CHICAGO (AP) — Mitchell Trubisky threw for two touchdowns, and the short-handed Chicago Bears beat the New York Jets 24-10 on Sunday.
The Bears (4-3) got the win they needed after dropping two in a row to fall out of the NFC North lead, even though star pass rusher Khalil Mack (right ankle) and No. 1 receiver Allen Robinson (groin) missed the game.
But they also lost guard Kyle Long to a right foot injury. The three-time Pro Bowl lineman had to be helped off the field in the closing minutes after tight end Dion Sims rolled into him as the two were blocking for Jordan Howard on a run. And coach Matt Nagy said the team will know more in the next few days.
"Can't say enough about Kyle, how much he loves this organization," Trubisky said. "To see a guy go down like that, it hurts. We'll just try to pick him up and rally behind him any way we can. He knows we love him and we're just gonna hope for the best."
With Sam Darnold struggling against Chicago's defense, the Jets (3-5) managed just 207 yards and lost their second straight game.
Trubisky was shaky but did enough to help the Bears come out on top. He connected with Tarik Cohen for a 70-yard touchdown on a screen in the first quarter and threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Anthony Miller in the third, making it 14-3. But the second-year pro was wild again after struggling with his control against New England the previous week.
Trubisky was 16 of 29 for 220 yards. He also ran for 51 on six attempts.
"Overall, we just found a way and ground it out," he said. "It was a lot better in the second half than the first half. We stuck together, stuck to the plan and executed our plays."
Cohen's lone reception was the big touchdown. He also ran for 40 yards on five carries.
Howard ran for 81 yards and a touchdown. He scored from the 2 to make it 24-10 midway through the fourth quarter, sealing the win after tight losses to Miami and the Patriots.
Coming off his worst game as a pro with three interceptions, Darnold was 14 of 29 for a career-low 153 yards in his eighth NFL start. On the plus side, he did not throw an interception after getting picked off three times last week.
"I mean we just couldn't really get anything going," running back Isaiah Crowell said. "I've got to watch the film, but I mean it was frustrating at the same time."
Chicago grabbed a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Cohen turned a screen from Trubisky against an all-out blitz into a 70-yard touchdown. It was the longest play from scrimmage by the Bears this season.
New York's Jason Myers kicked a 42-yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it a four-point game.
It stayed that way until Miller caught a 4-yard pass in the back of the end zone from Trubisky midway through the third to make it 14-3. He kept his feet in bounds as he fell backward with New York's Buster Skrine defending him.
A short punt by Lachlan Edwards then gave Chicago possession at midfield. Trubisky converted on fourth-and-1 at the 23, and Cody Parkey made it 17-3 with a 32-yard field goal to start the fourth.
The Jets then went 75 yards, with Darnold throwing a 16-yard TD to Chris Herndon. But Howard then scored from the 2 after breaking off a season-high 24-yard run to the 6 on Chicago's next possession, making it 24-10.
ANTHEM
There were no protests by either team during the national anthem.
INJURIES
Jets: TE Neal Sterling left with a head injury in the second quarter when he got hit by Chicago's Kyle Fuller after making a catch. Coach Todd Bowles confirmed Sterling has a concussion.
Bears: TE Ben Braunecker left because of a concussion. ... Mack missed his first game since Oakland drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2014.
UP NEXT
Jets: At Miami next Sunday.
Bears: At Buffalo next Sunday.
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