BLUE 1,026 Posted September 19, 2014 By MATT BECKER STATS Editor (AP) -- Trailing by 17 in the second quarter last week, Jay Cutler rallied the Chicago Bears to an improbable road victory. The New York Jets built a surprising 18-point lead in the second quarter on the road in their last game, only to fall apart in stunning fashion. Trying to follow up on the thrilling win, Cutler looks to continue his sensational play Monday night when his banged-up Bears visit a Jets team trying to regroup from a collapse. Chicago got off to a demoralizing start with 23-20 overtime loss to Buffalo at Soldier Field in Week 1, a performance that left little reason to believe it could bounce back last Sunday at San Francisco. The Bears looked to be on their way to an 0-2 start trailing 17-0, but a Cutler touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall just before halftime gave the team some life. Cutler threw three more TDs in the fourth quarter - two to Marshall - and Chicago went on to win 28-20. "We just kind of had to weather the storm," said Cutler, who didn't turn the ball over after two costly interceptions against the Bills. "We have to take a look at this film, break it down, and then we have to move on. There's a lot of football left, so we just have to kind of keep building on this and get better and better each week." The Jets were cruising toward a 2-0 start with a 21-3 lead at Green Bay midway through the second quarter last Sunday, but gained 132 yards the rest of the way and lost 31-24. Making the defeat even more painful, a 37-yard touchdown pass that would have pulled the Jets within one with about 5 minutes to go was negated because offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was signaling timeout just before the snap. "As a team, you go and you learn from this," coach Rex Ryan said. "I've seen some teams that, when you have a game like this, it can turn your season on a positive note. That's certainly the way I hope we respond to this game." Ryan's secondary needs to show improvement after Aaron Rodgers passed for 346 yards and three touchdowns. The Jets were hoping the return of top cornerback Dee Milliner from a high ankle sprain would tighten things up, but he struggled against the Packers and sat out Wednesday's practice, leaving him questionable for Monday. The secondary will have their hands full trying to slow down Cutler, who has a 61.6 completion percentage, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions in leading the Bears to a 6-1 record on Mondays. Geno Smith excelled in his only Monday game, passing for 199 yards and three TDs to compile a career-best 147.7 passer rating in a 30-28 victory in Atlanta on Oct. 7. Smith was without one of his favorite targets Sunday after wide receiver Eric Decker left early in the fourth quarter with a sore hamstring. Ryan is uncertain if Decker, who has team highs of nine catches and 137 receiving yards, will play. The Bears are plenty familiar with injuries to wide receivers, as Marshall (ankle) and Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) were questionable up until a couple hours before kickoff and played through pain. Chicago was already playing without center Roberto Garza and left guard Matt Slauson, and the defense lost three starters to injury in cornerback Charles Tillman, tackle Jeremiah Ratliff and safety Chris Conte. Ratliff and Conte, who made a spectacular interception, could both return but Tillman will miss the remainder of the season. Rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller and end Willie Young stepped up, with Fuller recording two fourth-quarter interceptions and Young tallying two fourth-quarter sacks. "As I told the team, as you go on this marathon of a football season, you're going to have opportunities to gain some backbone, and I think this really helped us and will help us," coach Marc Trestman said. However, Trestman was unhappy the run game took a step backward with Matt Forte rushing for 21 yards on 12 attempts after running for 87 yards on 17 carries in Week 1. Moving the ball on the ground won't be easy against the Jets, who are allowing a league-low 52.5 yards and 2.8 per attempt. New York is just as strong when running the ball itself, ranking first in the NFL with 179.0 yards per game. Chris Ivory has rushed for 145 yards and two scores and is averaging 6.3 per attempt. The Jets will likely lean heavily on Ivory and Chris Johnson against a Chicago team that is giving up an average of 5.4 yards per carry. The Bears won 38-34 in the last meeting in 2010, their third straight victory over the Jets. They are 7-3 in the all-time series. Source: Hosted.Stats.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theMileHighGuy 656 Posted September 20, 2014 I think this will be one of the better games of the week. I loved the poise Cutler showed last week in prime-time, but the Bears crappy defense losing Tillman is a huge blow. The Jets D has a ton of potential especially in the front 4, they are nasty. Geno has been showing flashes as well, but they need to keep Vick off the damn field and just let the kid manage the game. Bears' offense proves too potent in the end. - 28 - 24 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch 874 Posted September 20, 2014 The Bears lost Tillman but Kyle Fuller stepped right in and got two interceptions. Both teams have been somewhat shaky but I'm going to have to go with the Bears in this one. 28 20 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JetsFan4Life 542 Posted September 22, 2014 I feel oddly optimistic about this game. I think we pull it out. I honestly like what I've seen offensively (minus the penalties in the Oakland game). Obviously our secondary will probably get torched a few times but unlike Rodgers if we can get pressure on Cutler we'll throw him off the game and force some mistakes. - 20 - 14 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted September 22, 2014 Kyle Fuller's DROTY campaign continues... I still think the Jets win though. It'll be a stupid close game though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted September 22, 2014 Fuck the Bears. Go Gang Green <_< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC 331 Posted September 22, 2014 Bears losing to the Jets? No. Jets will make us wonder why they get primetime games. 28 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted September 22, 2014 Brandon Marshall (ankle) and Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) are both active for Monday night's Week 3 game against the Jets. Neither player's status was in serious doubt. Marshall is coming off a three-touchdown game on his balky ankle, but Jeffery is said to still be at less than 100 percent. Both are still elite WR1 plays against a weak Jets secondary. Inactive for the Bears are C Roberto Garza, OT Charles Leno, OLB Shea McClellin, CB Sherrick McManis, DT Jeremiah Ratliff, DE Trevor Scott, and LG Matt Slauson. Eric Decker (hamstring) is active for Monday night's Week 3 game against the Bears. Decker's hamstring passed the tests in pre-game warmups, and he'll get the start. It's not an ideal matchup for a less-than-100-percent Decker. The Bears have yielded the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers so far this season. Inactive for the Jets are DL T.J. Barnes, OG Dakota Dozier, LB A.J. Edds, CB Dee Milliner, OLB IK Enemkpali, WR Walt Powell, and OT Ben Ijalana. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) Serious question here... On that last Jay Cutler fumble, the refs blew the whistle as Cutler hit the ground. Isn't the play dead there? After the whistle the Jets defender recovered the ball. Now clearly that was a fumble, but after the whistle is blown shouldn't the play be dead? I just don't see how that can be technically ruled a recovered fumble by the Jets on that premise. Seems like that technically should go down as just a sack. Edited September 23, 2014 by FartWaffles Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crash3021 101 Posted September 23, 2014 It used to be the rule that down-by-contact plays were non-reviewable until a couple years ago. So under the new rule, the Jets were able to gain possession because there was a clear recovery of the ball as opposed to a sack if the old rule was still in place. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted September 23, 2014 Ivory needs to carry the Jets to victory here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crash3021 101 Posted September 23, 2014 Keep feeding him the rock Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) It used to be the rule that down-by-contact plays were non-reviewable until a couple years ago. So under the new rule, the Jets were able to gain possession because there was a clear recovery of the ball as opposed to a sack if the old rule was still in place. So even if the fumble recovery clearly happens after the whistle is blown, the refs can give it to the recovering team? That's the part I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around. If that's the case, all these idiot players who "think" they've recovered a fumble or made an interception should just always do that idiotic "coy run to the endzone" as the other players wait aimlessly since the whistle is blown. Edited September 23, 2014 by FartWaffles Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crash3021 101 Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) So even if the fumble recovery clearly happens after the whistle is blown, the refs can give it to the recovering team? That's the part I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around. If that's the case, all these idiot players who "think" they've recovered a fumble or made an interception should just always do that idiotic "coy run to the endzone" as the other players wait aimlessly since the whistle is blown. Yes, as long as there's a clear recovery by the defense they can gain possession even after the play has been blown dead by the whistle. And you'd be right, but under the current rules the spot of the recovery is where the opposing offense starts their possession and can't be advanced. I think that rule needs to be changed also because the Jets should have had a TD on that play. Edited September 23, 2014 by Crash3021 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted September 23, 2014 Yes, as long as there's a clear recovery by the defense they can gain possession even after the play has been blown dead by the whistle. And you'd be right, but under the current rules the spot of the recovery is where the opposing offense starts their possession and can't be advanced. I think that rule needs to be changed also because the Jets should have had a TD on that play. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I guess I need to brush up on the new rules. Ultimately the refs got the right call, so I guess that's all that really matters. The only gripe I have with that being a possible touchdown, is that players obviously stop when the whistle is blown so the recovering team has a crazy advantage there when it comes to running it back. Also it encourages too much playing after the whistle in my opinion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) Yeah nice red zone offense Jets... 7 trips and just one TD? Not gonna get it done that way. I acknowledge the missed DPI at the end but had the Jets gotten a 2nd TD that situation would not have happened. They brought the loss on themselves. Edited September 23, 2014 by BigBen07 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KempBolt 498 Posted September 23, 2014 If the Jets had given that last carry to Ivory, I would have lost my FF matchup this week. They gave it to Powell and I won. I know you all care soooooo much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crash3021 101 Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) Thanks for clearing that up for me. I guess I need to brush up on the new rules. Ultimately the refs got the right call, so I guess that's all that really matters. The only gripe I have with that being a possible touchdown, is that players obviously stop when the whistle is blown so the recovering team has a crazy advantage there when it comes to running it back. Also it encourages too much playing after the whistle in my opinion. No problem, man. That rule has only been in place for a few years (since 2011 I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong), so I'm sure others didn't know it as well. But if it had been ruled correctly initially (a fumble that would have been returned for a TD), it changes the whole complexion of the game near the end because the Jets would've only needed a FG to get the win instead of a TD. So the referees ultimately did cost the Jets 4 points even though they were awarded possession after the challenge since they were held to a FG on the ensuing drive. And you're absolutely right, the insane advantage the recovering team would have probably being able to score most of the time is most likely why we'll never see that rule changed too. Edited September 23, 2014 by Crash3021 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
