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1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 7 9 3 7 26 Packers 0 0 0 0 0 Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST Game weather: 62 °F (cloudy) Stadium: Lambeau Field TV announcers (FOX): Sam Rosen (play-by-play) and Tim Ryan (color commentator) Game attendance: 70,918 Referee: Tony Corrente
[edit] Game summary The Bears started the game by successfully initiating a drive that took the team’s offensive unit down the field. The team managed to score a touchdown with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Rex Grossman to wide receiver Bernard Berrian. However, on their next possession, Grossman threw an interception while attempting to throw a touchdown pass. The interception did not hinder the team’s efforts; the Bears’ defense prevented the Packers from making big plays and forced three turnovers, while Robbie Gould kicked four field goals for twelve points. Return specialist Devin Hester added to the Bears’ victory by returning a punt for an 84-yard touchdown.[1][2]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 12:05 - 49 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-0)
Q2 - CHI - 13:44 - Robbie Gould 40 yd FG (CHI 10-0)
Q2 - CHI - 6:29 - Robbie Gould 39 yd FG (CHI 13-0)
Q2 - CHI - 4:38 - Robbie Gould 28 yd FG (CHI 16-0)
Q3 - CHI - 1:47 - Robbie Gould 30 yd FG (CHI 19-0)
Q4 - CHI - 14:06 - Devin Hester 84 yd punt return TD (Gould kick) (CHI 26-0)
[edit] Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions
1 2 3 4 Total
Lions 0 0 7 0 7 Bears 10 14 7 3 34 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 68 °F Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (FOX): Sam Rosen (play-by-play) and Tim Ryan (color commentator) Game attendance: 62,181 Referee: Mike Carey
[edit] Game summary After being forced to punt on their first possession, the Bears’ defense responded by forcing Detroit Lions’ quarterback Jon Kitna to fumble deep within Lions’ territory. Rex Grossman capitalized on the fumble by throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to John Gilmore. After the kickoff, the Bears’ defense forced running back Kevin Jones to fumble, which allowed Robbie Gould to kick a 32-yard field goal. Following another Lions’ punt, Grossman threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian in the dying minutes of the first half.
The Lions’ started the second half by making an advance into Bears’ territory. After being offset by an offside penalty and a sack from Tommie Harris, Jason Hanson came on to attempt a 40-yard field goal. Hanson missed, and allowed the Bears to begin their drive near midfield. After several passing attempts, Grossman threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Clark.
Following the start of the third quarter, the Lions entered the Bears’ red zone for the first time. After several plays, Kitna scored the Lions’ lone touchdown by way of a quarterback sneak. Following an exchange of possession, Grossman fumbled. The Lions recovered but were unable to capitalize. The Bears later scored on another Grossman to Gilmore touchdown pass. The final score for the game came when Gould successfully converted a 45 yard field goal.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 10:11 - 3 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to John Gilmore (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-0)
Q1 - CHI - 6:19 - Robbie Gould 32 yd FG (CHI 10-0)
Q2 - CHI - 14:16 - 41 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 17-0)
Q2 - CHI - 3:36 - 31 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Desmond Clark (Gould kick) (CHI 24-0)
Q3 - DET - 10:20 - Jon Kitna 1 yd TD run (Jason Hanson kick) (CHI 24-7)
Q3 - CHI - 0:32 - 5 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to John Gilmore (Gould kick) (CHI 31-7)
Q4 - CHI - 10:03 - Robbie Gould 45 yd FG (CHI 34-7)
[edit] Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 3 0 6 10 19 Vikings 3 3 0 10 16 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: Dome Stadium: Metrodome TV announcers (FOX): Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Daryl Johnston (color commentator), and Tony Siragusa (field reporter) Game attendance: 63,754 Referee: Scott Green
[edit] Game summary After receiving the opening kickoff, the Vikings, lead by Brad Johnson and Chester Taylor engineered an 8 play, 68 yard drive which resulted in the first score of the game, a Field Goal by Ryan Longwell. The Bears were able to answer with a field goal of their own on the next drive off the foot of Robbie Gould, good from 41 yards. After the two initial exchanges, the 1st half turned into one of field position. The scoring would not resume again until late, after the two teams traded possession 7 times, once because of a Rex Grossman interception. The Vikings took the lead with 1:12 left in the 1st half when Longwell converted his second field goal, this time from 26 yards.
After the half the Bears received the kickoff, marched 66 yards down the field and tied the game by way of a 24 yard field goal by Gould. On the ensuing drive, the Bears defense held, and forced the Vikings into a three and out. After the punt, the Bears' offense again took the field and were able to get into field goal range. After failing to convert a first down or score after receiving a 1st and 5 from the Vikings' 15 yard line, Robbie Gould kicked his third field goal of the game from 31 yards out.
The game's first touchdown would come on the Bears' next possession on the first play of the fourth quarter, however the Vikings' defense was the unit that scored. After a 52 yard Chris Kluwe punt that, after a 5 yard return by Devin Hester gave the Bears the ball at their own 12, Rex Grossman was intercepted by Antoine Winfield. Winfield returned the interception 7 yards for the touchdown. The teams traded field goals on the next two possessions, bringing the score to 16-12 in favor of the Vikings. The situation looked bleak for the Bears when they went three and out with 6:08 left in the game, as Grossman had not yet in his career engineered a fourth quarter comeback. The Bears' defense, however, swung momentum the opposite way when on a third and 8, Brad Johnson fumbled and Adewale Ogunleye recovered at the Minnesota 37. Five plays an 37 yards later, the Bears scored on a 24 yard pass play from Grossman to Rashied Davis. The Bears' defense held on the ensuing drive, and the game ended with a final score of 19-16 in favor of Chicago.
Rex Grossman overcame an uneven performance, including an interception returned seven yards for the Vikings' only touchdown, to throw a game-winning touchdown pass to Rashied Davis with 1:53 remaining in the game. The touchdown was Grossman's first 4th quarter touchdown pass of his career. He finished with 23 completions in 41 attempts for 274 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
The Bears' running game was limited to 54 yards on 18 attempts by Thomas Jones, but the defense was able to limit the Vikings to three field goals. Tommie Harris provided the decisive play, forcing a fumble with less than four minutes remaining and the Bears trailing 16-12. Adewale Ogunleye recovered in Vikings territory, and the Bears were able to convert the game winning drive.
Kicker Robbie Gould went 4-for-4 and had not yet missed a kick. Muhsin Muhammad caught 9 passes for 118 yards. Mike Brown also forced a second Vikings fumble. [3]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - MIN - 10:49 - Ryan Longwell 31 yd FG (MIN 3-0)
Q1 - CHI - 6:20 - Robbie Gould 41 yd FG (3-3)
Q2 - MIN - 1:08 - Ryan Longwell 26 yd FG (MIN 6-3)
Q3 - CHI - 10:53 - Robbie Gould 24 yd FG (6-6)
Q3 - CHI - 3:18 - Robbie Gould 31 yd FG (CHI 9-6)
Q4 - MIN - 14:53 - Antoine Winfield 7 yd interception return TD (Longwell kick) (MIN 13-9)
Q4 - CHI - 10:37 - Robbie Gould 49 yd FG (MIN 13-12)
Q4 - MIN - 7:27 - Ryan Longwell 41 yd FG (MIN 16-12)
Q4 - CHI - 1:53 - 24 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Rashied Davis (Gould kick) (CHI 19-16)
[edit] Week 4: vs. Seattle Seahawks
1 2 3 4 Total
Seahawks 3 3 0 0 6 Bears 7 13 14 3 37 Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST Game weather: 75 °F (clear) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator) Game attendance: 62,225 Referee: Terry McAulay
[edit] Game summary Note: First night game.
After holding the Bears' offense to a quick three-and-out, Seattle managed to score first with a field goal on their second drive, but the Bears responded with a touchdown pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad on their next possession. Bears defensive back Ricky Manning, Jr. recorded two first half interceptions, helping the Bears amass a 20-6 lead by halftime.
Thomas Jones was able to run for 98 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns, while Bernard Berrian scored the game's last touchdown by way of a 40 yard pass. The Bears defense was able to hold the Seahawks to 77 yards rushing, and the defensive line was able to pressure quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, with the result of five sacks, two by defensive tackle Tommie Harris, his fourth and fifth on the season. Again, Bears kicker Robbie Gould did not miss a kick.[4]
Because of their performances, Rex Grossman was awarded the FedEx Air Player of the Week Award, and Tommie Harris was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Week. Coach Lovie Smith was also named the NFL's Head Coach of the Week.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - SEA - 8:58 - Josh Brown 23 yd FG (SEA 3-0)
Q1 - CHI - 2:27 - 9 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-3)
Q2 - CHI - 13:33 - Robbie Gould 36 yd FG (CHI 10-3)
Q2 - CHI - 6:23 - Robbie Gould 20 yd FG (CHI 13-3)
Q2 - CHI - 2:25 - Thomas Jones 3 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 20-3)
Q2 - SEA - 0:27 - Josh Brown 24 yd FG (CHI 20-6)
Q3 - CHI - 10:05 - Thomas Jones 1 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 27-6)
Q3 - CHI - 0:51 - 40 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 34-6)
Q4 - CHI - 7:43 - Robbie Gould 41 yd FG (CHI 37-6)
[edit] Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills
1 2 3 4 Total
Bills 0 0 0 7 7 Bears 6 21 3 10 40 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 73 °F Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz (play-by-play) and Phil Simms (color commentator) Game attendance: 62,206 Referee: Bill Carollo
[edit] Game summary The game started well for the Bears, as special teams standout Brendon Ayanbadejo recovered a fumble from Bills punter Brian Moorman. The recovery was converted into a Robbie Gould 42-yard field goal. The Bears' next score came by way of a 43-yard Gould kick, which tied Kevin Butler's record of 16 consecutive field goals made
An Alex Brown sack forced a punt on the next Bills drive, and later the Bears scored on a touchdown pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian. After a Lance Briggs interception Cedrick Benson recorded his first touchdown in the NFL. Pressure on J.P. Losman continued as Mark Anderson recorded a sack on the next Bills possession. Again the Bears took advantage and scored after a 62 yard Grossman to Berrian pass led the way to 15 yard touchdown caught by Rashied Davis. The first half pressure on Losman culminated with his 2nd interception of the day, with an errant pass caught by Ricky Manning, Jr.
In the 2nd half, Losman continued to struggle as he was intercepted for a third time by Brown. The Bears capitalized on the interception with a 32-yard field Gould field goal, which broke Butler’s consecutive field goal record. After another successful field goal, and victory assured, Bears’ coach Lovie Smith choose to bench Grossman for veteran backup Brian Griese. Benson later scored his second touchdown after Israel Idonije recovered a Bills fumble in Bears territory. The Bills' only score came after a Griese fumble in Bears territory. The Bills drove 42 yards, scoring on a Losman to Lee Evans five yard touchdown pass.
Despite the margin of victory, parts of the home crowd were upset with the Bears, and even key members of the defense were upset with themselves for failing to shut out the Bills. The Bills touchdown marked the first time since September of the 2005 regular season that the Bears allowed another team to score a passing touchdown at Soldier Field during the regular season. [5] The touchdown also ended the Bears 11-quarter streak of not allowing their opponents to score a TD.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 9:07 - Robbie Gould 42 yd FG (CHI 3-0)
Q1 - CHI - 3:43 - Robbie Gould 43 yd FG (CHI 6-0)
Q2 - CHI - 13:01 - 8 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 13-0)
Q2 - CHI - 8:30 - Cedric Benson 1 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 20-0)
Q2 - CHI - 4:22 - 15 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Rashied Davis (Gould kick) (CHI 27-0)
Q3 - CHI - 7:05 - Robbie Gould 32 yd FG (CHI 30-0)
Q4 - CHI - 6:05 - Robbie Gould 41 yd FG (CHI 33-0)
Q4 - CHI - 4:36 - Cedric Benson 1 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 40-0)
Q4 - BUF - 1:06 - 5 yd TD pass from J.P. Losman to Lee Evans (Rian Lindell kick) (CHI 40-7)
[edit] Week 6: at Arizona Cardinals
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 0 10 14 24 Cardinals 14 6 3 0 23 Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST Game weather: 73 °F (clear) Stadium: University of Phoenix Stadium TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Tony Kornheiser (color commentator) and Joe Theismann (color commentator) Game attendance: 63,977 Referee: Jerome Boger
[edit] Game summary Note: Monday Night Football
After Adrian Peterson returned the opening kick-off, the Bears failed to pick up any offensive momentum and succumbed to a quick three and out. Quarterback Matt Leinart made an early offensive impact by throwing two first quarter touchdowns, to Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin. The Bears' situation worsened as Rex Grossman turned the ball over four times in the first half, allowing Pro Bowl Kicker Neil Rackers to extend the Cardinals halftime lead to 20-0.
The Bears defense was impressive in the second half as the Cardinals were limited to just three points, though the offense continued to struggle. The Bears' only successful offensive drive of the night resulted with kicker Robbie Gould converting a 23-yard field goal.
The game's momentum turned in the dying seconds of the third quarter. Bears’ defensive end Mark Anderson sacked Leinart, resulting in a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Mike Brown. Continuing to struggle, Rex Grossman threw two interceptions during the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals failed to capitalize. The Bears defense scored their second touchdown of the night when Brian Urlacher stripped the ball from Cardinals’ running back Edgerrin James. Charles "Peanut" Tillman picked up the loose ball and returned 40 yards for the score.
With the defense continuing its excellent play, the Cardinals were forced to punt to Devin Hester. The last score of the game would prove to be an exciting one as The "Windy City Flyer" returned the punt for an 83-yard touchdown. The Bears took the lead 24-23 on the play. Rackers had one final opportunity to win the game for the Cardinals, but was unable to convert a 40-field goal.
"The Bears are who we thought they were, and that’s why we took the damn field. Now, if you want to crown them, then crown their ass! But, they are who we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!." ~Dennis Green The come-from-behind victory marked the first time since 1997 that the Bears won a Monday Night game. Grossman's poor performance left fans (and color commentator Tony Kornheiser) wanting more, totaling 148 passing yards, six turnovers, and a 10.7 quarterback rating. Also, defensive backs Mike Brown and Ricky Manning left the game with injuries. Brown's would prove to be season-ending. Cardinals’ head coach Dennis Green exploded in the postgame press conference, storming off after the first few questions. Later in the week, Green fired offensive coordinator Keith Rowen. [6] [7]
The game was watched in 10.8 Million homes, making it the third-highest total in cable television history. The game was also shown on local television in Chicago and Arizona, and it is estimated that over 11.98 Million people watched the game. Furthermore, it was the first time that an NFL game on cable drew more viewers than a game during the same week that aired on regular television. [8]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - ARI - 7:06 - 11 yd TD pass from Matt Leinart to Bryant Johnson (Neil Rackers kick) (ARI 7-0)
Q1 - ARI - 0:54 - 26 yd TD pass from Matt Leinart to Anquan Boldin (Rackers kick) (ARI 14-0)
Q2 - ARI - 4:15 - Neil Rackers 41 yd FG (ARI 17-0)
Q2 - ARI - 0:00 - Neil Rackers 28 yd FG (ARI 20-0)
Q3 - CHI - 7:22 - Robbie Gould 23 yd FG (ARI 20-3)
Q3 - ARI - 1:47 - Neil Rackers 29 yd FG (ARI 23-3)
Q3 - CHI - 0:02 - Mike Brown 3 yd fumble return TD (Gould kick) (ARI 23-10)
Q4 - CHI - 5:00 - Charles Tillman 40 yd fumble return TD (Gould kick) (ARI 23-17)
Q4 - CHI - 2:58 - Devin Hester 83 yd punt return TD (Gould kick) (CHI 24-23)
[edit] Week 7: Bye
Celebration of the Bears' improbable win over Arizona was tempered by the news that starting safety Mike Brown was lost for the season with torn ligaments in his foot. The rest of the team was able to work toward renewed good health for the San Francisco game.
[edit] Week 8: vs. San Francisco 49ers
1 2 3 4 Total
49ers 0 0 0 10 10 Bears 24 17 0 0 41 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 55 °F (sunny/clear) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (FOX): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and Brian Baldinger (color commentator) Game attendance: 62,200 Referee: Ron Winter
[edit] Game summary The Bears returned to Soldier Field to play the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to the game, Lovie Smith announced that the Bears would don their alternative orange jerseys to commemorate the upcoming Halloween holiday, and asked Bear fans to wear orange clothing to create an “orange swarm” at Soldier Field. [9]
On their opening drive, the Bears scored on a 43-yard Robbie Gould field goal. On the ensuing kickoff Maurice Hicks fumbled . The excellent field position resulted in a Thomas Jones 7-yard touchdown run. The teams traded possessions twice, then Brian Urlacher tipped and intercepted anAlex Smith pass in 49ers territory. Once again, the field position resulted in a touchdown, with Rex Grossman throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad. The Bears took advantage of more 49ers miscues and took a 41-0 lead by halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Frank Gore rushed 54 yards to set up a 23-yard Joe Nedney field goal. Alex Smith then threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Bryant. The Bears improved to 7-0 for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in 1985. Furthermore, the Bears' 41 point first half tied the franchise record for most points scored in one half. The other game being the 1940 NFL Championship, where the Bears defeated the Washington Redskins 73-0. [10]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 12:10 - Robbie Gould 43 yd FG (CHI 3-0)
Q1 - CHI - 10:46 - Thomas Jones 7 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 10-0)
Q1 - CHI - 2:01 - 5 yard TD pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad (Gould kick) (CHI 17-0)
Q1 - CHI - 1:06 - Cedric Benson 1 yd TD run (Gould Kick) (CHI 24-0)
Q2 - CHI - 10:37 - 1 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Desmond Clark (Gould kick) (CHI 31-0)
Q2 - CHI - 3:20 - Robbie Gould 39 yd FG (CHI 34-0)
Q2 - CHI - 0:10 - 27 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Desmond Clark (Gould kick) (CHI 41-0)
Q4 - SF - 11:35 - Joe Nedney 23 yd FG (CHI 41-3)
Q4 - SF - 6:49 - 16 yd TD pass from Alex Smith to Antonio Bryant (Nedney kick) (CHI 41-10)
[edit] Week 9: vs. Miami Dolphins
1 2 3 4 Total
Dolphins 0 14 7 10 31 Bears 3 7 3 0 13 at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 55 °F (partly cloudy) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel (play-by-play) and Dan Dierdorf (color commentator) Game attendance: 62,206 Referee: Peter Morelli
[edit] Game summary In a fashion reminiscent of the 1985 NFL season, the Dolphins upset the Bears by a score of 31-13.
Six Bears turnovers were unquestionably the key to the game. Rex Grossman threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by future defensive player of the year Jason Taylor. The Bears gained momentum during the second quarter, when an Alex Brown interception led to a 30-yard Grossman touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad. Then, a botched Dolphins’ field goal galvanized the Bears’ hopes for a second half comeback.
But there would be no such comeback. The Bears struggled to establish a strong offensive presence, and scored just three points from a Robbie Gould field goal during the third quarter. Nathan Vasher recorded an interception, but Grossman played poorly. The Bears lost the game 31-13, marking their first regular season home loss since week three of the 2005 NFL season. The game also marked the first time since the 2004 NFL season that the Bears defense gave up more than 150 yards rushing.
Also, Bears punt return specialist Devin Hester had a poor game. Hester averaged less than 5.5 yards/return and fumbled on two punt returns, one resulting in a touchdown. Jason McKie, Bernard Berrian, Dante Wesley, and Brian Urlacher were forced to leave the game with injuries.[11] For the second time in history, the Dolphins foiled the Bears’ hopes for a Perfect Season.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 0:04 - Robbie Gould 38 yd FG (CHI 3-0)
Q2 - MIA - 10:47 - 5 yd TD pass from Joey Harrington to Marty Booker (Olindo Mare kick) (MIA 7-3)
Q2 - MIA - 10:32 - Jason Taylor 20 yd interception return TD (Mare kick) (MIA 14-3)
Q2 - CHI - 1:57 - 30 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad (Gould kick) (MIA 14-10)
Q3 - MIA - 13:13 - 6 yd TD pass from Joey Harrington to Wes Welker (Mare kick) (MIA 21-10)
Q3 - CHI - 1:02 - Robbie Gould 38 yd FG (MIA 21-13)
Q4 - MIA - 10:00 - 24 yd TD pass from Joey Harrington to Chris Chambers (Mare kick) (MIA 28-13)
Q4 - MIA - 1:09 - Olindo Mare 20 yd FG (MIA 31-13)
[edit] Week 10: at New York Giants
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 3 7 14 14 38 Giants 7 6 7 0 20 Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST Game weather: 55 °F (Rain/Mostly Cloudy) Stadium: Giants Stadium TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator) Game attendance: 78,641 Referee: Ed Hochuli
[edit] Game summary The Giants were able to manage a field goal attempt on the opening drive of the game but kicker Jay Feely missed. Things again looked up for the Giants when two plays after the miss, Rex Grossman threw an interception to Mathias Kiwanuka, who returned the ball to the Bears one-yard line. The first score of the game was the ensuing Brandon Jacobs one yard touchdown run.
The Bears' offense struggled early, and the first Bears score relied on Charles Tillman's interception of an Eli Manning pass intended for Burress. The interception led to a 49-yard Robbie Gould field goal. After several unsuccessful drives, the Bears stumbled again when Thomas Jones lost a fumble. The Giants capitalized with a 46-yard field goal. The Bears offense continued it's marginal play, and a 39-yard punt return, Feely went on to kick another field goal, giving the Giants a 10-point lead.
On their next possession, in the final minutes of the first half, several penalties pushed the Bears’ to a 3rd-and-22 situation. On a game-changing play, Thomas Jones exploited the Giants' prevent defense, which was preparing only for a pass, by taking a handoff 26 yards, the longest 3rd down conversion on a run since 1999. The drive concluded with a Grossman touchdown pass to Mark Bradley. At halftime, the Giants led 13-10.
The Bears started the third quarter with a drive which resulted in another turnover. Muhsin Muhammad fumbled on the Giants' two-yard line, preventing the Bears from scoring their second touchdown, but giving the Giants unsatisfactory field position. The Giants were forced to punt from their own one-yard line. After regaining possession, Grossman engineered another scoring drive, ending with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Muhammad. With the game's momentum in the Bears favor, Bears defensive end Alex Brown beat backup tackle Bob Whitfield and sacked Eli Manning, forcing a fumble which was recovered by Adewale Ogunleye. The Bears used the turnover to set up a Grossman to Desmond Clark touchdown pass, extending the Bears' lead to 24-13.
The Giants scored a touchdown on their next drive, relying on running backs Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs for the score. Early in the fourth quarter, the Giants were able to move the ball into Bears territory. Rather than punt from the Chicago 34, the Giants set up for a 51-yard field goal, but the kick fell short. Devin Hester caught the ball in the endzone, hesitated as if taking a knee, but instead returned the ball 108 yards for a touchdown. “The Windy City Flyer” tied teammate Nathan Vasher‘s record for the longest play in NFL history (also on a missed field goal return on November 13, 2005).
The Bears sealed the victory after Chris Harris intercepted Eli Manning on the Giants' next possession. The interception set up another Thomas Jones touchdown. Grossman threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns. Tiki Barber recorded 141 yards, but injured his thumb during the game and was only sporadically effective. Muhsin Muhammad and Thomas Jones each amassed over 100 yards receiving and rushing, respectively, while the Bears put up a total of 341 offensive yards.[12] The win over the Giants allowed the Bears to hold their first place ranking in the National Football Conference.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - NYG - 9:55 - Brandon Jacobs 1 yd TD run (Jay Feely kick) (NYG 7-0)
Q1 - CHI - 5:59 - Robbie Gould 49 yd FG (NYG 7-3)
Q2 - NYG - 13:25 - Jay Feely 46 yd FG (NYG 10-3)
Q2 - NYG - 2:21 - Jay Feely 40 yd FG (NYG 13-3)
Q2 - CHI - 0:35 - 29 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Mark Bradley (Gould kick) (NYG 13-10)
Q3 - CHI - 8:20 - 10 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad (Gould kick) (CHI 17-13)
Q3 - CHI - 5:35 - 2 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Desmond Clark (Gould kick) (CHI 24-13)
Q3 - NYG - 3:26 - Brandon Jacobs 8 yd TD run (Feely kick) (CHI 24-20)
Q4 - CHI - 11:49 - Devin Hester 108 yd missed FG return TD (Gould kick) (CHI 31-20)
Q4 - CHI - 8:20 - Thomas Jones 2 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 38-20)
[edit] Week 11: at New York Jets
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 0 3 7 10 Jets 0 0 0 0 0 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 47 °F (overcast) Stadium: Giants Stadium TV announcers (FOX): Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color commentator), and Pam Oliver (field reporter) Game attendance: 77,632 Referee: Gene Steratore
[edit] Game summary The first half of the game consisted of unsuccessful drives by both teams. After several running plays by Leon Washington and Cedric Houston gave the Jets a scoring opportunity in the Bears’ red zone, quarterback Chad Pennington threw an interception to Brian Urlacher. The Bears could not capitalize on the turnover, and ended up punting.
After two penalties and a sack pushed the Bears to a 3rd and 27 in the second quarter, Thomas Jones broke a 17-yard run. Although a fumble was ruled on the play, it was reviewed and ruled that Jones was down by contact before fumbling the ball. The fumble would have given New York excellent field position at the Bears 35. The Bears were able to punt on 4th down, and neither team managed score before the half ended.
The Jets opened the second half by attempting an onside kick and Chris Harris was able to recover it inside Jets territory. The Bears used the field position, handing off to Jones seven straight times on an 8 play 42 yard drive that culminated with a 20-yard Robbie Gould field goal. On the ensuing Jets possession cornerback Nathan Vasher intercepted Pennington, but the Bears could capitalize.
The Bears eventually managed to score the game's lone touchdown after Rex Grossman, facing a safety blitz, threw a short pass to Mark Bradley who then ran for a 54-yard touchdown. [13] The Bears picked up their ninth victory of the season, and tied the Indianapolis Colts for the NFL's best record following their loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Thomas Jones rushed for 121 yards, while Grossman threw for 119 yards and one touchdown. The victory over the Jets marked the first time in two games that the Bears did not turn over the ball, and Robbie Gould had still not missed a kick on the year.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q3 - CHI - 10:39 - Robbie Gould 20 yd FG (CHI 3-0)
Q4 - CHI - 14:50 - 57 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Mark Bradley (Gould kick) (CHI 10-0)
[edit] Week 12: at New England Patriots
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 3 0 10 13 Patriots 0 10 0 7 17 Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST Game weather: 56 °F (clear) Stadium: Gillette Stadium TV announcers (FOX): Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color commentator), and Pam Oliver (field reporter) Game attendance: 68,756 Referee: Walt Coleman
[edit] Game summary The Bears established a firm defensive presence early as Charles Tillman intercepted a ball knocked loose from Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson. The Bears’ offense failed to capitalize on the interception, and turned to Robbie Gould for a 40-yard field goal attempt. A false start prior to the kick nullified the converted field goal and pushed the Bears’ back to the 45-yard line. Richard Seymour then blocked the second attempt, ending Gould's streak at 26 consecutive field goals. The teams then traded turnovers, with a Bears fumbled snap resulting with the Patriots recovering on their own ten-yard line. The ensuing drive culminated with Laurence Maroney scoring on a 1 yard touchdown run. The teams traded field position and field goals for the rest of the second quarter, and the score read 10-3 in favor of the Patriots at the half.
"Brian said, ‘You made me look bad.’ I said, ‘You make my whole team look bad’. " ~Tom Brady [1] The third quarter was marked by the teams exchanging interceptions, with both Tillman and Asante Samuel recording their second picks of the game. After Tillman's, interception the Bears tied the game early in the 4th after Cedric Benson rushed for a two-yard touchdown. The Patriots responded with a long drive ending in a Brady touchdown pass to Benjamin Watson, giving the Patriots a 17-10 lead with 8:25 left in the game.
After the Bears chose to kick a field goal with 3:31 remaining, the Patriots drove down the field, bleeding the clock with a 17-13 lead. With victory almost in their grasp, safety Daniael Manning forced Patriots running back Corey Dillon to fumble the football in Bears territory. On the next play, with 1:52 remaining, Grossman attempted to throw a deep pass to Rashied Davis, but Asante Samuel recorded his third interception of the day. Although the Bears lost the game, Bernard Berrian amassed over one hundred receiving yards, while Thomas Jones and Benson combined to rush for over 150 yards. With the absence of Ricky Manning Jr., who received a suspension from the NFL, the Bears’ secondary recorded two interceptions, and picked up one fumble. The defense forced five turnovers overall. [14]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q2 - NE - 9:07 - Laurence Maroney 1 yd TD run (Stephen Gostkowski kick) (NE 7-0)
Q2 - CHI - 4:04 - Robbie Gould 46 yd FG (NE 7-3)
Q2 - NE - 0:01 - Stephen Gostkowski 52 yd FG (NE 10-3)
Q4 - CHI - 14:53 - Cedric Benson 2 yd TD run (Gould kick) (Tied 10-10)
Q4 - NE - 8:22 - 2 yd TD pass from Tom Brady to Benjamin Watson (Gostkowski kick) (NE 17-10)
Q4 - CHI - 3:31 - Robbie Gould 32 yd FG (NE 17-13)
[edit] Week 13: vs. Minnesota Vikings
1 2 3 4 Total
Vikings 0 3 3 7 13 Bears 0 7 14 2 23 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 18 °F (sunny) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (FOX): Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Daryl Johnston (color commentator), and Tony Siragusa (field reporter) Game attendance: 62,221 Referee: Tony Corrente
[edit] Game summary The first 16 minutes of the game was marked by turnovers. Rashied Davis recorded the first of three Bears turnovers on the opening kickoff, and Rex Grossman amassed two interceptions. For the Vikings, Brad Johnson recorded two interceptions of his own.
The first score of the game occurred early in the second quarter on the drive following Grossman's second interception. The Bears' defense held, and the Vikings punted to Devin Hester. The "Windy City Flyer" fielded the bouncing punt, dodged several tackles, and beat Vikings punter Chris Kluwe for a 45-yard touchdown return. The return tied Hester for the all-time team record for return touchdowns scored in a season. The ensuing Vikings drive resulted in their only points of the first half, coming by way of a Ryan Longwell 23 yard field goal.
The Bears picked up momentum in the third quarter when Ricky Manning, Jr. intercepted Johnson and returned the ball for a 54-yard touchdown. Then, on the next play from scrimmage, Johnson was intercepted again, this time by Brian Urlacher. The Bears took advantage of the opportunity, and Cedric Benson rushed for a 24-yard touchdown. Vikings head coach Brad Childress then benched Johnson in favor of Brooks Bollinger. The Bears defense was proved the difference as running back Ciatrick Fason was drilled in the endzone for a safety, and Bollinger was injured following an onside kick after the Vikings only touchdown drive. Third string rookie quarterback Tarvaris Jackson sealed his team's fate when he fumbled on the team's final possession.
With their tenth win of the season, the Bears secured their second consecutive NFC North Title. Additionally, the Bears became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth, and remained tied for the NFL's best record. Spoiling any celebrations, however, Grossman's poor performance (a 1.3 QB rating) earned him a hail of taunts and jeers from Bears fans at Soldier Field. Also, Tommie Harris and Nathan Vasher left the game with knee and hamstring injuries, respectively. [15]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q2 - CHI - 12:20 - Devin Hester 45 yd punt return TD (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-0)
Q2 - MIN - 8:54 - Ryan Longwell 23 yd FG (CHI 7-3)
Q3 - MIN - 10:07 - Ryan Longwell 30 yd FG (CHI 7-6)
Q3 - CHI - 4:33 - Ricky Manning, Jr. 54 yd interception return TD (Gould kick) (CHI 14-6)
Q3 - CHI - 3:04 - Cedric Benson 24 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 21-6)
Q4 - CHI - 13:59 - Safety, Ciatrick Fason tackled in end zone by Tank Johnson (23-6)
Q4 - MIN - 5:40 - Ciatrick Fason 4 yd TD run (Longwell kick) (CHI 23-13)
[edit] Week 14: at St. Louis Rams
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 14 14 14 42 Rams 0 13 0 14 27 Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST Game weather: Dome Stadium: Edward Jones Dome TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Tony Kornheiser (color commentator), and Joe Theismann (color commentator) Game attendance: 66,234 Referee: Jeff Triplette
[edit] Game summary The first quarter went scoreless, as it was beginning to look like a defensive struggle throughout the game. That tide quickly turned early in the second quarter, as the Rams jumped out in front on a short touchdown pass from quarterback Marc Bulger to wide receiver Torry Holt. The Rams botched the snap on the extra point attempt, and led 6-0. Hester then returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for the Bears first score. The Rams marched back downfield on the Bears defense and scored again, this time on a 2-yard plunge by running back Steven Jackson. Bears quarterback Rex Grossman silenced his critics, and bounced back from two poor performances. He threw his first touchdown pass to wideout Bernard Berrian shortly before halftime. The Rams had a chance to take the halftime lead, but kicker Jeff Wilkins missed a field goal, and the Bears led 14-13 at the break.
The Bears went on to score 21 points to open the second half, with rushing touchdowns by running back Thomas Jones and running back Adrian Peterson, and another Grossman touchdown to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. The Rams finally got back on the board midway through the fourth quarter, when Bulger and Holt connected on another short touchdown pass. But history repeated itself, as Hester responded on the ensuing kickoff again with a 96-yard touchdown return. The Rams completed the scoring with Bulger throwing his third touchdown to Jackson. The Bears secured their victory after cornerback Charles Tillman intercepted Bulger. [16]
During the course of the game, Hester broke the NFL record for combined return touchdowns in a single season with six. He also became the sixth player in NFL history to return two kicks for touchdowns in a single game. For his performance, he earned the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award. On a low note, kicker Robbie Gould uncharacteristically missed two field goal attempts, and the Bears announced that defensive tackle Tommie Harris would miss the remainder of the season with a severe hamstring injury.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q2 - STL - 12:45 - 1 yd TD pass from Marc Bulger to Torry Holt (bad snap on PAT attempt) (STL 6-0)
Q2 - CHI - 12:32 - Devin Hester 94 yd kickoff return TD (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-6)
Q2 - STL - 7:43 - Steven Jackson 2 yd TD run (Jeff Wilkins kick) (STL 13-7)
Q2 - CHI - 3:30 - 34 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 14-13)
Q3 - CHI - 8:40 - Thomas Jones 30 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 21-13)
Q3 - CHI - 3:31 - 14 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad (Gould kick) (CHI 28-13)
Q4 - CHI - 13:04 - Adrian Peterson 1 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 35-13)
Q4 - STL - 7:35 - 6 yd TD pass from Marc Bulger to Torry Holt (Wilkins kick) (CHI 35-20)
Q4 - CHI - 7:22 - Devin Hester 96 yd kickoff return TD (Gould kick) (CHI 42-20)
Q4 - STL - 4:41 - 6 yd TD pass from Marc Bulger to Steven Jackson (Wilkins kick) (CHI 42-27)
[edit] Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 2 3 4 OT Total
Buccaneers 0 3 7 21 0 31 Bears 7 14 3 7 3 34 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 49° F (partly sunny) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (FOX): Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Daryl Johnston (color commentator), and Tony Siragusa (field reporter) Game attendance: 62,260 Referee: Larry Nemmers
[edit] Game summary The Bears took the lead midway through the first quarter when Rex Grossman connected with Desmond Clark on a 24 yard touchdown pass. The Bucs responded on a 45 yard Matt Bryant field goal in the second quarter. The Bears scored two more touchdowns before the half ended by Thomas Jones and Clark again. They went into halftime with a 21-3 lead.
The Bears opened the second half scoring with a 38 yard field goal by Robbie Gould. Bucs quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was ineffective and benched in favor of Tim Rattay. Rattay lead the Bucs to their first touchdown since Thanksgiving, a 14 yard run by Mike Alstott with seconds left in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, the Bears' dangerous return man Devin Hester fumbled the kickoff, and set the Bucs up nicely deep in Bears' territory. Rattay capitalized with a touchdown pass to tight end Alex Smith. That reduced the deficit to seven points. The Bears seemingly put the game away when scoring on a four yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson. However, Rattay and the Bucs were not finished, as he threw two long touchdown passes to Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard to tie the game before the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.
The Bucs won the overtime coin toss and elected to receive, but Smith fumbled on the Bucs opening drive of overtime, and the Bears recovered. The Bears marched downfield, and Gould attempted to win the game on a 37 yard field goal attempt. He missed it wide left, and the score remained tied. The teams each had two more possessions, and on the Bears' final drive, Grossman hit Rashied Davis on a key 28 yard pass to set up the game winning field goal by Gould. Grossman finished the game with a career-high 339 yards passing. [17]
The Bears win, coupled with a loss earlier in the day by the New Orleans Saints, gave them home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Desmond Clark caught two touchdowns for 125 yards, and Grossman became the first Bear to throw for over 300 yards since Jim Miller in 2002. For his performance, he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 7:42 - 24 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Desmond Clark (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-0)
Q2 - TB - 8:19 - Matt Bryant 45 yd FG (CHI 7-3)
Q2 - CHI - 3:58 - Thomas Jones 5 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 14-3)
Q2 - CHI - 0:23 - 12 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Desmond Clark (Gould kick) (CHI 21-3)
Q3 - CHI - 5:22 - Robbie Gould 38 yd FG (CHI 24-3)
Q3 - TB - 0:23 - Mike Alstott 14 yd TD run (Bryant kick) (CHI 24-10)
Q4 - TB - 14:13 - 9 yd TD pass from Tim Rattay to Alex Smith (Bryant kick) (CHI 24-17)
Q4 - CHI - 9:23 - Cedric Benson 4 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 31-17)
Q4 - TB - 6:13 - 64 yd TD pass from Tim Rattay to Joey Galloway (Bryant kick) (CHI 31-24)
Q4 - TB - 3:44 - 44 yd TD pass from Tim Rattay to Ike Hilliard (Bryant kick) (31-31)
OT - CHI - 3:37 - Robbie Gould 25 yd FG (CHI 34-31)
[edit] Week 16: at Detroit Lions
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 3 14 0 9 26 Lions 7 0 14 0 21 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: Dome Stadium: Ford Field TV announcers (FOX): Sam Rosen (play-by-play), Tim Ryan (color commentator), and Jay Glazer (field reporter) Game attendance: 60,665 Referee: Terry McAulay
[edit] Game summary The Bears started the game by initiating a balanced attack, which was capped off by a Robbie Gould field goal. Two drives later, the Lions responded by a John Kitna to Dan Campbell touchdown pass. However, the Bears struck back through a 13-yard Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian touchdown pass. Later, Adrian Peterson ended the half by rushing for two-yard touchdown.
The Lions opened the second half quite strongly; John Kitna threw two touchdowns to Mike Furrey and Roy Williams, allowing the Lions to establish a 21-17 lead over the Bears. The Bears chipped away at the lead by recording a 36-yard field goal. With the game still within the Bears’ reach, Lovie Smith opted to substitute Brian Griese in place of Grossman. Griese managed to move the ball with relative ease, allowing the Bears to set up a 39-yard field goal. Later, Bears’ defensive end Mark Anderson sacked Kitna at Detroit’s 37 yard line, resulting in a fumble that was recovered by Adewale Ogunleye. The fumble allowed Gould to kick a 44-yard field goal.
Kitna and Lions attempted to engineer a last second touchdown drive, but their hopes were grounded after Mike Williams failed to catch a pass in the end zone during the game’s dying seconds.[18] The dropped pass allowed the Bears sweep the Lions for the second consecutive year, and earn a 13-2 record.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 8:38 - Robbie Gould 36 yd FG (CHI 3-0)
Q1 - DET - 2:32 - 23 yd TD pass from Jon Kitna to Dan Campbell (Jason Hanson kick) (DET 7-3)
Q2 - CHI - 14:05 - 13 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 10-7)
Q2 - CHI - 0:26 - Adrian Peterson 2 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 17-7)
Q3 - DET - 10:53 - 20 yd TD pass from Jon Kitna to Mike Furrey (Hanson kick) (CHI 17-14)
Q3 - DET - 4:27 - 2 yd TD pass from Jon Kitna to Roy Williams (Hanson kick) (DET 21-17)
Q4 - CHI - 12:21 - Robbie Gould 36 yd FG (DET 21-20)
Q4 - CHI - 5:13 - Robbie Gould 39 yd FG (CHI 23-21)
Q4 - CHI - 2:50 - Robbie Gould 44 yd FG (CHI 26-21)
[edit] Week 17: vs. Green Bay Packers
1 2 3 4 Total
Packers 13 10 0 3 26 Bears 0 0 7 0 7 Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST Game weather: 50° F (cloudy) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator), and Andrea Kremer (field reporter) Game attendance: 62,287 Referee: Bill Vinovich
[edit] Game summary The Bears struggled to contain Packers' quarterback Brett Favre during the game’s opening quarter, allowing him to throw for a touchdown and over 100 yards. The Packers’ lead was extended when two of Rex Grossman’s passes were intercepted and returned for touchdowns. Even with the miscues and the crowd enthusiastically booing, Grossman, as planned, was not pulled in the first half. As expected, Lovie Smith started Brian Griese in the 2nd half, and he took the helm of the Bears offense for the remainder of the game.
Despite struggling to gain any momentum whatsoever, punter Brad Maynard threw a 37-yard pass to Adrian Peterson on a fake punt. The attempt was in vain, however, as Griese threw an interception only plays later. Griese’s only highlight came in towards the end of the third quarter, when he threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradley. Favre, in contrast, threw two touchdowns and one interception for 285 yards. Cedric Benson proved to be the Bears' only offensive threat, by rushing for 109 yards on 13 attempts. [19]
The Bears lost their second consecutive season finale. Favre appeared at the end of the game, and gave a tearful interview with a NBC Sports correspondent, where he admitted his future as professional was still questionable. Additionally, Grossman’s four turnovers, zero passer rating, and press conference comments (where he admitted to being underprepared) drew criticism both from fans and the media[20] as the Bears' regular season came to an end.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - GB - 9:31 - 9 yd TD pass from Brett Favre to Donald Driver (Dave Rayner kick) (GB 7-0)
Q1 - GB - 0:50 - Nick Collins 55 yd interception return TD (kick failed) (GB 13-0)
Q2 - GB - 2:54 - Dave Rayner 25 yd FG (GB 16-0)
Q2 - GB - 0:34 - Patrick Dendy 30 yd interception return TD (Rayner kick) (GB 23-0)
Q3 - CHI - 0:34 - 75 yd TD pass from Brian Griese to Mark Bradley (Robbie Gould kick) (GB 23-7)
Q4 - GB - 10:39 - Dave Rayner 46 yd FG (GB 26-7)
[edit] Post Season
[edit] NFC Divisional playoff: vs Seattle Seahawks
1 2 3 4 OT Total
Seahawks 0 14 10 0 0 24 Bears 7 14 0 3 3 27 Game time: 1:00 PM EST/12:00 PM CST Game weather: 32°F (Cloudy) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (FOX): Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color commentator), Pam Oliver (field reporter), and Chris Myers (field reporter) Game attendance: 62,184 Referee: Gerry Austin
[edit] Game summary The Bears took the opening kickoff and started strongly with a 7-minute-plus scoring drive capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Thomas Jones. The Seahawks responded later in the first quarter with a Matt Hasselbeck to Nate Burleson touchdown pass. Facing a tie game, Rex Grossman wasted no time responding; on the first subsequent play from scrimmage, Grossman threw a 68-yard touchdown pass (a career high) to Bernard Berrian.
After trading possessions with the Seahawks, Grossman fumbled late in the second quarter while attempting to break away from pass rushers. The turnover gave the Seahawks a short field, allowing Shaun Alexander to rush for a four-yard touchdown. On the next drive, the Bears scored another touchdown via a Thomas Jones run to end the half. The Seahawks got back into the game when Alexander scored on a 15-yard touchdown run. Josh Brown shortly followed that with a field goal, giving the Seahawks a 24-21 lead.
The Bears nearly retook the lead on a long drive which ended the third quarter, but a botched catch by Muhsin Muhammad led to an interception. On the following play, Hasselbeck threw an interception to Ricky Manning, Jr. allowing the Bears to set up a Robbie Gould field goal. The Bears held the Seahawks from scoring and sent the game to overtime, where a Grossman to Rashied Davis pass set up a game winning 49-yard Robbie Gould field goal. [21]
Grossman rebounded from his previous performance, throwing for 282 yards with one touchdown and interception. Jones and Cedric Benson rushed for a combined total of 111 yards, while Berrian and Davis put up 105 and 80 receiving yards, respectively. Ultimately, Gould’s last minute heroics enabled the Bears to win their first playoff game since 1994, and win their first divisional game since 1989. The Bears advanced to the NFC Championship game to play the New Orleans Saints.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 8:35 - Thomas Jones 9 yd TD run (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-0)
Q2 - SEA - 14:54 - 16 yd TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Nate Burleson (Josh Brown kick) (7-7)
Q2 - CHI - 14:36 - 68 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 14-7)
Q2 - SEA - 2:29 - Shaun Alexander 4 yd TD run (Brown kick) (14-14)
Q2 - CHI - 0:48 - Thomas Jones 7 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 21-14)
Q3 - SEA - 9:56 - Josh Brown 40 yd FG (CHI 21-17)
Q3 - SEA - 4:57 - Shaun Alexander 13 yd TD run (Brown kick) (SEA 24-21)
Q4 - CHI - 4:24 - Robbie Gould 41 yd FG (24-24)
OT - CHI - 10:02 - Robbie Gould 49 yd FG (CHI 27-24)
[edit] NFC Championship: vs New Orleans Saints
1 2 3 4 Total
Saints 0 7 7 0 14 Bears 3 13 2 21 39 Game time: 3:00 PM EST/2:00 PM CST Game weather: 28°F (Cloudy, Snow) Stadium: Soldier Field TV announcers (FOX): Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color commentator), Pam Oliver (field reporter), and Chris Myers (field reporter) Game attendance: 61,047 Referee: Terry McAulay
[edit] Game summary The Bears started the game by forcing three quick turnovers and establishing a fairly quick 9-0 lead, through three Robbie Gould field goals. After initially and repeatedly pounding the Saints' interior line with Cedric Benson, they went back to starter Thomas Jones, who carried the ball on every play of an 8-play, 69-yard drive, including a short touchdown run, to make the score 16-0. After holding the Saints at bay offensively for a majority of the first half, the Bears allowed the Saints to score a late touchdown through a 13-yard pass from Saints Quarterback Drew Brees to Marques Colston after Peanut Tillman initially stumbled on the play. Early in the third quarter, Reggie Bush scored on an 88-yard swing pass from Brees, cutting the lead to two points. Though the Bears were unable to move the ball during most of the third quarter, they were able to regain some momentum after the Saints’ kicker Billy Cundiff failed to convert a long field goal.
After the Bears were stopped again, punter Brad Maynard pinned the Saints at their own five yard line. The Bears applied tremendous pressure on Brees, forcing an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for the safety, which became the game's major turning point. Two Bears' possessions later, Grossman finally got the passing game going, leading his team down the field on four straight completions. The last was a 33-yard pass to Bernard Berrian, who made a spectacular falling catch for a touchdown. Later, Adewale Ogunleye forced and recovered a fumble after sacking Brees, which lead to a Cedric Benson touchdown. The Bears were not done yet; Jones scored another touchdown, and Nathan Vasher crushed any hopes of Saints comeback by intercepting one of Brees' final passes. [22]
Though the Saints had more net offensive yards than the Bears, their four turnovers proved to be the difference between victory and defeat. After the game, Bears’ owner Virginia McCaskey was presented the George Halas Trophy, named after her late father, former Bears owner George Halas. With the win, Lovie Smith became the first African American coach to achieve a Super Bowl berth. In Super Bowl XLI, The Bears would match up against the Indianapolis Colts, and Smith would face his mentor, Tony Dungy.
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 0:41 - Robbie Gould 19 yd FG (CHI 3-0)
Q2 - CHI - 13:40 - Robbie Gould 43 yd FG (CHI 6-0)
Q2 - CHI - 8:52 - Robbie Gould 24 yd FG (CHI 9-0)
Q2 - CHI - 1:56 - Thomas Jones 2 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 16-0)
Q2 - NO - 0:46 - 13 yd TD pass from Drew Brees to Marques Colston (John Carney kick) (CHI 16-7)
Q3 - NO - 12:20 - 88 yd TD pass from Drew Brees to Reggie Bush (Carney kick) (CHI 16-14)
Q3 - CHI - 5:27 - Safety, intentional grounding by Drew Brees in the end zone (CHI 18-14)
Q4 - CHI - 14:23 - 33 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Bernard Berrian (Gould kick) (CHI 25-14)
Q4 - CHI - 11:37 - Cedric Benson 12 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 32-14)
Q4 - CHI - 4:19 - Thomas Jones 15 yd TD run (Gould kick) (CHI 39-14)
[edit] Super Bowl XLI: vs Indianapolis Colts
1 2 3 4 Total
Colts 6 10 6 7 29 Bears 14 0 3 0 17 Game time: 6:25 PM EST/5:25 PM CST Game weather: 67° F (19.6° C), Mostly Cloudy; Rain Stadium: Dolphin Stadium TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz (booth play-by-play), Phil Simms (booth color commentator), Solomon Wilcots (sideline reporter), Steve Tasker (sideline reporter), Lesley Visser (in-stadium reporter), and Sam Ryan (in-stadium reporter) Game attendance: 74,512 Referee: Tony Corrente
[edit] Game summary
[edit] First half
The two lions outside of the Art Institute of Chicago are decorated to show support for the BearsSuper Bowl XLI, the first Super Bowl to be played entirely in intemperate weather, saw the Bears take on the Indianapolis Colts at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. The Bears struck early, as Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Again, things looked up for the bears when on the ensuing Colts possession, Peyton Manning was intercepted by Chris Harris; however, the Bears could only muster a three and out. The Colts then struck on a 53 yard touchdown pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne, but a botched snap resulted in an unconverted point after touchdown.
Deciding not to kick deep to Hester again, the Colts squib kicked, and Bears backup Tight End Gabe Reid received the ball, and promptly fumbled it while being tackled. The Bears convalesced when on the ensuing snap, Manning aborted and fumbled a handoff as Alex Brown disrupted a play in the backfield. With momentum again on their side, the Bears handed off to Thomas Jones for a 52 yard run to the Colts 5, his longest run of the year. Chicago then raised its score to 14 as Rex Grossman passed to Muhsin Muhammad for a 4 yard touchdown. The Bears held Indianapolis to a three and out on the ensuing possession, but Cedric Benson fumbled after a Bob Sanders hit two plays into the Bears possession. The teams then exchanged three and outs, with Benson leaving the game due to a knee injury. Indianapolis scored again on their first possession of the 2nd quarter, with an Adam Vinatieri 29 yard field goal.
After another Bears three and out, Manning and Dominic Rhodes marched the Colts down the field to take the lead 16-14, with Rhodes scoring on a 1 yard touchdown run. Again, the Bears went three and out. With almost 4 minutes left in the first half, the Colts began to march down the field in much the same way as their previous possession, but Peanut Tillman forced and recovered a Bryan Fletcher fumble. Chicago's offense then continued to struggle as Grossman fumbled the ensuing snap, Raheem Brock recovering. With :02 left in the half, Vinatieri uncharacteristically missed a 36 yard field goal.
[edit] Second half
The Colts again marched the ball down the field during their first possession of the second half, with a 13 play, 56 yard drive that resulted in a 24 yard Vinatieri field goal, increasing the Indianapolis lead to five. The Bears' offensive woes continued when after a few successful plays, Grossman was sacked. Then on the next play, Grossman fumbled his second snap of the game, recovering the ball himself but losing 10 yards. Dominic Rhodes again hurt the Bears with one 36 and two 8 yard runs on the ensuing drive. After a 6 play, 62 yard drive, Vinatieri lined up and converted another field goal, this time from 20 yards.
The Bears would respond on their last drive of the 3rd quarter with a Robbie Gould 44 yard field goal, making the score 22-17 in favor of Indianapolis. The Bears' defense held the Colts to 23 yards and no points on their next possession. After the Colts' punt resulted in a touchback, Thomas Jones opened the Bears' 4th quarter with a run of 12 yards, which was called back due to a holding penalty. Three plays later, Grossman threw an interception returned for a touchdown to Chicago native Kelvin Hayden. Grossman continued his struggles as the third pass on the ensuing drive, intended for Bernard Berrian, was under-thrown and picked off by Sanders, with 9:55 left in the 4th quarter. With the scoreboard reading 29-17 in favor of the Colts, the two teams traded possessions until the clock expired. Tony Dungy became the first African American coach to win the Super Bowl, besting his friend Lovie Smith. [23]
[edit] Scoring summary
Q1 - CHI - 14:46 - Devin Hester 92 yd kickoff return TD (Robbie Gould kick) (CHI 7-0)
Q1 - IND - 6:50 - 53 yd TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne (pat failed) (CHI 7-6)
Q1 - CHI - 4:34 - 4 yd TD pass from Rex Grossman to Muhsin Muhammad (Gould kick) (CHI 14-6)
Q2 - IND - 11:17 - Adam Vinatieri 29 yd FG (CHI 14-9)
Q2 - IND - 6:09 - Dominic Rhodes 1 yd TD run (Vinatieri kick) (IND 16-14)
Q3 - IND - 7:26 - Adam Vinatieri 24 yd FG (IND 19-14)
Q3 - IND - 3:16 - Adam Vinatieri 20 yd FG (IND 22-14)
Q3 - CHI - 1:14 - Robbie Gould 44 yd FG (IND 22-17)
Q4 - IND - 11:44 - Kelvin Hayden 56 yd interception return TD (Vinatieri kick) (IND 29-17)