This was the first of five consecutive NFC Central titles for the Bears. They opened their 1984 training camp in a new location,Platteville, Wisconsin as head coachMike Ditka needed his team to get away from any distractions they might face at home. The team was on the verge of discovering a group of young leaders for the first time, and began to show the dominating defense that would emerge in full the following season, and pushed much farther than anyone expected them to go.
Chicago opened the season by routing theTampa Bay Buccaneers, 34–14. In Week Two, they shut out theDenver Broncos 27–0 behind a huge day from starrunning backWalter Payton. This game featured a famous image from Payton's career: a 50+ yard run down the sideline, led by 2nd-year guardMark Bortz, an 8th round draft pick that was converted from defensive tackle.
In Week Three, they were without the services of startingquarterbackJim McMahon atGreen Bay, reserve quarterbackBob Avellini took the reins. Chicago's offense performed inferiorly but still managed a 9–7 victory. This contest marked the first meeting between Mike Ditka and Packers head coachForrest Gregg. It would be a rivalry that would go down in history as arguably the dirtiest era inChicago-Green Bay football.[citation needed]
In Week Four, the Bears' lack of offensive power was evident as they lost to theSeattle Seahawks 38–9. After this loss, Ditka cut Avellini. The following week, the Bears lost to theDallas Cowboys 23–14, bringing their record to 3–2.
On October 7, 1984,Walter Payton reached a major milestone as he surpassedJim Brown as the game's all-time leading rusher in yards, he did it in the third quarter of a Week Six home game against theNew Orleans Saints. The Bears beat the Saints 20–7. Incidentally, the 1984 Bears ran for the second-most rushing attempts in a season, with 674.[3]
In Week Seven, the Bears lost 38–21 to theCardinals inSt. Louis the following week. Sitting at 4–3, the Bears proceeded to win three in a row. They beat Tampa Bay 44–9, thenMinnesota Vikings at home, 16–7. Following the win over the Minnesota Vikings, came the biggest challenge for the Bears: a showdown with the defending world championLos Angeles Raiders. The Bears beat the Raiders 17–6, a game that showcasedRichard Dent, who collected three sacks against Raiders QBMarc Wilson. Dent would finish with 17.5 sacks, third-most for the season behindMark Gastineau andAndre Tippett.[4] The Bears would then record 72 sacks, an NFL record.[5] The Bears' victory was marred by a kidney laceration suffered by Jim McMahon, ending his season.
Six-year veteran QBSteve Fuller had been acquired from theLos Angeles Rams prior to the 1984 season for insurance in case McMahon was injured. The investment paid off, as Fuller guided the Bears to a 2–1 record over the next 3 games. In the third game atMinnesota's newHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Week Thirteen, the team clinched its first NFC Central Division title.
After the Minnesota game, Fuller was injured, and Chicago was faced with another quarterback problem. IneffectiveRusty Lisch replaced the injured Fuller and lost the Week Fourteen game atSan Diego, then started the following week against Green Bay at home. Lisch was again ineffective, so Ditka inserted none other than Walter Payton behind center in theshotgun formation. Payton, unsurprisingly, was ineffective as well, and the Bears lost to the Packers 20–14.
Fuller was expected to return by the playoffs, but Ditka did not want to enter the postseason with another loss. The Bears signed 14-year journeymanGreg Landry to start his last NFL game against his previous team, theDetroit Lions, in the season finale. The Bears won 30–13, and were headed to the playoffs for the first time since1979.
The Bears limited the Broncos to 130 total yards as three different Denver quarterbacks (John Elway,Gary Kubiak, andScott Stankavage) completed just nine passes with two interceptions. Seven different Bears players led byWalter Payton rushed for 302 yards.
Eric Lane 17 rushes, 50 yards 1 reception, 55 yards, TD
Six Bears turnovers and a 21-0 run by the Seahawks in the 3rd quarter were the key as Chicago's season-opening win streak was blunted, 38-9. The two teams combined for just 504 yards of offense with 22 penalties eating up 181 yards.
Mike Ditka for the first time as Bears head coach facedTom Landry, who'd coached Ditka inSuper Bowl VI. Landry's Cowboys were outgained in yardage 400 to 313 but forced two Bears turnovers to win 23-14. The Bears rushing attack still managed 283 yards.
The first-round matchup sent the 10–6 Bears toWashington, a team that had lost to theLos Angeles Raiders inSuper Bowl XVIII. Washington was heavily favored, but Chicago came away with a 23–19 victory that featured touchdown passes from Fuller, as well as Payton on a halfback option pass.
With the momentum of defeating the defending NFC champions, the Bears then travelled toSan Francisco for their first appearance in a championship game of any sort since their championship year in 1963. The line for the game came down steadily as the week wore on, but the Bears were shut out 23–0. Fuller had performed poorly in games against tough opponents, and the offense sputtered as the 49ers were able to render Walter Payton ineffective. The team had gone farther than many had expected them to go in 1984, and the season set the stage for their Super Bowl winning 1985 season.
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