Game Story

CHICAGO 33, JACKSONVILLE 13
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CHICAGO (Ticker) -- It was fitting that the Chicago Bears
celebrated their first division title in 11 years with another
sterling performance by their opportunistic defense.

In a game which featured a 67-yard interception return by
304-pound tackle Keith Traylor, the defense forced three
turnovers which led to 13 points and the Bears rolled to a 33-13
victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The win clinched Chicago's first NFC Central Division title
since 1990 and a first-round playoff bye.

"Let's strap open the party boots and let the party begin,"
Bears quarterback Jim Miller said. "There's not a more deserving
team than us. Whatever team we have to play (in the playoffs),
we'll play."

The Bears (13-3) lost a chance to get home-field advantage
throughout the playoffs when the St. Louis Rams beat the Atlanta
Falcons later Sunday.

The 13 wins under coach Dick Jauron is the most for the Bears
since they went 14-2 under Mike Ditka in 1986.  Ditka and George
Halas are the only other Chicago coaches to post as many as 13
wins in a season.

"I hope it's all in front of us and I'm happy about getting the
bye," Jauron said.  "We just need to do what we've been doing
all along which is to play like a team.  This team has a lot to
be proud of."

The favorite for coach of the year honors, Jauron was believed
to be on the way out in Chicago after going 11-21 in his first
two seasons.

Ironically, on Sunday he got to celebrate a division title in a
game against his former mentor Tom Coughlin.

Jauron was the defensive coordinator for Jacksonville from
1995-1998 before taking the Bears' job and remains close to
Coughlin.

Rookie Anthony Thomas rushed for 117 of his 160 yards in the
second half, including a two-yard touchdown, and Paul Edinger
kicked four field goals for Chicago.

A second-round pick out of Michigan, Thomas rushed for 1,183
yards to eclipse Rashaan Salaam's club rookie record of 1,074
yards in 1995.

"Anthony was really something faster than people had thought,"
Jauron said.

Hampered by injuries to running back Fred Taylor and tackle Tony
Boselli, the Jaguars (6-10) finished tied for last in the AFC
Central with their worst record since a 4-12 campaign in 1995,
their inaugural season.

Sunday's game turned into a microcosm of the season for the
Bears, who yielded an NFL-low 203 points and had a turnover
ratio of plus-13.

The Bears scored 10 points in the final 1:17 of the first half
on a two-yard touchdown run by Leon Johnson and a 23-yard field
goal by Edinger, following an interception by cornerback Jerry
Azumah, to open a 13-0 lead.

The Bears opened the second half with a turnover when Miller
fumbled after being sacked by rookie safety Marlon McCree and
defensive end Paul Spicer recovered for the Jaguars at the
Chicago 36.

But after Mark Brunell connected with Keenan McCardell on a
16-yard pass to the Chicago 20, Traylor made the play which will
be a staple of NFL highlight reels.  Brunell intended to hit
running back Stacey Mack with a short pass, but Traylor reached
up with his right arm and intercepted it at the Chicago 24.
Rumbling to his right, Traylor chugged all the way to the
Jacksonville 9 while looking over his shoulder for a possible
lateral before he was brought down by McCardell.

"We needed a big play at the time and the ball landed in my
hands," Traylor said.  "I said 'oh no, now I've gotta run.'  I
was looking for someone to pitch it to and they never showed
up."

Two plays later, Miller threw a nine-yard TD pass to rookie
David Terrell, increasing the lead to 20-0 with 9:40 left in the
third quarter.

"The start of the third quarter was kind of indicative of the
game," Coughlin said.  "We got a turnover, we turned it back
over, they scored and it was 20-0."

The Jaguars marched 70 yards in seven plays on their next drive
and Brunell capped it with a 15-yard scoring pass to McCardell
with 6:59 left in the third quarter.  The extra-point attempt
failed due to a bad snap.

The Bears responded with a nine-play, 59-yard drive as Thomas
broke off runs of 34 and eight yards.  Edinger capped it with
his third field goal of the game, a 25-yarder with 1:52
remaining in the quarter.

The defense set up more points when linebacker Rosevelt Colvin
returned an interception 14 yards to the Jacksonville 25.  After
an 11-yard run by Thomas, Edinger kicked a 22-yard field goal
2:04 into the fourth quarter to increase Chicago's advantage to
26-6.

Thomas, who had 33 carries, broke off another 20-yard run later
in the quarter and scored on a two-yard touchdown with 7:37
left.

Brunell hit Jimmy Smith with a three-yard touchdown with 3:50
remaining.

McCardell had nine catches for 93 yards and Smith caught seven
passes for 63 yards.

Smith finished second in the NFL with 112 receptions for 1,373
yards.  Rod Smith of the Denver Broncos topped the NFL with 113
catches.

Chicago's Marty Booker had six catches for 37 yards, giving him
100 receptions for 1,071 yards.