The '85 Bears: We Were the Greatest (36 page)
Read The '85 Bears: We Were the Greatest Online
Authors: Mike Ditka,Rick Telander
Buddy System: Class in Session
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veryone knew that the Bears were dominating with their defense. But, ever the skeptic and bothered by mediocre performances the previous two games, coordinator Buddy Ryan turned classroom proctor. In the week leading up to the Jets game, Ryan gave his players three written tests on the game plan. It proved the value of cramming for finals. The Bears limited their 11th opponent to 10 or fewer points and allowed zero touchdowns for the fourth time as they hammered the Jets 19–6 in East Rutherford, N.J. Their stamp was clear when sizing up the Jets’ third quarter. New York’s five drives netted 0, 6, 2, 4, and 4 yards. “Our defense took the game away,” Mike Ditka said.
Especially Richard Dent. The lanky defensive end punctuated that superior third quarter by climbing on the back of quarterback Ken O’Brien, at that time the NFL’s leading passer, and knocking the ball out of his arm on sacks that ended consecutive possessions. Dent also abused New York left tackle Reggie McElroy so much that he was driven out of the game.
As the Bears won 14 games for the first time in franchise history, the offense was not outstanding. But in the cold, windy weather, it got the job done by controlling the ball for an incredible 39 minutes and 36 seconds. Tight end Tim Wrightman’s first career touchdown reception and four field goals by Kevin Butler provided more than enough for the stellar defense. Butler’s second field goal was his 26th of the season, breaking the club record Mac Percival set in 1968. His last one broke Bob Thomas’ team record of 11 in a row. That 21-yard chip shot came with just 17 seconds left in a contest that already had been decided, though Ditka denied he was rubbing it in. “We were just going for the record,” he said.
Linebacker Jim Morrissey closes in to tackle a Jets receiver.
Tight end Emery Moorehead looks for running room after a catch.
However, Walter Payton no longer was going for a record. His streak of 100-yard rushing games ended at nine after the Jets held him to 53 yards on 28 carries. New York stopped him for a loss or no gain 11 times. “They were the best defense we’ve faced,” center Jay Hilgenberg said. Payton did catch a 65-yard pass that set up the field goal on which Butler passed Percival.
So the Bears went into a hostile city, played in nasty weather, contained a potent offense … and weren’t satisfied. “No question we’ve got to play better,” Jim McMahon said. But how to stay motivated? Said defensive lineman Dan Hampton, “You don’t need any motivation except pride.”
Chicago 19, NewYork 6
DEC. 14, 1985, AT GIANTS STADIUM
Ryan’s students get it right again
Jim McMahon’s 65-yard pass against the wind to Walter Payton in the pivotal third quarter. It set up a Kevin Butler field goal that gave the Bears a 13–6 edge.
Butler accounted for all but six points with field goals of 18, 31, 36, and 21 yards, plus an extra point.
Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon sits on his helmet while warming up for practice at the team’s indoor training facility on December 10, 1985.
JAY HILGENBERG
No. 63, center
“W
e accepted it as an offensive line that if we win, all the credit’s going to go someplace else, but if we lose, it’s going to come at us.”
“We had a great defense, no doubt about it. The week of practice I’d have at Lake Forest a lot of times was harder than games.”
“But if you look at that season, the early games, teams were scoring some points on us. It took a few games for the defense to start shutting it down, but once they did, they were devastating to offenses.”
“The nice thing about Ditka is you always knew where you stood.”
“Head coaches, that’s their role: they’re supposed to yell and scream and do all that. When Ditka came in, he got rid of guys who were just happy being professional football players. He wanted professional football players who wanted to win. He changed the whole culture.”
“When he Jim McMahon was healthy, I tell you, he was into football more than anybody there was. He loved football. He was very smart at it. It was always nice to read the papers during training camp to see what was going on with him and Ditka. I remember being mad at Jim a couple times because all he was doing was getting Mike angry, and he’d take it out on us all the time.”
“When we went up to Lambeau and played the Packers, that was during the time where the quarterback didn’t have to run a play if the crowd was too loud. We were on the 1-yard line going in, and McMahon was taunting the Packer fans, being really brutal. They were too loud, so he wasn’t going to run the play. He was just taunting the Packer fans up there. Now, this is after the Monday night game, and they all know Fridge is going to get the ball. But this was the one where they faked the run
to Fridge and he went into the end zone and caught the pass for a touchdown. Just to hear Lambeau Field being so loud and McMahon’s being difficult, and then hearing the quiet after Fridge caught a touchdown pass, we were just laughing so hard out there.”
“Walter Payton was the greatest. I remember the first play I was ever in on. We were going against a 3–4 defense. The nose guard threw me off, and Walter was running through the right tackle hole. I started getting back up on my feet, and I looked behind me. Remember watching as a kid the high step that Walter would do? It was just like I was a little kid watching him high-step right at me. I tried to get out of his way, but I just catch his knee with my shoulder, and he goes down. I thought, ‘Man, my first play in the NFL, and I tackle Walter Payton.’ Walter goes, ‘Next time, just lay on the ground.’”
“I remember Willie Gault on the plane after the Monday night loss in Miami asking me if I wanted to be in ‘The Super Bowl Shuffle.’ I said no. I didn’t want any part of that. I said, ‘Are you kidding me? We just got beat on national TV, and now we’re going to go sing about being in the Super Bowl? Come on.’”
“I was born in Iowa City in University Hospital, so I was a Hawkeye from Day One. My father was coaching at Iowa at the time. My dad grew up in Iowa, went to the University of Iowa, and in 1953 was a first-team All-American. My older brother Jim was first-team All-Big Ten and a two time captain of Iowa. When he was a senior, I was a freshman at Iowa. Then when I was a senior, Joel was a freshman at Iowa. Joel went on to play 10 years with the Saints. We were all centers. My uncle Wally was an All-American football player at Iowa and played for the Vikings. He started four Super Bowls with the Vikings.”
