ST. LOUIS (AP) -Devin Hester set an NFL record with his fifth return touchdown of the season and Rex Grossman threw his first touchdown pass in three weeks Monday night, helping the Chicago Bears take a 14-13 halftime lead over the St. Louis Rams.

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 and were 5-7 but remained in the running for a wild card berth in the NFC.

A favorable ruling on a video review with 1:39 left in the half wiped out what appeared to be a big play by the St. Louis defense. Dexter Coakley stripped Grossman and O.J. Atogwe recovered, returning the ball to the Bears 28, but the play was ruled an incomplete pass.

Jeff Wilkins was wide right on a 48-yard field goal attempt at the end of the half that would have given the Rams the lead. St. Louis had a botched snap on an extra-point try after its first touchdown.

Hester was beaten on Torry Holt's 1-yard touchdown reception for the game's first score, but made amends moments later with a 94-yard kickoff return to put Chicago ahead.

The Rams regained the lead on Steven Jackson's 2-yard run. Jackson, who had a 21-yard gain earlier on the drive, had clear sailing around right end after stiff-arming Charles Tillman at the 4.

Again the Bears responded, this time on Grossman's 34-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian for a 14-13 lead. Grossman threw six interceptions with no touchdown passes the previous two games and coach Lovie Smith spent much of the week defending his decision not to switch to backup Brian Griese.

Hester, beaten in the end zone on Holt's touchdown pass, cut sharply to his left and streaked around containment on his return. It was his first kickoff return for a score, to go with three punt returns for TDs and a 108-yard run following a missed field goal against the Giants on Nov. 12 that tied the longest play in league history.

Hester leads the league in punt returns with a 14.2-yard average, but had run back only six kickoffs with a 21-yard average before Monday.

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.

Grossman was 7-for-15 for 100 yards in the first half. It represented a major improvement from last week when he was 6-for-19 for 34 yards and three interceptions in last week's victory over the Vikings.

Rams linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa fractured his right hand in the second quarter, the latest in a string of injuries. He's been playing with a broken left hand and a dislocated left elbow that has forced him into a harness.

The Rams' porous run defense, which had allowed six straight 100-yard games, was on pace to end that slump. Cedric Benson led the Bears with 25 yards on five carries and Jones had only 18 yards on seven attempts.

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