Sneak(er) attack
Dec. 9, 1934: New York 31, Bears 13
NEW YORK– In searching for an adequate reason for the collapse of the Bears in the final fateful 10 minutes, the strategy of Steve Owen, Giants’ coach, must be given proper consideration. The gridiron turf was frozen solid. All during the first half the players of both teams had extreme difficulty keeping their feet and at least one possible additional Chicago touchdown was not made because battering Bronko Nagurski and the fleet-footed Gene Ronzani and Keith Molesworth lacked the sure footing to make their charges effective. At the start of the second half many of the Giants, including all of the backfield men, came back to the field shod in rubber gymnasium shoes. This change in equipment apparently made no difference in the third period, probably because New York was on defense. But when (Ken) Strong unleashed his powerful drives he undoubtedly was able to dodge more quickly on the hard surface of the gridiron than the Bears, who wore the customary cleated shoes.
–Wilfrid Smith
No doubting domination
Dec. 8, 1949: Bears 73, Washington 0
WASHINGTON–From the moment Bill Osmanski broke away for 68 yards and a touchdown on the third play of the game until little Harry Clark popped through a hole as wide as a bleacher exit for his second and the Bears’ last touchdown late in the fourth period, there was no question in the minds of the 36,034 jammed into Griffith Stadium that the colossus from the west, this day at least, was a superteam.
–George Strickler
Title comes to Papa Bear
Dec. 29, 1963: Bears 14, N.Y. Giants 10
By their triumph, the Bears climaxed the career of one of football’s greatest coaches, 68-year-old George Halas, the venerable pro pioneer who is virtually everybody’s candidate for coach of the century. But there were moments of anguish for the 45,701 in Wrigley Field and the millions before television sets before the Bears reached the throne room. Roger Leclerc missed two field goals, one from the 28-yard line in the third period and another from the 34 in the fourth. There were moments in the next 5 minutes when Bears partisans wished the Chicagoans had those six points, for Y.A. Tittle was still in the game, piloting the greatest offensive unit in football.
–George Strickler
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Dead ringer for a classic
Dec. 30, 1984: Bears 23, Washington 19
WASHINGTON–This was pro football the way it was invented, Chicago style, city of big shoulder pads. The only thing missing from the Bears’ stunning 23-19 victory over the Washington Redskins was the inventor. One of the Redskins broke an ankle, another broke a collarbone and another had his bell rung, courtesy of Todd Bell, the primary hero of a great pro football game. In the end, most of the nation’s fans wouldn’t have cared who won. It only mattered that a 3 1/2-hour battle was over too soon. Here were the two-time defending National Football Conference champion Redskins lined up against the No. 4 defense in the league. They had never lost a playoff game in seven tries in RFK Stadium. Here were the Bears, their backs to the wall, Bell playing cornerback for the first time in his life, hanging onto a lead that never seemed would be enough.
–Don Pierson
Bone-chilling, crushing defense
Jan. 5, 1986: Bears 21, N.Y. Giants 0
The New York Giants were supposed to have a chance Sunday in the National Football Conference semifinal game. They didn’t. The Bears won 21-0 with a defense as cold-hearted as the weather that chilled 62,076 fans in Soldier Field.
William “the Refrigerator” Perry, all 304 pounds of him, even jumped on top of New York’s 5-foot-7-inch running back, Joe Morris, and knocked him out of the game with a slight concussion. Morris returned, but at 5-6.
After Shaun Gayle’s bizarre 5-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter, the mean and nasty Bears rubbed it in.
Quarterback Jim McMahon’s two touchdown passes to receiver Dennis McKinnon in the third quarter might provoke a letter from Commissioner Pete Rozelle charging unnecessary conduct.
Defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan had promised a shutout.
Richard Dent sacked Giants quarterback Phil Simms 31/2 times. Simms was sacked six times, and the Giants punted after three plays nine of the first 11 times they had the ball.
–Don Pierson
Mission not accomplished–yet
Jan. 12, 1986: Bears 24, Rams 0
The Bears wrapped Eric Dickerson and the Los Angeles Rams around their big fingers Sunday in a smashing 24-0 victory for the National Football Conference championship.
They left determined and favored to wrap a Super Bowl ring around their fingers when they play the New England Patriots, the American Football Conference champions, Jan. 26 in New Orleans.
The Bears will enter Super Bowl XX as the only team ever to record two straight playoff shutouts.
In another subdued locker room where a few cigars were the only signs of a victory celebration, coach Mike Ditka turned to Robert Frost for explanation and further inspiration.
“There’s a poem, something about we’ve come many miles but still have miles to go,” said Ditka. “I don’t want to sound like I’m not happy about what happened today, but we’re on a mission and it won’t be finished until we’re finished in New Orleans.”
–Don Pierson
A big, easy Super Bowl victory
Jan. 26, 1986: Bears 46, New England 10
NEW ORLEANS–This is as good as it gets. The Bears won the Super Bowl 46-10 in an awesome display of football encompassing all the joy and fury of an awesome season. Their destruction of the New England Patriots was so complete it went beyond Super Bowl proportions and recalled only the record 73-0 victory by the Bears over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 National Football League championship game. The Bears have a tradition that transcends Super Bowls and Sunday they ended years of frustration for their city and themselves and showed a nation they play even better than they talk or sing.
They simply blew your minds like they said they would.
–Don Pierson
No magic in Flutie
Jan. 3, 1987: Washington 27, Bears 13
The world championship reign of the Chicago Bears ended far short of expectations Saturday, but the way it ended startled no one.
Magic has its limits. So do interceptions, fumbles and penalties.
In their quest to write a second chapter of greatness, the Bears could only stutter and stumble on their own field in much the same manner they had struggled through much of their season.
This time, the Washington Redskins were too good to let the Bears’ errors go unnoticed. They turned an interception by Doug Flutie, a fumble by Walter Payton and a pass interference penalty on Mike Richardson into a 27-13 victory to advance to the National Football Conference title game.
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As they had won most of their 32 games over the last two seasons, the Bears’ loss was a total team effort. Their failure was not limited to the shortcomings of 5-foot-9-inch quarterbacks or an offense with a weakness for turnovers.
–Don Pierson
Bears roll in with fog
Dec. 31, 1988: Bears 20, Eagles 12
It will be remembered as the best game you never saw. But the Bears are clearly one victory away from the Super Bowl after helping the error-plagued Philadelphia Eagles beat themselves 20-12 Saturday in an eerie National Football Conference semifinal playoff game at fog-bound Soldier Field. “A win’s a win, baby. That’s the way Mike Tomczak put it to me after the game,” said coach Mike Ditka.
League officials were at the game and contemplated suspending it. But referee Jim Tunney advised them that conditions at field level were acceptable. “There was no reason for the game to be suspended,” said Eagles coach Buddy Ryan. “If this was a baseball game, maybe. But this is football, and you have to play the game.”
–Fred Mitchell
Montana to Rice too good
Jan. 8, 1989: San Francisco 29, Bears 3.
An implausible season finally became impossible for the Bears Sunday. The San Francisco 49ers were to blame, winning the National Football Conference championship 28-3, leaving no doubt, no prisoners, no room for anything but praise.
“You have to look at it this way–personnel-wise, they’re a little better than us,” coach Mike Ditka said.
Joe Montana and Jerry Rice were a lot better. While all around them were losing their feet on the slippery turf, the 49ers’ brilliant passing combination stood out like Witt and Boitano on a neighborhood rink.
While all around them had numb fingers and errant arms, Rice made fingertip grabs of Montana strikes for two TDs in the first half.
–Don Pierson