(Getty)
Final Score: Bears 20, Jaguars 19
Score one for Jordan Palmer in his battle with Casey Clausen to be the Chicago Bears’ backup quarterback.
Chicago didn’t have the lead in Thursday night’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars until the final minute. But thanks largely to Palmer, they escaped with a 20-19 win at Soldier Field. Check out the box score here.
Here’s how it went down:
Jordan Palmer Led the Bears on 2 Scoring Drives in 3 Series
Watching the man @JwPalms orchestrate another TD drive. #CHIvsJAX pic.twitter.com/nDbZ9F23xV
— Nishaal Kuber (@TheKuberReport) August 15, 2014
Palmer, best known to some as Carson’s younger brother, was in for three series, and two of them ended in touchdowns.
The former sixth-round draft pick entered the game on the first series of the fourth quarter and promptly led Chicago on a 10-play, 57-yard scoring drive culminating in a 1-yard touchdown run by Ka’Deem Carey with 7:55 left in the game.
Touchdown #Bears. Ka'Deem Carey takes the ball up the middle for a 1-yd score. PAT coming. #JAXvsCHI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 15, 2014
Two drives later, he led Chicago 86 yards in seven plays, leading to a 5-yard touchdown run by Senorise Perry that gave the Bears their first lead of the game at 20-19 with 50 seconds left.
TOUCHDOWN BEARS! BEARS TAKE THE LEAD ON A 5 YARD RUN BY SENORISE PERRY! BEARS LEAD 20-19 AFTER 2-POINT CONVERSION FAILS.
— Ian v. (@ChiBearsInsight) August 15, 2014
The Bears went for 2, but Palmer’s pass was incomplete, allowing Jacksonville the chance to win it on a field goal on their final drive. But C.J. Wilson picked off a pass from Stephen Morris with 25 seconds left sealed it for the Bears.
INTERCEPTED! CJ WILSON ENDS THE GAME, AND THE BEARS WILL WIN!
— Ian v. (@ChiBearsInsight) August 15, 2014
Palmer went 6-for-9 passing for 73 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Chad Henne & Blake Bortles Both Played Well for the Jags
Marquis Lee makes his way into the endzone for the game’s first touchdown. (Getty)
Chad Henne completed 3 of 4 passes on the Jags’ opening drive for 38 yards, leading Jacksonville on a 9-play, 41-yard drive that culminated with a 49-yard field goal by Josh Scobee that gave the Jags a 3-0 lead with 11:11 left in the first quarter.
The Bears, meanwhile, didn’t even make it to the first play from scrimmage before suffering their first injury casualty. Cornerback Kyle Fuller injured his ankle on the opening kickoff and had to leave the game. The Bears said his return is questionable.
CB Kyle Fuller has left the game with an ankle injury. His return is questionable. #Bears #JAXvsCHI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 15, 2014
Henne got the Jags inside the Bears’ 10 on Jacksonville’s second drive, but the Jags had to settle for another Scobee field goal. This one made it 6-0 with 4:47 left in the first quarter.
Jacksonville then got the ball back again on the ensuing kickoff when Will Blackmon forced and recovered an Eric Weems fumble, giving the Jags prime field position at the Bears 23-yard-line.
Weems: supposed to be the reliable vet. 1 bounce off a teammate tackle, 1 fumble, 1 fall at the 15. Rather have a shot w/ someone explosive.
— Matt Spiegel (@MattSpiegel670) August 15, 2014
Henne and Co. cashed in with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Marquis Lee, putting the Jags up 13-0 with 52 seconds left in the first quarter.
Henne was replaced by first-round pick Blake Bortles with about 3:30 to go in the first half.
Henne’s line: 12-of-17 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions.
Bortles got off to an impressive start, completing 4 of 5 passes and leading Jacksonville on a 9-play, 50-yard drive that led to another Scobee field goal, this one from 43 yards out. It went through with 1:31 left in the half and extended Jacksonville’s lead to 16-7.
The rookie went 12-of-17 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown before being replaced in the fourth quarter by Morris.
Jay Cutler Hit Brandon Marshall to Put the Bears on the Board
Brandon Marshall celebrates after catching a touchdown pass from Jay Cutler. (Getty)
Cutler led an impressive 10-play, 85-yard drive that culminated with a 4-yard touchdown strike to Brandon Marshall on third-and-goal, putting the home team on the board on its first drive of the second quarter.
Jimmy Clausen replaced Cutler on the Bears’ ensuing drive.
Cutler’s final line: 7-of-9 passing for 75 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Claussen was leading Chicago down the field on the Bears’ first drive of the third quarter, but he had a pass tipped and intercepted by Josh Evans with 11:35 left in the third quarter for the game’s second turnover.
As Mike Tirico pointed out, a Seminole (Telvin Smith) with the tip and a Gator (Josh Evans) with the interception for #Jaguars
— Ken Hornack (@HornackFSFla) August 15, 2014
Blake Bortles and Co. took advantage of the turnover, going on an 8-play, 57-yard scoring drive leading to a 29-yard field goal by Jags backup Kasey Redfiern that made it 19-7 with 8:23 left in the quarter.
Clausen was replaced by Jordan Palmer on the Bears’ first drive of the fourth quarter. He finished 11-of-15 passing for 94 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.
Pregame
#Bears not in uniform: M. Wilson, C. Steltz, I. Frey, C. Conte, E. Britton, B. de la Puente, J. Mills, C. Williams, D. Rosario, W. Young
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 14, 2014
#Jaguars make their way into the locker room at Soldier Field for #JAXvsCHI. Going w/ white jerseys & white pants. pic.twitter.com/5lGTgebrLt
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 14, 2014
One more hour! 6 things to watch during #JAXvsCHI (via @NFL_ATL): http://t.co/MEmMmXn0v8 pic.twitter.com/gzRisgKcm6
— NFL (@nfl) August 14, 2014
.@A1hurns will start in place of CS3. @thenastynate54 will start for Poz. #JAXvsCHI updates: http://t.co/EruFaiLRrA pic.twitter.com/X2Iqlybl7V
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 14, 2014
