Bears, Hester show old winning form

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Devin Hester turned up the right sideline, hurdled a lunging defender and jumped into the first row of fans after his 62-yard punt return for a touchdown.

With each stride, it sure felt more and more like 2006 again.

Hester was up to his old tricks with his first touchdown return in three years, and the Chicago Bears were back to looking like contenders with a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.

“We know it’s a long season,” Hester said. “We know what can happen. We can go out and lose four or five games straight. We can’t really dwell on this win.”

The Bears had insisted all along they were good enough to contend after three straight playoff misses. If they were looking for confirmation, the last two weeks should help.

Never mind that narrow season-opening win over Detroit, when the Lions’ go-ahead touchdown was erased by a rule call in the end zone.

A week later, the Bears beat Dallas on the road.

And then?

They stopped the high-powered Packers, a popular pick to win the NFC. Now, the Bears are 3-0 for the first time since the 2006 Super Bowl team won its first seven, and they are the only remaining unbeaten team in the NFC thanks to a defense led by Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher and an offense that’s adjusting to Mike Martz’s system.

“We didn’t play our best game and we won,” said Cutler, who threw for 221 yards and a touchdown. “That’s got to be a good sign.”

Urlacher forced a fumble by James Jones in the closing minutes and Robbie Gould kicked the winning 19-yard field goal with four seconds remaining.