Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall celebrates after scoring a touchdown in Chicago's 41-3 romp over the Jaguars in Jacksonville. (US Presswire)


The Bears defense is operating at an historic level, and the end result Sunday in Jacksonville was a 41-3 rout of the host Jaguars for Chicago's third straight victory.

For the first time in NFL history, the same two defensive players scored touchdowns in consecutive weeks as the Bears cover-2 scheme dominated in the second half against Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert and RB Maurice Jones-Drew . 

The Bears (4-1) outscored Jacksonville 38-0 in the second half and 28-0 in the fourth quarter. 

CB Charles Tillman intercepted a Gabbert pass intended for Justin Blackmon and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown on the Jaguars' first possession of the second half, then LB Lance Briggs returned an interception 36 yards for a TD with 7:54 left in the game. Tillman and Briggs both had interception returns for TDs last week against Dallas in a 38-14 win. Tillman is now the Bears' all-time defensive TD scorer with eight (7 INT, 1 fumble), while Briggs scored his fifth career INT return, second most in team history.

The Bears had gone into the locker room tied with the Jaguars 3-3, but kept the ball 9:18 in 85-to-90 degree heat to start the third quarter, and got a Robbie Gould field goal of 31 yards before Tillman's interception.

Then the offense began to dominate as much as the defense. WR Brandon Marshall made a 24-yard fourth quarter TD catch and rookie WR Alshon Jeffery had a 10-yard, fourth quarter TD.

When the game turned: Tillman's interception return provided some breathing room after the offense struggled with inconsistency and the defense gave up 5-of-9 first half, third-down conversions. Unlike last week's pick when he caught it with no one around, Tillman caught it downfield and had a wall of blockers help him score.

Highlight moments: Besides Tillman's INT, Briggs' INT also involved LB Brian Urlacher, as he broke up the pass and it deflected to Briggs in the open field. He outraced WR Mike Thomas to the end zone.  ... Devin Hester's one-handed, 39-yard catch downfield made possible a second-half TD drive. He dove to make the catch and may have used the ground to help with the reception but no replay showed this definitively.  ... RB Michael Bush hurdled over two Jacksonville defenders like Edwin Moses on one second half carry.

Numbers you should know: The Bears had 38 second half points -- their most in a second half since 1941.  ... Chicago outgained Jacksonville 310 yards to 45 in the second half.  ... The Bears defense has five TDs in three weeks, as does their offense. ... RB Maurice Jones-Drew was held to 29 first-half rushing yards and finished with 56. All of his second half yards came on one 27-yard run.
 
Top-shelf performances: Marshall caught 12 passes for 144 yards to become the first Bears wide receiver to have 100 receiving yards in consecutive weeks since November 1999 when Marcus Robinson did it. ... RB Matt Forte had his first 100-yard game since last Nov. 7, rushing for 107 yards on 22 carries.

What they said about the second half Bears explosion:
  • CB Charles Tillman: "He (Lovie Smith) basically cursed us out (at halftime) without cursing. He raised his voice and he gave us that mean, surly, stern look and I think we responded to that. I'd probably say he put somewhat of a little spark under our rear end and we started playing, we started getting to the quarterback. We started making plays."

  • Coach Lovie Smith: "We weren't as sharp as we needed to be, but thank God you play two halves. The second half, the guys really came out. That first (second half) drive by our offense, too, I think we got a field goal but it was big the amount of time we kept off the clock."
On WR Brandon Marshall's 12 catches and 144 yards:
  • QB Jay Cutler: "That's why we brought him here, to be that guy, to be that No. 1 receiver. And whenever he gets one-on-one we expect him to win 100 percent of the time hands down."
Injury update: Jeffery suffered an injury to his right hand on a 10-yard fourth quarter TD pass and had it immobilized with a cast on the sidelines during the fourth quarter. The hand will be examined further Monday.

Going forward: The Bears are off before heading into a Monday night, Oct. 22 game at Soldier Field against the Detroit Lions, Chicago's second divisional game this season. Jackonsville has a 4:25 p.m. game at Oakland on Oct. 21 after a bye week coming up.

Follow Bears reporter Gene Chamberlain on Twitter @CBSBears.