Bears Trip Up Chrebet’s Plan

Wayne Chrebet and the New York Jets couldn’t hurdle the banged-up Chicago Bears.

Stumbling when they needed a victory to enhance their playoff chances, the Jets didn’t look like the feisty team that had players fighting each other in practice three days ago.

Veteran Chris Chandler gave Chicago’s erratic offense some stability and the Bears gave up only one touchdown to beat the Jets, 20-13.

“It just stinks all around. I feel horrible,” said Chrebet, who caught a pass as the game approached its final minute, only to fumble as he hurdled Chicago’s Larry Whigham and Mike Green.

Cornerback Roosevelt Williams recovered at the Bear 14 with 1:10 left and the Jets didn’t get the ball back.

“It’s not something I sit around and think about doing. That was my natural reaction. It’s not the smartest thing to do. But if it works, we tie it up,” Chrebet said.

“I had a good head of steam going. I thought, ‘If I could slice and get through there.... ‘ Next thing I know, I’m higher in the air, I’m face-first on the ground and I didn’t know what happened.”

Chicago (4-10) got touchdown runs from rookie Adrian Peterson and ex-Jet Leon Johnson. Paul Edinger kicked two field goals, a 53-yarder and then a 48-yarder into the wind with 2:38 left.

And Chandler, making his sixth start with Jim Miller sidelined for the season because of a knee injury, completed 22 of 27 passes for 177 yards.

Chad Morton returned the second-half kickoff 97 yards for an apparent New York touchdown, but it was called back for holding.

The Jets (7-7) then moved in for their only touchdown as Chad Pennington passed to Laveranues Coles for a 13-yard gain and Curtis Martin broke off a 35-yard run, setting up Pennington’s five-yard touchdown toss to Chrebet.

Pennington insisted that Thursday’s combative practice session that featured three fights had little, if any, bearing on Sunday’s performance.

“As a team, the players didn’t put too much into that. It didn’t have anything to do with us losing this game,” Pennington said.

“All of us are disappointed. No excuses, no explanations. Chicago just beat us and that’s very frustrating for us.”

Martin gained 127 yards in 21 carries, leaving him 95 yards short of 1,000 this season.