TORONTO - Jay Cutler threw two TD passes to rally the Chicago Bears to an exciting 22-19 win over the hard-luck Buffalo Bills at Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon.
Cutler's three-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett put Chicago (5-3) ahead 20-19 at 8:19 of the fourth before hitting Matt Forte on a shovel pass for the two-point convert. Bennett's TD was set up by Tim Jennings' interception return to the Buffalo 23-yard line.
The game was the fifth of eight Buffalo will play here through 2012 as part of the Bills Toronto Series. Overall, the Bills dropped to 2-3 in Toronto, but are 0-3 in the regular-season contests. An announced gathering of 50,746 took in the contest, making it the fifth of the series that wasn't a sellout at Rogers Centre, which seats 54,000 for football.
Chicago was opportunistic in securing the win, converting two of Buffalo's four turnovers into TDs. The Bills (0-8), the NFL's only winless team, also missed a convert attempt.
But despite the miscues, the Bills were once again in a position to win a game. Buffalo came into this contest following overtime defeats to Baltimore and Kansas City.
Cutler's pass capped an exciting second half after the two teams could only muster a TD each in the opening 30 minutes.
Corey McIntyre put Buffalo ahead 19-14 with a one-yard TD run at 4:36 of the fourth after the Bills recovered a Bears fumble at midfield. But the home team missed the two-point convert.
Once again, a Bills game in Toronto lacked the atmosphere and buzz that's usually present when the club plays at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Fans cheered evenly for both teams -- thus removing the feel of home-field advantage for Buffalo -- and despite more points in the second half, there was often little fan reaction during stoppages in play and timeouts.
A solid halftime performance by Hinder mercifully injected some much-needed life into the building.
Chicago went ahead 14-7 on Chester Taylor's one-yard run at 8:42 of the third, set up by the Bears recovering Freddie Jackson's fumble at their own 39.
Jackson made up for it with a four-yard TD run at 12:01 to pull Buffalo to within 14-13. But Bears defensive lineman Israel Idonije, who grew up in Brandon, Man., blocked Rian Lindell's convert, the first in 322 career attempts for the Bills kicker.
Idonije, the lone Canadian in the game, made his second career appearance in Toronto. He was a member of the Manitoba Bisons squad that lost the 2001 Vanier Cup here to Saint Mary's.
Greg Olsen had Chicago's other touchdown. Robbie Gould added two converts.
Roscoe Parrish scored Buffalo's other TD. Lindell kicked one convert.
Fitzpatrick's 14-yard TD strike to Parish at 14:47 of the second quarter pulled Buffalo into a 7-7 halftime tie in a defence-dominated opening half. It capped an 11-play, 68-yard drive that came after Gould missed a 42-yard field goal try.
Chicago opened the scoring with Cutler's four-yard touchdown pass to Olsen at 2:54, capping a 14-play, 81-yard drive.
The Bills Toronto Series was unveiled in 2007 amid much fanfare, with event organizers eager to show Toronto was a viable NFL city.
Rogers Communications paid US$78 million to stage the games expecting southern Ontario football fans to flock to Rogers Centre, regardless of the cost.
But the combination of a poor economy, high-priced tickets -- initially averaging over $180 each, compared to roughly US$51 at Ralph Wilson Stadum -- and struggling Bills teams have made the series a tough sell. Fans simply haven't warmed up to paying top dollar to see a team that's not their own and hasn't made the NFL playoffs in 11 years.
Talk earlier this week was lagging tickets sales forced Rogers Communications to purchase the remainder of available ducats to ensure the game was a sellout and avoid the embarrassment of it being blacked out in southern Ontario and Buffalo.
Event organizers have tried to make the series more affordable, making more than 14,000 tickets --up dramatically from about 4,700 in 2008 --available for less than $100. But that hasn't resulted in a sellout yet.
Even scalpers are having to work harder for their money. Many were willing to let their tickets go for face value Sunday, with one offering to let a $285 ticket go for as low as $200.
Despite its struggles, the series has certainly given the Bills a huge financial boost. They're receiving more than double what they'd make if the games were at Ralph Wilson Stadium while being able to establish a foothold in Canada's biggest market.
Event organizers have also missed the mark trying to recreate the NFL experience here. One of the biggest attractions for many fans south of the border is the ability to arrive at the stadium up to five hours before kickoff, set up the barbecue to cook a variety of foods while throwing a football around in the parking lot and breaking down the upcoming game.
On Sunday, a live band played outside Rogers Centre but that was about it. Fans in attendance merely milled around eating hot dogs and listening to the music.
And then there was the security. Fans were searched and their bags checked before entering the stadium, with a heavy police presence at each entrance.
The Rogers Centre roof was closed for the game. While there were no corporate logos on the artificial turf -- just the Bills crest at centre field and their team name in both end zones -- what was especially noticeable was the 10-yard end zones on a 100-yard long NFL field compared to the 20-yard end zones and the 110-yard field in Canadian football.
Large banners covered the hotel windows that overlook the field, preventing guests from watching the game. People staying there during Toronto Argonauts home contests can watch the action from the comfort of their rooms.
