On a gray autumn day in Chicago, the Bears appeared to have a win over the Jaguars locked up. And then the Jaguars finally got a big play from their passing game.
The turf at Soldier Field was slippery, and with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter the Jags took advantage when Bears cornerback Tracy Porter slipped while covering Jaguars receiver Arrelious Benn, allowing Benn to catch the pass, slip and fall himself, and get up untouched to race to the end zone for a 51-yard go-ahead touchdown. That touchdown gave the Jaguars their 17-16 winning margin.
Bortles hadn’t played well up to that point, throwing an interception and losing a fumble, but the one big play was big enough.
Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer was decent but far from great in his fourth start since taking over for the injured Jay Cutler. At this point, it may not make much difference whether Bears coach John Fox sticks with Hoyer or goes back to Cutler when he’s healthy: Neither quarterback is particularly good.
Neither one of these teams is particularly good, either, but the Jaguars are in the AFC South, which means at 2-3 they’re still in the playoff race. The 1-5 Bears are in last place and going nowhere.