As we complete the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, we take a look back at some Bears history. Break out the time machine, we’re going back, back…
First stop is 1941, the Bears first divisional playoff game. It was against none other than the Green Bay Packers, and they actually won. 33-14 was the final score, as the famous Norm Standlee rushed for 2 TDs. This Bears team led by Sid Luckman went on to win their 5th NFL championship that year, which was tied with the Green Bay Packers for most at the time. I’m not sure you can find much video of those early games, but it was those early years that has the Bears in the conversation for most NFL championships of all time.
The Bears went on to win their 6th NFL championship in 1943, their 7th in 1946, and their 8th in 1963, however, they didn’t play any divisional round playoff games during those seasons. They did lose a divisional game in 1950 to the Los Angeles Rams, and in 1977 to the eventual Super Bowl champions the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously, I don’t remember any of this. I was alive for the 1977 NFC Championship game vs Dallas, but at 16 months old, have no recollection… thankfully. It was a 37-7 blowout. It was Walter Payton’s first playoff game which is pretty cool, but with Bob Avellini facing Roger Staubach at QB, we were outmatched.
Then came the critical year of 1984, the precursor to the Bears one and only Super Bowl championship. A divisional matchup vs the Skins in Washington brought an important 23-19 victory, the saw Steve Fuller throw TDs to Gault & McKinnon, while Sweetness rushed for over 100 yards. This win, and subsequent loss to San Francisco in the NFC Championship games prepped this Bears team for greatness. They got a taste of victory, and then the bittersweet taste of defeat. They knew which one they wanted to experience again.
The divisional game in Soldier Field the following year vs the New York Giants was classic. A 21-0 shutout, that is best remembered for the whiffed punt by Sean Landeta that was picked up by Shaun Gayle for the first TD of the game. That was all the Bears defense needed, while 2 TDs to Silky D provided the final score. Still have this game (& all the 1985 season) on DVD. Now I feel like watching it…
It was a brutal stretch after that. For a team that should have been a dynasty, multiple factors led to the Bears losing the next 2 divisional games the following 2 years to Washington; they won the Super Bowl in 1987. I remember hating Dexter Manley, who although had the IQ of a grapefruit, was on the winning side. The following year in 1988, the Bears won a divisional game over the Eagles in a game that became known as the Fog Bowl. I remember watching that game on TV… not being able to see anything. A guy would run into the fog, and then never come out. One of the craziest games I’ve watched. No matter though… we would get dominated the following round vs the eventual Super Bowl Champs the 49ers at home in a game played in freezing temps.
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The 1990 playoffs brought the Bears last win a divisional playoff game for a while. We beat the Saints at home 16-6, only to get crushed by the Giants, the Super Bowl champs that year, the following round 31-3. Still, it was a nice run… 6 divisional playoff games in 7 years from 1984-1990. I miss those days.
In the 1994 playoffs, we had a blowout loss vs 49ers. In the 2001 playoffs, a loss vs the Eagles in a game I attended. I have chronicled some of this game in the list, worst games I attended. Then there was the 2005 playoffs, a loss vs the Panthers, in the game I lost my arse gambling as Steve Smith ran around the field.
Since then it was 2 divisional wins over the Seahawks. The first came in the Super Bowl year in the 2006 playoffs. I remember watching that game downtown at a bar. I had to go in that day to work, and walked over after to watch. It shouldn’t have been that close, but it was, and Robbie Gould bailed us out on a field goal in OT.
The next win in a divisional playoff game, and our last playoff win, was Jay Cutler’s only playoff win in his 6 years. It was the beginning of another run… or so I thought.
Overall, in the Divisional Playoffs, the Bears have went 6-8. Only 14 total divisional games, and 6 in a 7 year stretch? That’s only 8 in the other years… I want more. I want more playoff games. It’s fun to look back and remember some of the big wins, there just aren’t enough. Now, 4 years since our last playoff game, I’m still waiting for the time when the Bears are perennial playoff contenders. With the acquisition of Cutler, I thought we could start something special. I was wrong. As Lovie’s star faded, and Trestman never panned out to anything, we look for somebody to get us back in the game. We look for new GM Ryan Pace to get us going again. Until then, we root against the Packers… that didn’t go so well this weekend.
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