CHICAGO (AP) -- It started simply enough.

When Cade McNown threw to Marcus Robinson in training camp, the 6-foot-3 receiver always caught the ball. Perfect passes, bad throws, jump balls, underthrown tosses, it didn't matter.

	Chicago's Curtis Enis rushed for 69 yards as the Bears surprised the favored Lions.

They got into a comfortable rhythm, a groove that paid off for the Chicago Bears on Sunday and gives them hope for the future. Robinson caught three of McNown's four touchdown passes, including a leaping, dancing 42-yard grab along the sideline, as the Bears beat the Detroit Lions 28-10.

McNown became the first Bears rookie to throw for 300 yards in a game. He finished 27-of-36 for 301 yards with two interceptions in his fourth start, and also rushed for 36 yards on nine carries. Robinson finished with 170 yards on 11 catches.

"I feel like I played OK. I don't feel like I did anything sensational out there," McNown said. "I got the ball to some exceptional athletes, namely Marcus Robinson, and he made some big plays for the team."

The victory kept Chicago's playoff hopes alive -- at least for a day. The Bears (6-8) must win their remaining two games and need, among other things, Green Bay to lose its last three for any shot at the postseason. The Packers play at Minnesota on Monday night.

At 8-6, the Lions are still in the running for a playoff berth, but their division title hopes were seriously damaged. The loss also spoiled the return of Charlie Batch, who made his first appearance since injuring his thumb Nov. 7.

With Gus Frerotte struggling, Batch came in with 10:26 left in the game and scored the Lions' only touchdown, a 12-yard run with 3:25 left. He finished 6-of-10 for 95 yards. Frerotte was 17-of-30 for 158 yards with three interceptions.

If Batch's thumb doesn't feel any worse during the upcoming week, coach Bobby Ross said he'll start against Denver on Christmas Day.

"I could have started the game. Last week I could have played," said Batch, who admitted he understood Ross' cautiousness with him. "The thumb's not getting any worse and it's not getting any better. At this point, I'm able to deal with the pain."

Though Robinson was the offensive MVP of NFL Europe in 1998, the receiver never found his groove in his first two seasons with the Bears and was on the bubble at the end of the preseason. But he's turned in a breakout season as one of the NFC's leading receivers, and he's the first person McNown looks to when he's dropping back to throw.

Of McNown's eight touchdown passes, six are to Robinson. He's thrown about three times as many passes to Robinson as to any other receiver. Roommates on the road, they already seem to have a bond it takes some quarterbacks and receivers years to build.

GAME NOTES

Robert Porcher had one sack, giving him 13½ for the season, a career high. His previous best was 12½ last year. This is the first time since 1991 the Bears have beaten Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota in one season. Detroit's rush defense, fourth-best in the NFL with 83.5 yards allowed a game, gave up 104. The Bears are 8-3 after a bye week. Chicago's 27 completions give the Bears 352 for the season, a team high. Bears tackle Jim Flanigan had his first career interception.

Take Robinson's second touchdown catch. The play was a two-receiver route, and Robinson didn't think he was getting the ball. When he found himself alone in the end zone though, he looked over at McNown and caught his eye. A few seconds later, the ball was in Robinson's hands.

"Marcus has been doing this all year and Cade's not stupid," Bears tackle Blake Brockermeyer said. "I'd be throwing the ball to him all the time, too."

McNown, given the starting job for the Bears' remaining games, seems to have benefited from his gradual introduction to the NFL. After throwing an interception on his first series and taking a bone-crunching 8-yard sack by Robert Porcher, he settled into a groove.

With McNown making solid reads and smart throws, the Bears cruised with 14 points in the last 2:48 of the first half.

"That's a pretty good defense. That's a pretty good day's work, especially for a young guy," Brockermeyer said. "A lot of the veterans will be behind Cade even more now. He showed he can go out and make plays."

So did the Bears defense. Chicago had three interceptions in the first half, including Chris Hudson's grab that set up the first score. With the ball at the Detroit 47, McNown hit Robinson with passes of 12, 10 and 9 yards before finding Bobby Engram for the 3-yard score and a 7-3 lead.

Jason Hanson was way short on a 50-yard field goal, which gave the Bears good field position, and McNown took advantage with the 1-yard toss to Robinson for the 14-3 halftime lead.