Bears vs. Jaguars live updates, reaction

The Bears kept their playoff hopes alive with a 41-17 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bears improved to 8-7 on the season.

Bears finish off blowout victory

Jacksonville added a late touchdown, but the Bears held on for a 41-17 win over the Jaguars. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky finished his day 24-for-35 passing for 265 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. David Montgomery ran for 95 yards on 23 carries. Receiver Allen Robinson made 10 catches for 103 yards. Robinson surpassed 100 catches in a season for the first time in his career.

The Bears can now reach the postseason with a win next week against Green Bay. They could also reach the playoffs if they lose and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals.

Nick Foles returns at quarterback

With the game well out of hand, the Bears put in backup quarterback Nick Foles in relief of Mitch Trubisky. Foles hadn’t played in a game since injuring his hip on Nov. 16 against the Minnesota Vikings. Foles started seven games this season after Bears coach Matt Nagy benched Trubisky midway through a Week 3 game against Atlanta.

When Foles went down with the hip injury, Trubisky returned to the starting lineup and the Bears offense has been much improved since. Foles entered Sunday’s game during garbage-time minutes with the Bears leading 41-10 midway through the fourth quarter.

Pierce scores his 1st TD, Bears lead 41-10

Bears rookie running back Artavis Pierce scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter. The undrafted rookie carried the ball on back-to-back plays, first on a handoff from David Montgomery in the wildcat formation. Pierce found open space for a 23-yard gain on that play. On the next snap, Pierce punched in a 3-yard touchdown. The score put the Bears ahead 41-10.

Smith’s 2nd interception leads to another Bears touchdown

Bears linebacker Roquan Smith caught his second interception of the game off Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon. It led to another Bears touchdown. Mitch Trubisky connected with tight end Jimmy Graham for a 22-yard touchdown pass.

It marked Graham’s second touchdown of the game and eighth of the season. The Bears extended their lead to 34-10. The Bears scored 30 points or more for the fourth consecutive game, the first time the organization has done that in four straight games since 1965.

Montgomery’s TD gives the Bears a 17-point lead

Running back David Montgomery scored a touchdown in his fifth consecutive game. Late in the third quarter, Montgomery ran in a 6-yard score. It came moments after he broke free for a 12-yard run. Late in the third quarter, Montgomery had already totaled 79 rushing yards on 16 carries.

The score extended the Bears’ lead over Jacksonville to 17 points, 27-10.

Trubisky runs in 6-yard TD

Mitch Trubisky rebounded from his interception moments before halftime to lead the Bears on an 11-play, 77-yard drive to open the third quarter. On second-and-2 from the 6-yard line, Trubisky faked a hand off and saw open space in front of him. He tucked the ball and ran into the end zone untouched.

The touchdown gave the Bears a 20-10 lead early in the third quarter. Trubisky was 6-for-7 passing on the drive. It was Trubisky’s first rushing touchdown of the season.

Santos adds field goal, Bears lead 13-10 at halftime

Following Mitch Trubisky’s interception in the end zone, Bears linebacker Roquan Smith intercepted a pass from Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon. Smith fumbled at the end of the play, but recovered his own fumble. Smith appeared to injure his shoulder as he was tackled on the play.

With the good field position, the Bears played it conservative and added a 40-yard field goal from Cairo Santos. The Bears kicker has now made 24 consecutive field goals. The Bears took a 13-10 lead into halftime.

Trubisky throws interception in end zone

Mitch Trubisky led the Bears down field more than 60 yards in 10 plays, but it was a mistake on the 11th play of the drive that cost the Bears. Trubisky scrambled in the red zone, trying to keep a play alive, and then threw an interception into heavy coverage. Jaguars linebacker Joe Schobert came down with the pick in the final minute of the first half.

Chark hauls in touchdown catch for Jaguars

Mike Glennon orchestrated a 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. He capped it off with a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver DJ Chark. Chark went up and over Bears defensive back Kindle Vildor to make a beautiful grab near the goal line and kept his feet in bounds.

The Jaguars tied up the game, 10-10, midway through the second quarter.

Goal-line call doesn’t work out for Bears

A defensive pass interference penalty against Jacksonville set up the Bears at the 1-yard line. On first-and-goal, a tight end sweep for Cole Kmet was stuffed, losing three yards. The Bears were unable to find the end zone on either of the next two plays.

Kicker Cairo Santos made a 20-yard field goal, extending his field goal streak to 23 consecutive makes. The Bears extended their lead to 10-3 in the second quarter.

Trubisky finds Graham for a Bears touchdown

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw a laser of a pass to tight end Jimmy Graham for a Bears touchdown to cap the team’s first offensive possession of the game. Running back David Montgomery set up the touchdown with a 26-yard run.

Graham scored his seventh touchdown of the season, giving the Bears a 7-3 lead.

Jaguars grab an early lead

Jacksonville converted on two third-down attempts to keep the game’s opening drive alive. Jaguars running back Dare Ogunbowale totaled 39 yards on six carries to keep the chains moving. Former Bears quarterback Mike Glennon completed 4-of-5 pass attempts. Jaguars kicker Aldrick Rosas made a 26-yard field goal to give Jacksonville an early lead, 3-0.

Sunday’s inactives

Despite a knee injury, Cordarrelle Patterson will play Sunday. So will Bears veterans Allen Robinson (hamstring), Khalil Mack (shoulder) and Akiem Hicks (ankle). Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (shoulder) and Buster Skrine (concussion), as well as tight end Demetrius Harris (foot) are among the inactives for the Bears.

Jacksonville will be playing without running back James Robinson. The rookie from Rockford has had a breakout season thus far, but is inactive and will not play Sunday.

The situation report

With the San Francisco 49ers beating the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, the playoff picture becomes a little more clear for the Bears – win and they’re in.

If the Bears beat Jacksonville on Sunday and find a way to beat the Green Bay Packers next week, they will make the postseason. The scenarios are more complicated if the Bears lose either one of those games, although it’s still possible they could make the playoffs at 8-8.

Bears fans should consider rooting for the Packers against the Tennessee Titans on “Sunday Night Football.” A win for Green Bay would lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC, meaning the outcome of Week 17 wouldn’t affect the Packers’ playoff positioning. If that happens, the Packers might consider resting their top players for the postseason when they face the Bears next week.

What to read before kickoff

Bears vs. Jaguars preview: 5 things to watch in the Week 16 matchup

Hub Arkush: Key matchups, players to watch and more for Bears vs. Jaguars

Week 16 staff predictions: Bears vs. Jaguars

Catch up on what you missed this week:

Bears Podcast 204: The Bears are actually giving us something to be cheerful about

Hub Arkush: While the Bears offense has begun to emerge, the defense just hasn’t been itself

Mitch Trubisky, Bears offense playing with ‘strong, quiet confidence’

Underdog mindset has Bears defensive lineman Bilal Nichols ‘locked in’