Hester makes most of limited chances
Devin Hester only touched the ball five times Sunday, but he made the most of his limited opportunities, picking up 126 yards, including 48 on 3 catches, 38 on his only punt return and 40 on his only kickoff return.
“They single-covered us the whole game,” Hester said. “We knew we were going to get a lot of 1-on-1 matchups. In that situation you've just got to beat your defender. In a 1-on-1 situation like that, the ball could be coming to anybody.”
On Hester's 25-yard TD catch and both of Johnny Knox's scoring grabs, the Bears' speedsters got behind the Jets coverage, and in those man-to-man situations, quarterback Jay Cutler likes the Bears' chances.
“They're playing press coverage, and we know we're going to have to take a few shots,” Cutler said. “With our speed, we knew that it would be hard for them to keep up, and when they're face-guarding like that, I'm going to put it right on them and let the receiver make a play. It's really hard to stop.”
Big kick:
Late in the fourth quarter, nursing a 4-point lead, the Bears were backed up at their own 10-yard line facing fourth down. But punter Brad Maynard came through in the clutch with a 49-yard bomb that Jerricho Cotchery returned for minus-1 yard. Special-teams coverage ace Corey Graham made the tackle.
“He started creeping forward,” Maynard said of Cotchery. “I thought I could kick it over his head, so I line-drived it as hard as I could. Then Corey Graham, I can't say enough about that guy. He makes plays for us in clutch situations all the time, and he's been doing it for years.”
By the numbers:
The Bears game against the Packers on Sunday was moved to a 3:15 p.m. kickoff. ... The last time the Bears scored 38 points or more in back-to-back games was Weeks 2 and 3 in 1989. ... In their last two home games, the Bears have been outscored 50-7 in the second quarter.
Streak snapped:
Robbie Gould's 35-yard field-goal attempt that sailed wide right early in the fourth quarter broke his streak of 64 straight successful kicks from inside 40 yards. He missed a 39-yarder on Oct. 21, 2007. Gould's 37-yarder that opened the scoring was partially deflected by the Jets' Brian Thomas and sailed through the uprights sideways.