The Chicago Bears took advantage of the New York Jets mistakes and made a late stand deep in their own end to secure a 27-19 win on Monday night at the Meadowlands. Our takeaways:
- Ryan Mundy set the tone in this one with a pick six of Geno Smith on the second play from scrimmage. Mundy stepped in front of a screen pass intended for Chris Johnson and took it 45 yards for the score. Mundy gave Chicago a lead it never relinquished.
- Geno Smith took a step back in this one. After two weeks of promising play, the second-year quarterback made some terrible decisions and looked like the QB who gave Jets fans fits during his rookie season. His pick six showed poor vision. His second interception -- a forced pass into the end zone -- displayed bad decision-making. The GenoCoaster is back.
- Eric Decker couldn't stay on the field in his return from a hamstring injury. The wideout had a 19-yard catch early, but was on the sideline with his helmet off by the end of the second quarter. Decker was sorely missed during New York's six red zone trips that produced just one touchdown.
- The Bears landed themselves a serious player in Kyle Fuller. The rookie had another big interception, eight days after collecting two Colin Kaepernick picks on Sunday Night Football.
- Suspect officiating haunted the Jets in the first half. A bad pass interference call on Darrin Walls set up the Bears' second touchdown of the game. Late in the second quarter, officials prematurely blew the whistle on a Demario Davis touchdown return of a Jay Cutler fumble. The Jets were rewarded the ball -- but not the touchdown -- upon review, and went three-and-out in their next possession.
- Marty Mornhinweg did not have a great night. The Jets' offensive coordinator -- already a beleaguered figure in Gotham after his doomed time out call in Green Bay last week -- got too cute in his playcalling, putting the Jets in bad situations. Mornhinweg's nadir was a QB draw call on 3rd-and-goal late in the third quarter, a play that fooled no one and lost two yards. Said ESPN's Jon Gruden: "For the life of me, I don't understand that call."
- Santonio Holmes' Meadowlands homecoming was uneventful. He finished with two receptions for nine yards and was quiet on punt returns. He was booed lustily by Jets fans, which can't be considered a surprise.
- Brandon Marshall missed time in the first half after aggravating his right ankle injury. He's still not close to himself. Alshon Jeffery -- nursing a hamstring issue -- looked much better and went over 100 yards for the first time this season.
- Chris Ivory is a better running back than Chris Johnson -- and it's not close.
- The Bears survived Monday despite a full-down medical emergency in their safety corps. Ryan Mundy, Chris Conte and Danny McCray all left with injuries. The defense still got it done.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps all of the Week 3 action and picks the top team in the AFC.
