Jason Campbell's understudy saves the day

Washington Redskins medical personnel tend to quarterback Jason Campbell after he was taken down late in the first half. Campbell likely will miss the rest of the season with dislocated kneecap. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP)

By JIM DUCIBELLA
The Virginian-Pilot

LANDOVER, Md.

The Washington Redskins won the game, but lost their starting quarterback Thursday night.

Washington broke a four-game losing streak in defeating the Chicago Bears 24-16 to improve to 6-7 and keep its faint playoff hopes alive. But the Redskins almost certainly will have to go the rest of the season without Jason Campbell.

Campbell, who had taken every snap this season , dislocated his left kneecap when tackled from behind by Chicago’s Mark Anderson with 2:49 remaining in a the first half. As he hit the turf, Campbell ripped off his helmet, held his knee and screamed in pain. Redskins medical personnel raced onto the field and encased Campbell’s left knee in a brace before carting him off the field.

Although the Redskins placed no immediate timetable on Campbell’s recovery, it generally takes about six weeks for an injury like Campbell’s to mend, assuming he doesn’t need surgery.

Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman left even earlier than Campbell. On Chicago’s second series , Redskins defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin slammed into Grossman on an incomplete pass, caving in his left knee and sending him to the sidelines for the rest of the game.

That left the game in the hands of backups Todd Collins for Washington and Brian Griese of the Bears.

Collins was better , completing 15 of 20 passes for 220 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in throwing his most passes since 1997. With the Redskins clutching a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter, a scenario that has led to five of their seven defeats, Collins marched the Redskins 70 yards in eight plays, capping the drive with a laser 16-yard pass to running back Ladell Betts on a third-and-6 call with 2:41 to play.

Griese, meanwhile, completed 27 of 45 passes for 295 yards and a touchdown, but tossed two interceptions, the first of which greatly aided the Washington cause.

Collins started shakily, making a Campbell-esque mistake when he lost a fumble after being hit by Bears defensive end Alex Brown. But cornerback Shawn Springs bailed him out three plays later when he stepped in front of a Griese pass intended for Devin Hester and raced 53 yards to the Chicago 21 with just 24 seconds left in the half.

With Chris Cooley in the locker room after suffering a shin injury, Collins sent tight end Todd Yoder on a deep slant on the first snap and feathered a perfect pass into his arms. Yoder dragged his defender into the right corner of the end zone to break the scoreless deadlock.

It was Collins’ first touchdown pass in a regular-season game since Dec. 1, 2002, against the Arizona Cardinals.

Washington added another touchdown on the opening drive of the second half when Collins flipped a screen pass to Clinton Portis. He weaved and swerved, broke tackles and picked up a couple of blocks way downfield on the way to a 53-yard gain to the Bears’ 1. Mike Sellers plowed over for the touchdown.

But down 14-0, the Bears clawed back behind two field goals by Robbie Gould and a spectacular touchdown catch by Bernard Berrian.

Collins then took the Redskins to a field goal by Shaun Suisham and the rare late-game touchdown pass to Betts to keep the visitors (5-8) at bay.