1963: Bears Shut Down Packers to Win Season-Opening Game

The Chicago Bears faced a formidable task as they took on their arch-rivals, the Green Bay Packers, in a season-opening game on September 15, 1963. The Packers were coming off of two consecutive NFL Championships, going a combined 24-4 during the regular season in so doing, and had beaten Chicago in five straight contests. The defending champs were two-touchdown favorites to keep the streak going at home.

Head Coach Vince Lombardi was commencing his fifth year with Green Bay and the club was as formidable on both sides of the ball as their record would imply. QB Bart Starr was highly efficient and FB Jim Taylor had unseated Cleveland’s Jim Brown as the rushing leader in ’62 while also scoring a record 19 touchdowns. The receivers were good and the line excellent. If there was a major concern, it was over the loss of HB/PK Paul Hornung for the year due to a gambling suspension. Likewise on defense, the Packers had five returning players who had received at least some first-team All-NFL recognition and Lombardi felt secure enough to trade two aging veterans, DE Bill Quinlan and CB Johnny Symank, during the offseason.

The Bears, under the direction of 68-year-old owner and Head Coach George Halas, were coming off of a 9-5 record and looked to be a potential challenger in the Western Conference. QB Bill Wade (pictured above) was an able passer, there were good receivers in flanker Johnny Morris and TE Mike Ditka, and a fair stable of running backs. However, the defense, under the guidance of assistant coach George Allen, was especially impressive and contained stalwarts in DE Doug Atkins, MLB Bill George, and safeties Roosevelt Taylor and Richie Petitbon. 

There were 42,327 fans in attendance at Green Bay’s City Stadium. The Packers had to punt following the game’s first series and the Bears nearly provided some excitement when Johnny Morris returned the kick 44 yards to the Green Bay 38, but it was all for naught when Chicago was flagged for clipping. Now starting from their 13, the visitors made one first down before having to punt in return.

Jim Taylor ran for eight yards but LB Larry Morris managed to force a fumble and SS Richie Petitbon recovered at the Green Bay 33. Carries by HB Ronnie Bull and FB Rick Casares picked up 11 yards before the defense was able to halt the advance. Bob Jencks came on to kick a 32-yard field goal and Chicago had a 3-0 lead.

CB Herb Adderley nearly broke the ensuing kickoff return but was tripped up by FB Joe Marconi. Taylor and HB Tom Moore ran for a total of 17 yards and Bart Starr completed passes to TE Ron Kramer and Moore to get to the Chicago 34. The drive halted there and Jerry Kramer tied the score with a 41-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts as the game entered the second quarter. The Bears then mounted a drive that covered 66 yards in 14 plays that included Wade running for 10 yards and passing to Bull for 22 to the Green Bay four. However, on second down Wade fumbled when hit hard by DT Dave Hanner and DT Henry Jordan recovered to end the threat. Each team came up with an interception before the first half ended as CB Jesse Whittenton picked off a Wade pass and Petitbon grabbed one for the Bears, and the score remained tied at the intermission.

Following a short series by the Bears to start the third quarter, Green Bay commenced a drive in which Taylor gained 15 yards on two carries and Starr threw to Moore for 18 to the Chicago 47. But following two short running plays, Starr’s pass intended for flanker Boyd Dowler bounced off the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by FS Roosevelt Taylor.

The Bears proceeded to put together a 68-yard drive in 10 plays. Wade completed passes to Bull for 21 yards and Marconi for 16 to the Green Bay 18 and, two plays later, he connected with split end Bo Farrington to the two. From there, Marconi (pictured at left) ran off-tackle for a touchdown and Jencks converted to put Chicago ahead by seven with less than four minutes remaining in the period.

Following an exchange of punts, the Packers began to move the ball again early in the fourth quarter. Starr made throws to Ron Kramer for 11 yards and split end Max McGee for 10 to reach the Chicago 36, but the drive halted there and, facing fourth-and-one, they punted.

The Bears were able to hold onto the ball with the help of a roughing-the-kicker penalty and the clock was down to 6:59 when Green Bay finally regained possession. CB Dave Whitsell intercepted a Starr throw and Chicago advanced into scoring position, but a Jencks field goal try was wide with 1:56 remaining to play. However, any lingering hopes for the Packers ended when Bill George picked off a short pass by Starr and Chicago pulled off the upset by a final score of 10-3.

Chicago’s domination was total as the Bears led in total yards (231 to 150) and first downs (15 to 9) and ran 59 plays to Green Bay’s 43. The point total was the lowest for the Packers since 1959, Lombardi’s first season, and they turned the ball over five times, to two by Chicago.

Bill Wade kept the passes short and completed an efficient 18 of 24 for 129 yards while giving up one interception. He also ran the ball 8 times for 26 yards, placing just behind Rick Casares, who gained 27 yards on five carries, as Chicago’s leading rusher. In addition to gaining 23 yards on 12 rushing attempts, Ronnie Bull (pictured below) led the team by pulling in 6 catches for 48 yards.

For the Packers, Bart Starr had an uncharacteristically rough outing as he succeeded on 11 of 22 throws for 83 yards and was intercepted four times. Jim Taylor was held to 53 yards on 12 carries and Tom Moore, who ran 9 times for 24 yards, gained 32 yards on a team-leading four pass receptions. Ron Kramer picked up 35 yards on his three catches. Jerry Norton, the team’s new punter obtained from the Cowboys, boomed five punts for a 48.6-yard average.

“We had nothing going,” summed up Vince Lombardi in defeat. “We couldn’t even get our hands on the ball. We were lucky to get away 10-3.”

The first week battle set up a tight race between the Bears and Packers that lasted the entire season. Chicago swept the series between the clubs and that was the difference as the Bears finished first in the Western Conference at 11-1-2 and Green Bay in second with an 11-2-1 record. The Bears came away with the NFL Championship, their first since 1946, by defeating the New York Giants.  

Chicago’s defense remained stifling and led the league in ten categories, including fewest points allowed (144) and fewest total yards (3176) which included both the lowest rushing (1442) and passing (1734) yards allowed. Fittingly, five members of the defensive unit were consensus first-team All-NFL selections, including Doug Atkins, Bill George, OLB Joe Fortunato, Roosevelt Taylor, and Richie Petitbon.

1961: Eagles Edge Bears Thanks to Missed FGs But Lose Brookshier

The Philadelphia Eagles were sporting a 6-1 record as they hosted the tough Chicago Bears on November 5, 1961. The Eagles had been forced to make key offseason moves after winning the 1960 NFL Championship since both Head Coach Buck Shaw and star QB Norm Van Brocklin had chosen to retire. Taking their place were Nick Skorich, promoted from line coach to head coach, and QB Sonny Jurgensen (pictured at right), who had been waiting for his opportunity since coming to Philadelphia as a fourth round draft choice out of Duke in 1957. Now he was making the most of it, proving to be a highly productive passer, and with capable receivers available in flanker Tommy McDonald and ends Pete Retzlaff and Bobby Walston, who was also the team’s experienced placekicker.  

The Bears were 5-2 and had a four-game winning streak coming into Philadelphia. Under the guidance of owner and Head Coach George Halas, Chicago also had notable newcomers in QB Bill Wade, obtained from the Rams, and rookie TE Mike Ditka. The defense was solid and experienced, with the line anchored by DE Doug Atkins, Bill George at middle linebacker flanked by Joe Fortunato and Larry Morris, and the backfield featuring cornerbacks Dave Whitsell and J.C. Caroline and safeties Roosevelt Taylor and Richie Petitbon.

There were 60,671 fans in attendance at Franklin Field on an unseasonably warm day. The Eagles had the game’s first possession and advanced into Chicago territory. Sonny Jurgensen threw to Pete Retzlaff for an 18-yard gain on a third-and-eight play and a pass to Tommy McDonald picked up 12 yards. However, facing third-and-one at the Chicago 33, Jurgensen was sacked for a loss of eight yards by Doug Atkins and DE Bob Kilcullen, and Bobby Walston’s long field goal attempt was blocked.

The Bears had good field position to start at their 48 but an attempt to convert a fourth down at the Philadelphia 43 was stopped short. After being moved back by a holding penalty, the Eagles began to move as Jurgensen threw to Walston for eight yards and FB Clarence Peaks ran for 15 more. Jurgensen converted a third-and-eight situation with a pass to McDonald for 19 yards to the Chicago 20 and followed up with a throw to Retzlaff for another eight yards. The drive finally stalled at the five yard line and Walston kicked a 12-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Chicago wasted little time in responding as, on the second play following the ensuing kickoff, Bill Wade threw deep to Mike Ditka for a 76-yard touchdown. Roger LeClerc kicked the extra point and the visitors were up by 7-3.

The Eagles benefited from a pass interference penalty on Roosevelt Taylor that was good for 36 yards on a third down play, but after reaching the Chicago 28 they were stopped in a fourth-and-two situation. As the game entered the second quarter, the Bears had to punt and Philadelphia advanced 78 yards in five plays. Runs by HB Billy Barnes and Peaks got a first down and the Eagles got another when Jurgensen completed a pass to Walston for nine yards and HB Ted Dean ran for four. Jurgensen then fired long for McDonald, who got beyond Taylor for a 55-yard touchdown. Walston converted and the home team was back in front by 10-7.

The Bears had to punt following their next possession but got the ball back quickly when Dave Whitsell (pictured at left) intercepted a Jurgensen pass and returned it 52 yards to the Philadelphia five. Two plays later, FB Rick Casares ran for a two-yard TD and, with LeClerc’s extra point, Chicago was ahead by 14-10.

The Eagles drove into Chicago territory as Jurgensen threw to Walston for 13 yards and McDonald for 14, but facing third-and-10 at the visitors’ 30 it was Richie Petitbon coming up with an interception to blunt the threat. Casares ran three times to give the Bears a first down at the two-minute warning, but a delay of game penalty and sack of Wade moved the visitors back and they ultimately were forced to punt. Ed Brown’s kick sailed 69 yards, and two long Jurgensen completions were nullified by backfield in motion penalties. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter. A 21-yard return by DB Irv Cross gave the Eagles good field position at the Chicago 40, but they were unable to move on offense and Walston’s 44-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right. The Bears, now with strong-armed QB Ed Brown behind center, again had to punt and Cross had another good return, gaining 20 yards to the Philadelphia 47. Barnes had a 15-yard run and Jurgensen rolled out and threw to Peaks for 33 yards to the Chicago eight. Peaks ran for a three-yard TD, and while LB Joe Fortunato blocked Walston’s extra point attempt, the Eagles were in the lead by two points.

The Bears were on the move as the game headed into the fourth quarter. HB Willie Galimore had a 16-yard run, Casares dove for three yards on a third-and-one play, and Galimore ran three more times for another 16 yards. However, after reaching the Philadelphia 11, the drive stalled and LeClerc was wide on an 18-yard field goal try.

Once again Whitsell intercepted a Jurgensen pass, this time returning it 19 yards to the Philadelphia 19. Casares ran effectively to get the ball inside the ten, but the visitors were stopped there and, with Brown now attempting a field goal from 13 yards, Cross deflected the kick and it sailed wide to the right.

The Eagles went three-and-out and punted, but the Bears were unable to get beyond their own 40 on the ensuing possession. Most significantly, CB Tom Brookshier, the defensive captain, went down with a compound fracture of his leg on a second down play. Brown’s punt traveled 56 yards and came to rest at the Philadelphia four. With Peaks primarily running the ball, most notably on a three-yard carry for a first down on a third down play, and the Bears called for a personal foul, the Eagles maintained possession for the remaining time, holding on for a 16-14 win.

Philadelphia far outgained the Bears (342 to 215), especially in net passing yards (237 to 89), and also had a clear edge in first downs (19 to 9). However, the Eagles also accounted for the game’s only three turnovers. Chicago was penalized seven times, at a cost of 94 yards, to five flags thrown on Philadelphia. Ultimately, it came down to the failure of the Bears to connect on either of their short field goal attempts in the fourth quarter.

Sonny Jurgensen completed 18 of 33 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown, but gave up three interceptions. Tommy McDonald had 6 catches for 109 yards and a TD. Clarence Peaks (pictured above) rushed for 62 yards on 16 carries that included a score and also contributed four pass receptions for another 61 yards. Irv Cross averaged 14.3 yards on four punt returns.

For the Bears, Bill Wade and Ed Brown completed four passes between them out of 12 attempts, with Wade throwing for 85 yards and a TD. Brown also averaged 48.1 yards on seven punts. Mike Ditka gained a team-leading 76 yards on his lone long touchdown reception. Rick Casares gained 65 yards on 17 rushing attempts that included a TD and Willie Galimore added 42 yards on 13 carries. On defense, Dave Whitsell accounted for two of Chicago’s three interceptions and returned them for a combined 71 yards.  

The Eagles lost to the conference-rival Giants and Browns the next two weeks, and another loss to New York ultimately cost them a second Eastern title. They finished with a 10-4 record, just behind the 10-3-1 Giants. Chicago lost three of its next four games to drop out of contention in the Western Conference, ending up at 8-6 and tied with the Colts in third place.

The loss of Tom Brookshier (pictured at right) proved critical to the Eagles, for his leadership as well as outstanding defensive play. Tough, if not especially fast, and an excellent tackler, Brookshier had been selected to the previous two Pro Bowls and received consensus first-team All-NFL honors following the 1960 championship season. In his place, the Eagles used Irv Cross and Glen Amerson, both rookies, and it was a factor in the defeats that followed. While it wasn’t known at the time, the injury proved to be career-ending. Brookshier attempted to come back in ’62 but was forced to retire, entering into a long career as a broadcaster.

1964: Bears Rally to Defeat College All-Stars

The 31^st annual College All-Star Game in Chicago on August 7, 1964 featured the home-town Bears, NFL Champions of 1963, against the usual crop of outstanding players coming out of college.

Chicago, which was coached by “the Papa Bear” George Halas, had combined dominating defense and a conservative offense to reach the top the previous year. QB Bill Wade (pictured at right) was a competent field general and had skilled receivers in TE Mike Ditka and flanker Johnny Morris. However, there was also a shadow of tragedy due to the deaths of HB Willie Galimore and end John “Bo” Farrington in an auto accident during training camp. The players wore black arm bands in their honor.

Otto Graham was coaching the All-Stars for the seventh consecutive year and had led the collegians to two wins during that time, including the previous year against Green Bay. All-Star standouts included quarterbacks Pete Beathard from USC and George Mira of Miami, Ohio State flanker Paul Warfield, and two Arizona State backfield mates, HB Charley Taylor and FB Tony Lorick, on offense. The defense included Minnesota DE Carl Eller, linebackers Dave Wilcox of Oregon and Wally Hilgenberg from Iowa, and Oregon safety Mel Renfro. There was some controversy when Coach Graham commented that Taylor appeared to “lack desire” during the practices leading up to the game, and there was concern about the condition of the highly-touted Mira’s sore arm.

There were 65,000 fans in attendance on a 79-degree Friday night at Soldier Field. With Pete Beathard behind center, the All-Stars advanced 27 yards in four plays following the opening kickoff, but Beathard fumbled and MLB Bill George recovered for the Bears at the All-Star 46. The pro champs were unable to take advantage of the break as they gained six yards in three plays and Roger LeClerc was short on a 47-yard field goal attempt.

The All-Stars were unable to get beyond their 16 on the next possession and the resulting punt gave Chicago good field position at the All-Star 43. Bill Wade completed passes to split end Gary Barnes and Mike Ditka but, with first-and-goal at the three yard line, HB Ronnie Bull gained a yard and Wade’s pass into the end zone was intercepted by CB Jerry Richardson from West Texas State.

The collegians moved effectively in response as Beathard completed passes to Paul Warfield and split end Chuck Logan of Northwestern. Tony Lorick contributed a 20-yard run as well. Beathard threw to Charley Taylor for a 29-yard gain to the Chicago 15 and, while the All-Stars were unable to reach the end zone, Ohio State’s Dick Van Raaphorst booted a 14-yard field goal for the game’s first points.

The Bears came alive on offense and nearly scored when Wade connected with flanker Johnny Morris for an apparent 31-yard touchdown, but Morris was called for offensive pass interference. However, on the seventh play of the series, they did get a TD on a pass from Wade to Ditka that covered 13 yards. Bob Jencks added the extra point and Chicago was ahead by 7-3.

The All-Stars again had to punt following their next possession but HB Billy Martin muffed the kick and Taylor recovered for the collegians at the Chicago 17. Two plays later, George Mira picked up a fumbled snap and pitched the ball back to Taylor, who then unleashed an option pass to Georgia Tech TE Ted Davis for a 14-yard touchdown. Van Raaphorst converted and the All-Stars took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

The Bears went 80 yards in 11 plays to start the third quarter and effectively take control of the game. The big play was a pass from Wade to Morris that covered 39 yards to the All-Star one. Two plays later, Wade scored from there on a quarterback sneak and, with Jencks adding the PAT, Chicago was in front by 14-10.

On the next series, QB Jack Concannon of Boston College fumbled and DE Doug Atkins recovered for the Bears and Wade immediately capitalized by connecting with Barnes for a 20-yard TD. Jencks added the point after and in less than two minutes the pro champs had gone from a three-point deficit to a 21-10 lead.

The teams traded interceptions before the All-Stars, with Mira (pictured at left) back in at quarterback, advanced to the Chicago four. However, the Bears held and the collegians came up empty.

In the fourth quarter, a Beathard pass was picked off by CB Bennie McCrae at the All-Star 39, and the Bears effectively put the game away when backup QB Rudy Bukich threw to HB Charlie Bivins for a 30-yard touchdown.

Down by 28-10, the All-Stars attempted trickery with both Beathard and Mira lining up together in the backfield. Advancing 80 yards, and with Beathard taking the snap and lateraling to Mira, the collegians managed to get one last TD on a five-yard toss to Taylor. Van Raaphorst converted but there were only 25 seconds remaining in the contest. The Bears ended up winning comfortably by a final score of 28-17.

Chicago had the edge in total yards (371 to 289) although the All-Stars managed to gain 142 yards on the ground. Both teams turned the ball over four times apiece.

Bill Wade completed 15 of 23 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. Ronnie Bull led the Bears in rushing with 35 yards on 9 carries.

George Mira completed 8 of 18 passes for 70 yards and a TD and rushed for 56 yards on four carries. Pete Beathard was five of seven for 75 yards but gave up two interceptions. Tony Lorick ran for 38 yards on six attempts and Charley Taylor (pictured below) contributed seven rushes for 36 yards, caught two passes for 34 yards and a TD, threw a touchdown pass, and recovered a fumble. The player who had been subject to Otto Graham’s barbed comment prior to the game was named All-Star MVP.

The win by Chicago gave the pro champs a 20 to 9 edge in the series, with two ties. It was the fifth victory for the Bears, against one defeat and a tie, in what was their final appearance in the game. They dropped to sixth place in the Western Conference with a 5-9 record in ’64 and did not return to the postseason until 1977.

Charley Taylor went on to a Rookie of the Year season for Washington and, shifted to wide receiver two years later, put together a career that made him the NFL’s all-time pass receiving leader at the time of his retirement (649 catches) and gained him enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. George Mira had far less success, spending most of his career as a backup for the 49ers (and later the Eagles and Dolphins) although he was the starting quarterback for the Birmingham Americans, who won the only World Football League championship in 1974. 

1960: Packers Overcome 20-Point Deficit, but Rams Get Late FG to Win

The Los Angeles Rams were sporting a mediocre 2-5-1 record as they took on the Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee on November 20, 1960. Two of the franchise’s former great players had taken over leadership positions, with Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch as general manager and Bob Waterfield as head coach. After an 0-4 start, Waterfield began shifting personnel and giving talented rookies more playing time. The Rams rolled up big scores in wins over the Lions and expansion Cowboys before losing in the rematch with Detroit the week prior to facing the Packers.

Green Bay, in its second year under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, was 5-2 and fighting it out with the Colts, winners of the last two NFL titles, for primacy in the Western Conference. QB Bart Starr was a rising talent and HB Paul Hornung was proving to be a scoring machine. FB Jim Taylor was a solid inside runner, but was listed as doubtful coming into the game due to a leg injury. The defense was tough and the Packers clearly had the look of a club on the rise.

There were 35,763 fans in attendance at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. The Packers broke out to an early lead when Hornung kicked a field goal to cap an 11-play, 70-yard drive. DT Henry Jordan then recovered a fumble by Los Angeles QB Bill Wade, giving the Packers possession at the LA one yard line. Two plays later, and after Taylor, who clearly was not in top form, lost a yard, Hornung ran in from two yards out for a touchdown. “The Golden Boy” also added the extra point that made the score 10-0 in favor of the home team.

The Rams, in danger of being left in the dust, reached Green Bay territory on the next series before CB Jesse Whittenton intercepted a Wade pass at his own six. However, the Packers couldn’t move the ball from there and LA made a big play when DT John LoVetere blocked a Boyd Dowler punt. The Rams capitalized by scoring a touchdown on a Wade pass to end Del Shofner from 17 yards out.

The Packers responded by moving into Los Angeles territory, at which point Hornung was briefly knocked out of the game after being hit by LB Jack Pardee and CB Ed Meador. Hornung returned to try for a 36-yard field goal, but LoVetere again came through with a blocked kick for the Rams. Meador picked up the loose ball and ran all the way to the Green Bay 21 before Starr pulled him down. The Packers dug in on defense but the Rams ended up with a field goal of their own, by Danny Villanueva from 23 yards, thus tying the score at 10-10.

It quickly got worse for the Packers when flanker Lew Carpenter fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return. CB Carl Karilivacz recovered for the Rams at the Green Bay 11 and Los Angeles again made the Packers pay. Villanueva kicked another field goal, from 17 yards, to put LA in front.

Three plays later, an interception by safety Will Sherman set up another score for the Rams. LA took possession at the Green Bay 47, and this time reached the end zone. Wade threw to rookie end Jim Phillips (pictured at top) for a nine-yard touchdown, the receiver catching the ball on one knee in the corner of the end zone. The Rams took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, backup QB Lamar McHan came in for Starr and he overthrew a pass that was picked off by safety Charley Britt at the Green Bay 41. Wade went long for Phillips right away, who had a step on the aging great safety Emlen Tunnell, and it was good for the 41-yard touchdown. With Villanueva’s extra point, the Rams were up by 27-10.

It continued to go badly for the Packers as end Max McGee, after gaining 16 yards on an end-around, fumbled and the ball was recovered by DT George Strugar. The Rams continued to make Green Bay pay for mistakes, going seven plays on a series that ended with another Villanueva field goal, from 31 yards. LA was ahead by a remarkable 30-10.

Down by 20 points, the Packers came alive on offense. Rookie Tom Moore (pictured below), in for the injured Taylor at fullback, took a pitchout on the fourth play of the next series and ran down the left sideline, broke to the middle where he outmaneuvered Pardee and Britt, and continued on for a 59-yard TD. Not only did it pick up the team, but the crowd came back to life as well.

The Rams were forced to punt by the inspired Green Bay defense, and the Packers moved 55 yards on a possession that ended with Hornung throwing to Dowler on a halfback option pass in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Once more the Packers forced a short LA series and punt. After a 10-yard run by Moore, Starr connected with Hornung for a 33-yard gain and, two plays later, it was Hornung running over for a touchdown from two yards out. Adding the extra point, the Packers were up by a point with ten minutes to play and appeared to have capped an amazing comeback – but there was still plenty of time.

Ahead by 31-30, the Packers were ferocious on defense. When the Rams once again went three-and-out, they had managed only 13 plays and one first down over the course of four possessions that resulted in punts as Green Bay surged back.

Following that punt, the Packers took over at their own 41. It appeared that the home team was moving in for a clinching touchdown as Starr threw to McGee for a 24-yard gain to the LA 17, but the drive stalled and TE Ron Kramer couldn’t hold onto a pass at the goal line. Hornung then missed a 22-yard field goal attempt that would have forced the Rams to have to score a touchdown rather than a field goal to win.

The Rams couldn’t get anywhere on offense once again, and Shofner’s punt traveled only 25 yards. The Packers had another shot but, facing second-and-five at the LA 35, Hornung ran for four yards but then fumbled the ball away, with Britt recovering for the Rams.

The clock was down to 2:40 and the Rams had the ball at their 40 with Frank Ryan now at quarterback. Twice Ryan scrambled away from Green Bay defenders to keep a drive going that reached the Packers’ two. Nearly sacked by DT Dave Hanner, the nimble Ryan took off for a 12-yard gain to the Green Bay 40 and followed up by firing a 15-yard completion to end Carroll Dale. HB Jon Arnett lost two yards but then broke away for a 22-yard gain to the Green Bay four. After FB Ollie Matson couldn’t plow into the end zone, Villanueva kicked the winning nine-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining. The Rams came away with a stunning 33-31 upset.

Green Bay led in total yards (384 to 205), with 203 of that total coming on the ground, and first downs (20 to 12). However, sloppy play on the part of the Packers helped the Rams along, who took advantage of two blocked kicks and five turnovers to score points, while turning the ball over just twice themselves. The Packers recorded six sacks, while Los Angeles didn’t get to the Green Bay quarterbacks at all.

Bill Wade completed 14 of 26 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted, while Frank Ryan, appearing in the climactic series, was one-of-three through the air for 15 yards and ran effectively for 13 yards on two carries. Jim Phillips caught 5 passes for 88 yards and two TDs. The anemic running game was led by rookie HB Dick Bass, with 20 yards on two attempts. Jon Arnett had just 14 yards on 8 carries and Ollie Matson ran the ball 10 times for only 13 yards, although he also had three pass receptions for 36 yards. Danny Villanueva (pictured above) did his part by connecting on all four of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner.

For the Packers, Tom Moore had a great performance, especially in relief of Jim Taylor in the second half as he gained 105 yards on 11 carries that included the long scoring run. Paul Hornung ran 16 times for 47 yards, caught two passes for 45 more yards, and tossed an 18-yard TD pass as he accounted for a total of 19 points, but his critical missed field goal try and fumble in the fourth quarter dampened the performance. Bart Starr was successful on 10 of 20 throws for 163 yards and gave up one interception. Max McGee led the receivers with four catches for 71 yards.

The loss put the Packers a game behind the Colts with four contests remaining, and Green Bay would be on the road for all four. However, Baltimore was in the process of a complete collapse and, after losing the next week at Detroit, Green Bay rallied to win the last three games and top the Western Conference at 8-4. The finale, which clinched the title, was at Los Angeles. The Packers lost the NFL Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams, meanwhile, ended up sixth in the conference with a 4-7-1 record.

Paul Hornung went on to set a league scoring record of 176 points that lasted until 2006. He tallied 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 41 extra points and was a consensus first-team All-NFL honoree as well as Pro Bowl selection.

Jim “Red” Phillips had a fine first year, catching 52 passes for 883 yards (17.0 avg.) and scoring eight TDs. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Third-year QB Frank Ryan, who masterminded the last scoring drive that put the Rams over the top, saw considerable action in relief of Bill Wade and threw for 816 yards and seven touchdowns with nine interceptions. He would eventually achieve stardom – but not until he was dealt to the Cleveland Browns following the ’62 season.

1961: Bears Shut Down the 49er Shotgun

The San Francisco 49ers had raised eyebrows throughout the NFL with their utilization of a new offensive alignment, called the shotgun, for the last five games of the 1960 season, winning four of them. The shotgun was a spread formation with the quarterback taking the snap from about seven yards behind center rather than directly as in the standard T-formation and then typically rolling out with the option to run or pass. Head Coach Red Hickey developed it out of desperation because the offense was not performing well, and the good results assured that it would be San Francisco’s regular offense for 1961.

The 49ers took a step in the direction of fully implementing the shotgun in the 1961 NFL draft when they chose Bill Kilmer, a tailback out of UCLA, as one of their first round picks. He was both mobile and a fair passer, which made him a good fit for the shotgun. Kilmer was one of three quarterbacks on the roster that were alternated throughout the game to operate the shotgun. John Brodie, a fifth-year veteran, was more adept at passing and Bob Waters, in his second season, was a runner (13-year veteran Y.A. Tittle was the odd man out and was traded to the Giants in the preseason). San Francisco was off to a 4-1 start and leading the league in points and total yards as the club traveled to Chicago to take on the Bears on October 22, 1961.

The Bears, coached by George Halas, were 3-2. They had a new starting quarterback in Bill Wade, obtained from the Rams, as well as a promising rookie in TE Mike Ditka. Most of all, Chicago had a solid defense which had at its core the outstanding linebacker trio of Joe Fortunato, Bill George, and Larry Morris.

Chicago’s defensive coach Clark Shaughnessy pulled a page out of his knowledge of the old single-wing formation (among others that were similar to the shotgun) by having the middle linebacker, Bill George (pictured at top), right on top of San Francisco’s center who, having to pass the ball back several yards between his legs, was not well positioned to block. A great player with outstanding instincts, George’s assignment was to shoot through the gap and pressure the quarterback. The defensive linemen also shifted and sought to account for the movements of the running backs – or wing backs – who usually set up at the line. In addition, the Bears adjusted their defensive formations to the relative abilities of the three San Francisco quarterbacks.

There were 49,070 fans on hand for the game at Wrigley Field. The Bears punted following their first possession but got the ball back when FB J.D. Smith of the 49ers fumbled on the first play and Joe Fortunato recovered at the San Francisco 27. Chicago came up empty, however, when Roger LeClerc’s 35-yard field goal attempt was short.

All three quarterbacks contributed as the 49ers moved 20 yards on their next series, but again they turned the ball over when Bill Kilmer fumbled it away at his own 40. Two plays later, Chicago’s Bill Wade threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Jimmy Johnson. The Niners punted and that remained the pattern into the second quarter as neither offense was able to move effectively.

The Bears were winning the battle for field position, however, and after a 27-yard Tommy Davis punt gave them the ball at the San Francisco 48, they finally took advantage. They needed only three plays as, following a four-yard run, Wade threw to Mike Ditka (pictured at left) for 22 yards and then to split end Bo Farrington for a 26-yard touchdown. LeClerc added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

On the next series, the Bears got the ball back when Harlon Hill, normally an offensive end but now also playing defensive back, intercepted a Brodie pass and returned it 24 yards to the San Francisco 40. Again they scored quickly as Wade, after first being sacked for a seven-yard loss, threw to Ditka for a 47-yard TD. LeClerc again converted and the score remained 14-0 at the half.

It remained the same story as the game entered the second half. The 49ers couldn’t move on offense, and the Bears continued to win the battle for field position. In their second series of the third quarter, Wade completed a pass to Ditka for 23 yards, HB Willie Galimore had a 16-yard run, and on the seventh play Wade again connected with Ditka for a 15-yard touchdown.

Down 21-0, CB Abe Woodson returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty advanced the 49ers to their 49 yard line – their deepest penetration since the first quarter. But Kilmer, Waters, and Brodie each threw an incomplete pass and the Niners again had to punt.

Late in the third quarter, Waters was picked off by CB Dave Whitsell to give the Bears the ball at the San Francisco 29. As the game moved into the final period, Chicago moved methodically down to the one yard line but a field goal attempt was unsuccessful. It hardly mattered, especially when Fortunato intercepted a Brodie pass on the next play and the Bears had possession at the San Francisco 27. This time they came away with points when Ed Brown kicked a 29-yard field goal.

With fewer than six minutes left to play, the outcome was not in doubt. The 49ers remained utterly stymied on offense and, following another fumble, the Bears padded the score with a Wade pass to flanker Johnny Morris for a seven-yard touchdown. Adding the extra point, the final tally was a decisive 31-0 for Chicago.

Chicago’s domination was complete. The Bears led in total yards (305 to 132) and first downs (17 to 6), and in the second half San Francisco had a net gain of one yard and one first down. The 49ers had only 40 net passing yards and turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Chicago.

Bill Wade completed 13 of 22 passes for 171 yards with four touchdowns against one interception. Mike Ditka was the receiving star with four catches for 107 yards and two TDs. Johnny Morris also had four receptions, for 33 yards and a score. FB Rick Casares led the productive ground game with 67 yards on 13 carries.

For the 49ers, John Brodie was successful on just three of 10 throws for 23 yards and tossed two interceptions. Bill Kilmer (pictured below, attempting to escape from Chicago DE Doug Atkins) was two-of-four for 17 yards and led the club in rushing with 36 yards on 7 attempts. Bob Waters was 0-for-4 with an interception throwing the ball and ran for 20 yards on 8 carries. Split end R.C. Owens was the leading receiver with three catches for 32 yards.

The Bears won the next week to improve their record to 5-2, but then lost three straight on the way to finishing 8-6 and tied with the Colts for third place in the Western Conference. San Francisco was right behind at 7-6-1.

Teams followed Chicago’s lead in defensing the shotgun and Coach Hickey eventually abandoned it, although it would be revived by Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s for passing situations. Its use is widespread today, with some variations, but typically not for every down – and not with a three-quarterback rotation.

1963: Bukich Comes Off Bench to Lead Bears to Win Over Injury-Depleted Colts

The Chicago Bears were 3-0, with all of their wins coming on the road, as they prepared to host the Baltimore Colts on October 6, 1963. Under 68-year-old head coach and owner George Halas, “The Papa Bear”, it was apparent that the team was ready to contend with the Packers, winners of the previous three Western Conference titles. Assistant coach George Allen had installed a zone defense, and as a result the defense was the key to Chicago’s success, being strong against both the run and the pass. The conservative offense was directed by QB Bill Wade, who had All-Pro TE Mike Ditka and flanker Johnny Morris as receivers, as well as a solid stable of running backs.

The Colts, under first-year Head Coach Don Shula, were 1-2 and clear underdogs coming into the game. While they still had star QB Johnny Unitas, his two best receivers, split end Raymond Berry and flanker Jimmy Orr, were both out with injuries and HB Lenny Moore was available but had been slow in recovering from an appendectomy. Defensively, both star DE Gino Marchetti and LB Bill Pellington were playing hurt.

There was a standing-room crowd of 48,998 in attendance at Wrigley Field on an unseasonably hot afternoon, and they saw the defenses dominate a scoreless first half. Wade failed to complete any of his first eight passes, and his first successful throw was to FB Rick Casares for just one yard. Bob Jencks missed a 44-yard field goal attempt for the Bears. Meanwhile, Unitas was exposed to a heavy blitz and Baltimore couldn’t sustain a drive against the attacking defense.

The Colts nearly scored at the end of the half, but after Unitas threw to Moore to advance to the Chicago 35, they couldn’t get a 42-yard field goal attempt by Jim Martin away in time.

In the third quarter, the Colts drove to the Chicago nine and finally put points on the board when Martin booted a 16-yard field goal. With Wade still ineffective, Halas made the decision to lift him in favor of backup QB Rudy Bukich (pictured at top).

The 31-year-old Bukich, a ninth-year veteran out of USC, was making his first appearance of the season. A career backup who was in his second stint with Chicago, he also had a very strong arm. In the first series with Bukich behind center, he handed off to Casares on a draw play that gained 30 yards and then passed to Ditka, bringing the crowd to life. Two more completions to split end Bo Farrington picked up another 37 yards. Chicago drove to the Baltimore 21 but Jencks again missed a field goal attempt, this time from 28 yards.

On Chicago’s next series, the offense again moved into Baltimore territory. With less than ten minutes remaining in the game, Bukich threw to HB Ron Bull (pictured below) across the middle and the halfback leaped over safety Andy Nelson and had clear sailing to score a 44-yard touchdown. He was helped by an outstanding block by Ditka on Baltimore CB Bob Boyd.

Five minutes later, after recovering a fumble by the Colts, Roger LeClerc capped the scoring with a 16-yard field goal. It was another fortuitous personnel shift by Coach Halas with LeClerc coming in to placekick instead of Jencks, and it was all the Bears needed as they came away with a hard-fought 10-3 win.

The Bears had the edge in total yards (281 to 210) and first downs (15 to 11). Chicago had the better running total, gaining 147 yards to Baltimore’s 45 on 22 attempts. While the Bears applied constant pressure on Unitas, they sacked him twice, compared to three sacks by the Colts. Baltimore turned the ball over two times to one given up by the Bears.

Bill Wade completed just 5 of 21 passes for 50 yards with one intercepted before he was relieved. Rudy Bukich was successful on 6 of 7 throws for 112 yards and the game’s lone TD. Rick Casares ran for 54 yards on 7 carries and Ron Bull added 39 yards on 13 attempts and also caught two passes for 44 yards and the TD. Bo Farrington had three pass receptions for 42 yards.

For the Colts, Johnny Unitas went to the air 36 times and completed 21 for 182 yards and had one intercepted. HB Tom Matte led the club with 7 catches for 56 yards but gained just 8 rushing yards on 5 carries. FB J.W. Lockett gained a team-leading 13 yards on 10 rushing attempts. Flanker Willie Richardson, filling in for the injured Jimmy Orr, pulled in 6 passes for 53 yards.

The win kept the Bears undefeated at 4-0 and a game in front of the 3-1 Green Bay Packers. It would be a close battle between the two clubs all year with Chicago winning the Western Conference with an 11-1-2 record (as opposed to Green Bay’s 11-2-1, with both losses coming against the Bears). Chicago defeated the New York Giants to win the NFL title. The Colts came in third in the Western Conference at 8-6.

Rudy Bukich returned to the bench as Bill Wade quarterbacked the Bears the rest of the way through the NFL Championship game. He appeared in six contests and completed 29 of 43 passes for 369 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Bukich supplanted Wade in 1964 and had his finest season in ’65 when he led the NFL in passing. But by the end of his 14-year pro career, he had returned to the backup role that he held during most of that time.

1963: Bears Exploit Turnovers to Defeat Giants for NFL Championship

It was a frigid day at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on December 29, 1963 as the Bears hosted the New York Giants in the NFL Championship game. The temperature at game time was 11 degrees. There were 45,801 fans in attendance to see which team would prevail – the home town club with its outstanding defense, or the visitors and their vaunted passing offense.

The Bears were coached by the 68-year-old “Papa Bear”, George Halas. With a zone defense installed by assistant coach George Allen, Chicago had put together an 11-1-2 record to edge out the Green Bay Packers in the Western Conference. The defensive line was anchored by DE Doug Atkins; the linebacking corps of Joe Fortunato, Bill George, and Larry Morris was the best in pro football; and the defensive backfield, led by free safety Roosevelt Taylor, who co-led the NFL with 9 interceptions, was excellent as well. The offense, led by QB Bill Wade, played conservatively but effectively.

The Giants, 11-3 under Head Coach Allie Sherman, featured an aerial attack directed by 37-year-old veteran QB Y.A. Tittle, who had been traded to New York from the 49ers prior to the 1961 season and proceeded to set passing records while leading the Giants to three consecutive Eastern Conference titles. In 1963, Tittle had broken his own record for TD passes, set just the previous year, with 36 (George Blanda had thrown the same number in the AFL in 1961) and led the league with a 60.2 completion percentage and 8.6 yards per attempt. He had a fine receiving corps led by split end Del Shofner and flanker Frank Gifford. The defense was aging but effective.

The Bears had the first possession of the game and ran the ball well until Wade, a good running quarterback, fumbled after a 12-yard carry at his own 41 yard line. CB Erich Barnes recovered for the Giants, and a few plays later Tittle threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Gifford. However, LB Morris rolled into Tittle’s left leg as it was planted to throw, tearing ligaments in his knee. The Giants led, 7-0, but the score would prove to be a costly one (pictured below, Tittle getting set to throw the scoring pass with #33 Morris about to roll into him; #31 is Joe Fortunato).


The teams exchanged punts, and then once again the Bears turned the ball over on a fumble, this time by HB Willie Galimore. With the ball on the Chicago 31, Tittle went for the touchdown on first down, firing to Shofner who had CB Dave Whitsell beaten by five yards in the end zone. The normally reliable All-Pro receiver jumped an instant too late and wasn’t able to make the catch. On second down, Morris intercepted a screen pass intended for HB Phil King and returned it 61 yards to the New York five yard line. Two plays later, Wade scored on a quarterback sneak, and instead of the Giants being up by two touchdowns in the first quarter, the score was tied at 7-7.

The Giants drove downfield once more, with the key play being a 36-yard pass from Tittle to TE Aaron Thomas. But with first and goal on the Bears three yard line, Chicago held and New York had to settle for a 13-yard Don Chandler field goal.

As the game continued through the second quarter, Chicago’s offense couldn’t move the ball against New York’s tenacious defense, but the Giants were unable to score again. Larry Morris once again hit Tittle and aggravated his knee injury to the point that he had to be helped off the field and didn’t immediately return. Chandler missed a field goal attempt, and the score remained 10-7 in favor of New York at the half.


The Bears defense turned another big play in the third quarter - they were on the lookout for screen passes, and DE Ed O’Bradovich cut in front of FB Joe Morrison to pick one off in Giants territory (pictured at right). Aided by a key third down pass completion to TE Mike Ditka, the Bears scored their second touchdown as Wade once again snuck over from a yard out.

After a missed field goal attempt by the Bears in the fourth quarter, Tittle and the Giants mounted one more major drive, moving from their 20 yard line deep into Chicago territory. But CB Bennie McRae intercepted a Tittle pass on third-and-five to end the threat. Still, the Bears were unable to mount a sustained drive to run out the clock and the Giants got the ball back once more at their 16 yard line with less than two minutes remaining.

Tittle connected for three passes that covered 30 yards, and in a third down situation hit Gifford for 15 yards to the Chicago 39. With 15 seconds left, Tittle threw a bomb intended for Shofner, but it was intercepted by strong safety Richie Petitbon and the Bears were league champions with a 14-10 win.

The day truly belonged to the Bears defense, as exemplified by the selection of Larry Morris as the MVP (pictured at top, stopping Joe Morrison) and the awarding of the game ball to George Allen. Of course, as Giants DE Andy Robustelli said afterward, “If Tittle hadn’t been hurt, we’d have won”. The Bears were outgained, 268 yards to 222, and their two touchdown possessions totaled 19 yards thanks to the excellent field position they were given through the interceptions by Morris and O’Bradovich. Bill Wade (pictured passing below left) completed just 10 of 28 passes for 138 yards, although to his credit he threw no interceptions. HB Ron Bull was the leading rusher for the Bears, with 42 yards on 13 carries; Wade was second, with 34 yards on 8 attempts and the two TDs. Ditka and FB Joe Marconi each caught three passes, with Marconi’s 64 yards leading the team (Ditka had 38 yards).


For the Giants, Y.A. Tittle, hampered by the injured knee, completed 11 of 29 passes for 147 yards with one TD and five interceptions. Frank Gifford topped the receivers with three receptions for 45 yards and a score. Joe Morrison also caught three passes (for 18 yards) and was the leading rusher with 18 carries for 61 yards. Most tellingly, Del Shofner caught no passes at all.

The loss was especially galling for Tittle, appearing in his last postseason game (he retired following the 1964 season), but never winning one. The Giants were on the verge of a long decline – this was their sixth championship game appearance in eight years (only the first, in 1956, resulted in a win), but they would not appear in the playoffs again until 1981. The Bears fell quickly from their perch as well, going 5-9 in 1964; they wouldn’t make the postseason again until 1977.

For Halas, it was his sixth – and final – NFL championship, stretching all the way back to 1921. On a frigid day at Wrigley Field, 42 years after leading the Bears to a title for the first time (before there even was a postseason), “the Papa Bear” and his team were back on top once more.