bears were able to drive down the field, but Trubisky returned to old habits. After extending the play by running around in the backfield, Trubisky threw an interception in end zone where his target was covered by four Jaguars. Instead of taking the game into halftime, the Jaguars got aggressive and it costed them as Roquan Smith picked off Glennon and the Bears were able to get a quick field goal to take a 13-10 lead.
In the second half, it was all Chicago. On the first possession, the Bears drove down the field and capped it off with a rushing touchdown from Trubisky. Then the Bears scored with a rushing touchdown from David Montgomery. After the touchdown, Smith was able to get another interception and set the Bears up another touchdown from Trubisky to Graham.
At this point, it was a 34-10 game and the Bears were very well on their way to a win. However, they weren’t done yet. Undrafted rookie free agent running back Artavis Pierce scored the first rushing touchdown of his career from three yards out to extend the Bears 41-10 lead.
The Jaguars were able to get on the board in the second half as Glennon found rookie Laviska Shenault Jr. for a 34-yard touchdown. The Bears were able to run the clock out and the defense was able to keep the Jaguars from putting up more points.
The Bears have scored 30-plus points in four straight games for the first time since 1965, which has helped them gain the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture.
Chicago hasn’t clinched a playoff spot yet. The Bears will have to beat the Green Bay Packers or hope for the Cardinals to lose to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. Not many will like this, but the ideal situation is to root for the Packers to beat the Tennessee Titans.
A Packers win will secure them with the No. 1 seed and will most likely have their starters sit out in the contest with the Bears. If the Packers were to lose to the Titans, Green Bay will have something to play for and will be at full strength.
The Bears offense leaned on a heavy dose of running back David Montgomery, who scored his first touchdown against the Jaguars.
For much of the afternoon, the Chicago Bears running game had taken a backseat to the passing attack against the Jaguars. In the third quarter, however, that finally changed and resulted in another touchdown for Chicago.
Following the Bears last possession where quarterback Mitchell Trubisky scrambled for a touchdown, the offense responded with a heavy dose of running back David Montgomery. The bruising back had 33 yards on the drive, including a six-yard touchdown to extend the Bears lead to 27-10.
Now walk it out, @MontgomerDavid!
📺: CBS#CHIvsJAX | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/Aw7zkoYgvc
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 27, 2020
Following an interception by linebacker Roquan Smith on the Jaguars ensuing drive, the Bears are threatening yet again as the third quarter winds down.
The Bears lead 34-10 in the third quarter.
The Bears needed to get off to a fast start after halftime against the Jaguars after a sluggish first half, which is exactly what they did.
The Chicago Bears needed to get off to a fast start after halftime against the Jacksonville Jaguars after a sluggish first half. They did just that, thanks to quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
Trubisky and the Bears offense drove 77 yards to begin the third quarter, culminating with a six-yard touchdown run by the quarterback to give the Bears a 20-10 lead. The Bears relied on Trubisky and wide receiver Allen Robinson, who caught three passes for 27 yards on the drive, including a key fourth down conversion. Once the Bears took the ball inside the Jaguars 10-yard line, Trubisky took it from there, running up the middle into the endzone.
.@Mtrubisky10 takes off for 6!
📺: CBS#CHIvsJAX | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/woEIckEUWV
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 27, 2020
Halfway through the third quarter, the Bears lead the Jaguars 27-10.
After Chicago’s defense allowed a Jacksonville FG on the opening possession, it was the Bears’ offense that answered with a TD drive.
With the Chicago Bears looking for a postseason berth, every game counts in these final two weeks. And while playing the Jacksonville Jaguars certainly is favorable, there is no easy win in the NFL.
After Chicago’s defense allowed Jacksonville’s offense to drive down the field for a field goal on the opening possession, it was the Bears’ offense that answered immediately with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky found tight end Jimmy Graham for a five-yard touchdown to give the Bears an early 7-3 lead.
.@TheJimmyGraham's G🎯T IT!
📺: CBS#CHIvsJAX | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/XzlZK48Vf9
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 27, 2020
The touchdown was Graham’s seventh of the season, all of which came inside the red zone. Graham’s seven scores ranks second in the NFC, tied with Tampa Bay’s Rob Gronkowski and trailing Green Bay’s Robert Tonyan (10).
The Bears and Jaguars are currently tied 10-10 in the second quarter.
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