Matthews ends up on target

If this was Shane Matthews' last game as a Bear, he left them withsomething to remember him by.

Matthews, who expects to yield the starting quarterback job toCade McNown for the final two games of the season, set a team recordwith 15 consecutive pass completions in the Bears' 24-17 victory overthe New England Patriots Sunday at Soldier Field.

He was 17-of-17 for 178 yards on the Bears' four scoring drives.He finished 22-of-27 for 239 yards, two touchdowns and nointerceptions.

What a way to go.

"I think they'll play Cade next week," said Matthews, who brokethe record of 14 consecutive completions by Steve Walsh againstMinnesota on Dec. 1, 1994. "They know I'm probably not going to behere next year and he will. He's the future."

Bears coach Dick Jauron said he would decide Wednesday whetherMcNown will start next Sunday against San Francisco. McNown hasmissed the last six games while recovering from a separated shoulder.He was cleared to play last week, but Jauron decided against itbecause he didn't feel McNown was ready after just two weeks ofpractice.

"Shane played such a strong game, controlling the clock, but we'llhave to wait," Jauron said. "Cade made a lot of progress last week interms of getting into the scheme."

Matthews said he was not worried about being benched.

"I just want to enjoy this win," he said. "It's been a long, roughyear."

"It's good to have records, but records are made to be broken,"Matthews said. "So I'm sure somebody along the line here will breakit. I didn't realize (it was a record). But I guess it feels prettygood."

At the very least, Matthews probably improved his marketability infree agency. In spot starts, he beat Tampa Bay and New England thisyear.

"Even if I wouldn't have played well today, I don't think it wouldhave made a difference for next year," Matthews said.

Even so, Sunday's game might have earned him a raise over theminimum salary ($440,000) he's earning this year.

"I don't worry about the money," Matthews said. "I haven't beenpaid much since I've been in this league (seven years). Anything'sbetter than what I'm making now."

But there's no doubt he'd rather have Sunday's game on his resumethan last week's game against Green Bay, when he was 22-of-43 for 233yards and two interceptions.

"Shane played super," quarterbacks coach John Shoop said. "He didthings that don't necessarily show up in the box scores-milking theclock. When I made a bad call he sure picked me up and found thecheck-down guy. He really made me look good."