NFL: Bears edge winless Giants 27-21
Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte (47) tries to bring down New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) In the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, in Chicago. AP
CHICAGO — Chicago extended the New York Giants’ miserable start to the NFL season by winning 27-21 on Thursday, with quarterback Jay Cutler and receiver Brandon Marshall combining on two touchdowns and Tim Jennings making three interceptions.
New York is 0-6 for the first time since the 1976 team dropped its first nine, a stunning decline for a franchise that won the Super Bowl two years ago.
Cutler and Marshall were in tune early on, connecting for two touchdowns, and Jennings returned an interception 48 yards for a score as the Bears (4-2) built a 24-14 halftime lead.
Chicago was up by 13 in the closing seconds of the third quarter when Jennings got called for interference near the goal line and New York’s Brandon Jacobs ran in for a touchdown from the 1-yard line.
That cut it to 27-21, but Jennings made up for that mistake with 1:54 left in the game by picking off an overthrown Eli Manning pass.
Cutler was 24 of 36 for 262 yards after throwing for 358 against New Orleans last week. Marshall played a huge role in this one after venting over a lack of catches against the Saints, finishing with nine receptions for 87 yards.
Martellus Bennett had 68 yards on six catches against his former team, while Alshon Jeffery had just one reception after going off for a franchise-record 218 yards in the previous game.
Robbie Gould kicked two field goals, including a 52-yarder in the third quarter that gave him 12 straight conversions from 50 or longer, and the Bears struggled past one of the NFL’s four winless teams.
The Giants came in clinging to the idea that they could claw their way back into the NFC East race because every team in the division has a losing record. It’s hard to see that happening now, given the way they’re playing.
Manning, the owner of two championship rings, completed 14 of 26 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown, but he ran his league-worst total to 15 interceptions, already matching last season’s number. He had passes picked off on the first two possessions, with Jennings’ 48-yard TD coming on the second one.
Rueben Randle had 75 yards receiving and a touchdown for New York. Brandon Jacobs, starting for the injured David Wilson, ran for 106 yards and two scores.
