Defense Unravels, but Jets Slip Into Playoffs

The Jets traveled here to clinch a playoff berth, to win for their embarrassed coach, to assert their confidence heading into the final week of this strange season. Their defense forgot to make the trip. Quarterback Jay Cutler launched three touchdown passes in the third quarter, as if playing against a high school defense and not a celebrated one, and that made the difference in the Chicago Bears’ 38-34 victory on Sunday at Soldier Field. Despite the loss, the Jets (10-5) clinched a wild-card playoff berth when the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Washington Redskins in overtime, 20-17. Coach Rex Ryan spent all week answering nonfootball questions, again, this time in reference to foot fetish videos posted on the Internet of a woman who looks very much like his wife. He returned here, to the stadium where he once served as a ballboy, where his defense, played poorest in the loss. This game evolved, or devolved, into a high-scoring affair during a chaotic third quarter. It featured two unimpeded offenses, two nonexistent defenses and a full 28 points. Cutler took the starring role after halftime, throwing for three touchdowns, all precise, all deep, from 40, 25 and 26 yards. The Jets aided his first third-quarter touchdown toss with a puzzling fourth-down play call. On fourth-and-3 from the Jets’ 40, quarterback Mark Sanchez played the up back, took a direct snap and threw to Brad Smith, who dropped the pass. One play later, Cutler lobbed a beautiful spiral for a 40-yard touchdown to Johnny Knox. The Jets’ defense essentially took the entire quarter off. Their special teams unit, meanwhile, started inexplicably to kick to Devin Hester, who last week set the N.F.L. career record for most return touchdowns. Hester returned a punt 38 yards in the third quarter, setting up his own touchdown reception. He later returned a kickoff 46 yards, setting up another touchdown pass to Knox. In between those scores, Sanchez filleted the Bears’ defense, running back Shonn Greene (12 carries, 70 yards) continued perhaps his most impressive game this season with an 18-yard gain, and Santonio Holmes hauled in a Sanchez offering for a 23-yard touchdown. By the time Nick Folk kicked a 35-yard field goal early into the fourth quarter, the Jets trailed, 38-34. The scoring streak between the teams ended there, and only because the Bears’ Robbie Gould pushed a 35-yard field-goal attempt wide, his first miss in his last 65 attempts at 40 yards or less.