This was an ugly win of an ugly game for the Chicago Bears. But I have news for you. Every team that goes into the Meadowlands to play the Jets is due for an ugly contest. The Jets have the best young defensive line in the NFL. They have a coach who is a mastermind at blitz schemes. They want ugly. They thrive on ugly.

Here are my thoughts on the Bears.

• Did Mike Tirico have the “Mundy Night Football” call ready to go? If so he just out-Nantzed everything Jim Nantz has ever spewed at the end of the golf tournament. (And why would he have that call ready?)
• Did Jay Cutler play a great game? No. But he was brilliant at times and if he doesn’t miss a few throws high the night would have looked much better. His first touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett showed a wonderful presence in the pocket and trademark arm strength. But his drive at the start of the second half was a thing of beauty and ultimately won the game for the Bears.
• Last night with a hobbled Brandon Marshall, a useless run game and an over-matched offensive line, he was cool. He was a leader. And as he sits with 750 yards and an 8-2 TD-INT, he is starting to make the MVP talk seem less silly.
• Was that Jared Allen starting his Bears career in the fourth quarter? Sure looked like it. He was manhandled by Brick Ferguson for the first three.
• Through three games, Mel Tucker’s defense has not allowed a touchdown in the second half. They have allowed only 12 points. No opponent has scored more than 20 points. He is having a solid year as defensive coordinator thus far.

• Brian de la Puente played fine. Kyle Long seemed fine. The other three offensive linemen? Terrible. I won’t bother you with the details other than to say Michael Ola cost the Bears two touchdowns in a three-play sequences. Bears miss Matt Slauson terribly.
• One bad punt for Pat O’Donnell. Otherwise it his obscene hang times that kept the Bears from doing anything in the punt return game. I was shocked how many on Twitter kept crediting Ahmad Dixon for simply making an easy tackle and not crediting the reason for the ease of the tackle: P.O.D.
• I don’t want to judge the Bears run game until Slauson returns. He is the team’s best run blocker.
• There were two huge plays from the first half that will be forgotten, right before the two minute warning. Cutler feeling pressure off his right side, firing a ball to Dante Rosario. Next play Matt Forte seemed to drag half the Jets defense for a first down. The drive ended poorly but those were two instinctive, gutsy moments for the Bears offense.
• Alshon Jeffery’s drop at the end of the first half was a serious momentum killer. Bears were moving into a hurry-up and had the Jets reeling.
• Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson can both play.
• Bears need to start rushing the passer with four. Too often the opposing quarterback has a week in the pocket. And with the injuries mounting at the back end of the defense the front end needs to carry the load.
• I don’t know what to make of Jon Bostic’s performance. But doesn’t it seem every time a defender drops an easy interception late in the game it costs them drastically?
• Remember when everybody said Briggs was done? He’s not.
• D.J. Williams was flying into run gaps.
• Brandon Marshall had no business coming back into the game last night and I don’t understand the decision to let him return. There are 13 games remaining in the 2014 season and risking Marshall for those is silly and short-sighted.
• Is Kyle Fuller the best player on the defense?
• I need Lamarr Houston to sack the quarterback soon.
• Is it me or has Tim Jennings completely disappeared this season? Doesn’t seem he’s ever near the ball.
• Nickel corner is going to be a big concern as early as this coming weekend.

There will be more but it is a short week at DBB. The Bears are now 2-1, tied atop the NFC North, with an opportunity to somewhat bury the Packers into a divisional hole this coming Sunday. It is…

Packer Week.