The Chicago Bears ruined Dick Jauron's homecoming
with an offensive explosion like he never witnessed during five
years as their head coach.
The stifling defence was pretty impressive, too. Rex Grossman
threw two touchdown passes, Cedric Benson scored his first two NFL
touchdowns and the Bears forced five turnovers in a 40-7 drubbing of
Jauron's Buffalo Bills that launched Chicago to its first 5-0 start
since 1986.
Robbie Gould aided the cause with four field goals, improving to
17-for-17 for the season, as the Bears ran their scoring margin
through five games to an eye-opening 156 points scored and 36
allowed.
Tough defence was the Bears' trademark during Jauron's tenure,
but a shaky offence kept Chicago out of the playoffs every season
but 2001. His teams managed 30 points just four times in five years,
and never more than 37.
An injury-free Grossman and a suddenly high-powered passing game
are changing that trend in a big way. The NFC's only unbeaten team
went over 30 points for the third time this season and had its
highest point total since a 47-17 victory over Tampa Bay in 1993.
The outmanned Bills found themselves in trouble early and often
against a speedy, aggressive defence. They dug themselves a hole on
the opening drive when Brian Moorman fumbled the snap on a fake punt
and Brendon Ayanbadejo recovered at the Buffalo 40. Six plays later,
Gould kicked a 42-yard field goal to open the scoring.
Following another field goal, this one from 43 yards, the Bears
blew open the game with three touchdowns in a nine-minute span of
the second quarter.
Grossman hit Bernard Berrian for an eight-yard score to make it
13-0 after Thomas Jones carried five times for 35 yards on the
scoring drive.
Bills quarterback J.P. Losman, under pressure from onrushing
lineman Tommie Harris, was intercepted by Lance Briggs on the
ensuing drive. Five plays later, Benson, the 2005 first-round draft
choice whose early career has been stymied by a contract holdout and
injuries, bulled in from one yard for his first TD.
Following a 62-yard bomb to Berrian on Chicago's next drive,
Grossman found Rashied Davis in the end zone for a 15-yard score
that made it 27-0 at halftime.
The Bears extended the rout in the second half with Gould's field
goals of 32 and 41 yards, and Benson's second one-yard TD late in
the fourth quarter following a fumbled kickoff recovered by Israel
Idonije.
Buffalo scored on a five-yard TD pass from Losman to Lee Evans
with 1:06 remaining.
Grossman finished 15-for-27 for 182 yards and the two touchdowns.
Besides Briggs, Alex Brown and Ricky Manning also picked off
passes. Losman finished 14-of-27 for 115 yards.
Notes: The Bears shut down Buffalo despite having two defensive
linemen inactive: Adewale Ogunleye, who was nursing a hamstring
injury, and tackle Ian Scott, who was not listed as having an
injury. ... Berrian, who entered the game leading the NFL with
three TD catches and four receptions of 40-plus yards, added one in
each category. ... Chicago has won its first three home games by a
combined 111-20.
