The NFC North champion Chicago Bears are rolling

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LAKE FOREST , Ill. (AP) — along with eight wins in nine games and their first playoff appearance in eight years approaching.Coach Matt Nagy hopes they haven’t hit their peak.“I want us to get to a point where we literally don’t peak until wherever our final game is of the year,” he said Wednesday.“As long as our arrow is going up and we’re practicing every week the right way, and we get to each game … We’ve had some games where I feel like we’ve been close in all three phases, but what I do like about where we’re at right now as a team is we find different ways to win.”The Bears (11-4) head to Minnesota for Sunday’s regular-season finale with a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC and the first-round bye.They need to beat the Vikings for the second time and get some help from San Francisco when the struggling 49ers visit the NFC West champion Rams. Chicago trails Los Angeles (12-3) by a game, but holds the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a 15-6 victory at Soldier Field on Dec. 9.Whether the Bears get the bye or not, this is all quite a change after four straight last-place finishes. They’re eyeing a playoff run for the first time since the 2010 team won the division and advanced to the conference championship game.They’re in this spot largely because of a defense with four Pro Bowl picks led by Khalil Mack that ranks fourth overall in the NFL and leads the league in both interceptions (27) and takeaways (36).The Bears have shown some promise on offense, but haven’t developed the consistency they hope to achieve. And quarterback Mitchell Trubisky understands that starts with him.In his second season in the league and first in Nagy’s system, he has made huge strides — and experienced some bumps.“There are no excuses,” he said. “It doesn’t matter that it’s our first year. It doesn’t matter that we have a new head coach and a new offense, we also want immediate results so we are out there working hard and wanting to continue winning games.”Trubisky has made a big jump statistically in 13 games this season after playing in 12 as a rookie last year under former coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. His completion rate is up from 59.4 percent to 66.4, as are his yards (2,193 to 3,060) and passer rating (77.5 to 96.0). And his touchdown-to-interception ratio is much better, with 24 TDs and 12 interceptions after throwing seven of each as a rookie.He has had QB ratings of more than 100 in six games , but in the other seven, it’s been 83 or lower.Teams have also been attacking the Bears differently, with Green Bay and San Francisco using zones the past two weeks. That has forced him to find holes and take the shorter passes the defenses have been giving him. It has also led to a combined 79 percent completion rate and 119.4 rating.“It helps him grow as a quarterback because you make more decisions,” Nagy said. “Not that you don’t do that vs. man, but there’s holes in the zone areas. Now are the holes, are they short, intermediate or long, with how they’re doing it with their scheme? He’s continuing to get a lot of looks. And I truly believe that only in the long run, him getting these zone looks that’s he getting right now, he’s getting better and better at them.”The Bears are in a good spot overall at the moment, with the playoffs approaching. Nagy reiterated Wednesday he plans to keep his foot on the gas and go with his top players Sunday, as long as the Rams aren’t blowing out the 49ers.It doesn’t hurt that the offensive line could also get a key player back, with guard Kyle Long hoping to come back after missing the past eight games.The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a tendon injury to his right foot against the New York Jets on Oct. 28 and returned to practice last week.If he’s not ready to play against the Vikings, then the playoffs are a possibility.“It’s just a matter of getting my body right and having an understanding with the coaches of where I’m at physically ,” he said. “That’s a big thing, that open line of communication.”Notes: Safety Eddie Jackson (ankle), linebacker Aaron Lynch (elbow) and WR Allen Robinson (ribs) did not practice on Wednesday. Defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (knee) was limited. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Weeks after losing his job, Blake Bortles stepped back into the Jacksonville Jaguars huddle with the score tied and the offense sputtering.“He said, ‘Let’s go, boys, I’m back,'” teammate Dede Westbrook said.Bortles came off the bench late in the third quarter and provided a spark Sunday, helping Jacksonville eliminate the Miami Dolphins from the AFC playoff race by winning 17-7 .Article continues below ...Bortles took the Jaguars 51 yards for a short field goal and 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. On the next series, Telvin Smith Sr. intercepted Ryan Tannehill and scored on a 33-yard return to seal the Jaguars’ victory.“To get the opportunity to go play with those guys and share a win with them is awesome,” Bortles said.The Dolphins (7-8) will sit out the playoffs for the 15th time in the past 17 years.“We’re on the outside looking in,” defensive tackle Akeem Spence said, “and it stinks.”Miami will finish at .500 or worse for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons , leaving the jobs of coach Adam Gase and top executives in jeopardy.Play-caller Gase acknowledged his offense was terrible.“It was brutal to watch, to be a part of,” he said.Jacksonville (5-10) won for only the second time in the past 11 games.Jaguars starter Cody Kessler bruised his throwing shoulder when hit as he threw a pass and left the game late in the first half. He returned to begin the third quarter, but after being sacked for a fifth time was replaced again by Bortles.Coach Doug Marrone said he made the change because he thought Bortles’ superior mobility would help against Miami’s stout pass rush. Marrone declined to say which quarterback will start the season finale next Sunday, and Bortles declined to lobby for the assignment.“I just work here, man,” he said. “I signed up for three years, and until those three years are up or they let me go, I’ll play when they need me.”Bortles finished 5 of 6 for 39 yards, and ran four times for 25 yards . The third overall pick in the 2014 draft, he lost the starting job to Kessler in Week 13.“He gave us a huge lift,” Westbrook said. “It felt like old times again.”After Bortles helped the Jags take the lead, their defense provided the exclamation point. Tannehill had a first down at his 32 when he pumped and threw off his back foot. Smith stepped in front of the intended receiver and scored untouched.“Don’t think you’re going to chase me down and tackle me when I got the rock,” Smith said.Tannehill said the primary receiver was covered and he forced a pass elsewhere.“Got to be smart there and throw the ball away ,” Tannehill said.Tannehill went 15 of 22 for 146 yards with one touchdown.There was no miracle reminiscent of the Dolphins’ previous home game, when they beat New England with a double lateral on the final play. An attempted double pass in the closing minutes went haywire and resulted in a holding penalty.The two offenses surprisingly traded touchdowns on their opening drives, which covered 78 and 75 yards, but then resumed their season-long sputtering ways. Each team committed 10 penalties.Calais Campbell led the Jaguars’ defensive charge with a forced and recovered fumble, a sack, two tackles for a loss and three quarterback hurries.INEPTITUDEMiami and Jacksonville took turns showing why their records aren’t better. Kessler lost a fumble cocking his arm to throw, but the Dolphins failed to capitalize on the gift, missing a field goal.The Dolphins allowed a long punt return to give the Jaguars a chance at a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, but Kai Forbath’s kick fell short of the 20-yard line.Campbell’s takeaway gave the Jaguars a scoring chance at the Miami 17, but three plays later they were at their own 47 and punted.INJURY REPORTJaguars: T Josh Wells left the game in the second quarter with a concussion.Dolphins: Reserve DT Ziggy Hood hurt his hamstring.UP NEXTThe Dolphins close the season Sunday when they try for a series sweep at Buffalo. Miami beat the Bills in Week 13.The Jaguars conclude their season Sunday at the Texans, who won when the teams met in Week 7.

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