ST. LOUIS (AP) -Rex Grossman topped his passing yardage total from last week in the first quarter for the Chicago Bears, although it didn't produce any points against the St. Louis Rams in a scoreless game on Monday night.
The Bears entered with the NFC's best record at 10-2 and needing a victory to secure a first-round playoff bye. The Rams had lost six of seven but remained in the running for a wild card berth in the NFC, plus carried a five-game winning streak on Monday night.
Marc Bulger had the Rams driving at the end of the quarter after hitting Kevin Curtis for a 42-yard gain to the Chicago 26 on a third-and-13 play.
Grossman was 4-for-9 for 51 yards in the quarter and also had a 22-yard scramble on a third-and-7 play. He kept his job despite throwing six interceptions with no touchdown passes the previous two weeks, and was 6-for-19 for 34 yards in last week's victory over the Vikings.
The Bears missed a chance to take the early lead when Robbie Gould was wide right on a 37-yard field goal attempt, his first miss inside the 40 all season. Gould entered the game 26-for-27 overall and was perhaps thrown off by a high snap.
Grossman made two nice plays to get the Bears to the St. Louis 19 before Chicago's offense fizzled, his 22-yard scramble plus a 21-yard swing pass to Thomas Jones coupled with a personal foul on Rams linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa for hitting Grossman below the knees on a blitz.
Two penalties, one on Jones for taunting Rams safety Corey Chavous, shortcircuited the Bears on their first possession. Grossman hit his first two passes but was hit on a blitz by O.J. Atogwe just as he threw his third pass, which fluttered harmelessly for an incompletion on third-and-14.
The Rams' porous run defense, which had allowed six straight 100-yard rushing games, was off to a good start by limiting Jones to 11 yards on five carries.
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