20 Chicago 20 vs LA Raiders 17 at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana NEW ORLEANS – Kevin Butler booted a 37-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Chicago Bears to a 20-17 victory in one of the most excited Super Bowls ever. Butler’s kick concluded a wild, back and forth 4th quarter that saw the Raiders leading 17-10 heading into the final 15 minutes. LA was threatening to go up by two scores with a 3rd and 3 at the Bears 29, Dan Hampton broke in and sacked QB Marc Wilson for 6 yards. That put the Raiders out of FG position for Matt Bahr who had missed a 41-yarder earlier in the game. Ray Guy’s pooch punt just trickled into the endzone. The Bears then drove 80 yards on 11 plays and tied the score with a 7-yard pass from Jim McMahon to TE Emery Moorehead. The key play of the drive was a 17-yard connection to Dennis McKinnon on a 3rd and 15. An energized Bears defense got the ball back when Richard Dent (3 of Chicago’s 6 sacks) took down Wilson and forced a fumble which Mike Singletary recovered at the LA 29 with 6:14 left. McMahon (20-36-218-2 TD-2 INT), looking for a quick strike, underthrew Willie Gualt and was picked off by LB Jeff Barnes at the 2. The Raiders went 3 and out and Guy was forced to punt from the 9. Chicago took over on the LA 46. A quick toss to TE Tim Wrightman for 12 had the Bears threatening in field goal range. However, on 3rd and 8 LB Rod Martin (4 tkl, 2 sacks, 4 hurries) blitzed and sacked McMahon. Maury Buford’s pooch punt stopped dead on the 3. There was 2:15 on the clock. Marcus Allen, who struggled all day with just 18 yards on 15 carries, rushed for 3. Chicago called time out. Otis Wilson then came within inches of notching a safety. Several of the Bears defenders held praying hands above their heads, but the referees weren’t buying it. Two-minute warning. Frank Hawkins plunged ahead for 1. Chicago used its second TO. Guy, with his feet inches from the back line, showed why he is an NFL Hall of Famer by unloading a 72-yard punt over the head of PR Keith Ortego and rolling dead at the CHI 26. There was 1:34 showing on the big board. Walter Payton (23-83-0 TD) went out of bounds after gaining 3. McMahon to Ken Margerum for 6…Hurry up… Payton wide and OB for 2 and a first down… 54 ticks left…incomplete pass…Payton in the flat for 10, a FD and OB…incomplete pass…2nd and 10 from own 47 with 0:31…McMahon over the middle to McKinnon for 17…McMahon spikes the ball on the LA36 with 20 left…Payton in the flat again for 7 and OB with 10 sec. Butler is warm on the sidelines ready to be called on for an attempt from 46, but NO, Chicago decides to gamble with the clock…McMahon steps into the shotgun again and fires a quick out to Margerum for 9 more…time out…Butler hits the easier 37 yarder. During a much more relaxed 1st quarter, Chicago took the opening kickoff and marched 72 yards on 15 plays and went up 7-0 with a 6-yard McMahon to McKinnon strike. The drive took 8:35 off the clock. Following a Brad Van Pelt interception and a 17-yard Wilson to Dokie Williams pass, the Raiders were 1st and goal on the 1. Two Allen runs and an incompletion and LA had dropped back a yard. Matt Bahr got the AFC champs on the board with a 19-yard FG. A defensive struggle ensued until William “Refrigerator” Perry sacked Wilson and forced a fumble recovered by Singletary. Chicago took over at the LA 49 with 3:57 left until the break. The Bears took it to the 2 with 18 seconds left and Butler made it 10-3 at halftime. With Allen effectively taken out of the game plan by the Bears, Los Angeles coach Mark Christy went to the air. The combination of Wilson to Williams was especially deadly. If the breaks had gone just slightly different, Williams would have been the game MVP. He hauled in 6 catches for 146 yards and a TD. He grabbed a 37-yard TD toss on a 4th and 2 to tie the game 10-10 at the 10:15 mark of the 3rd. On the Raiders next possession, they wasted no time as Wilson immediate went deep as Jessie Hester burned “LA” Mike Richardson on a 56-yard bomb. LA was suddenly up 17-10. QB Marc Wilson (17-26-290-2 TD-0 INT) also deserved a better fate with a 128.7 rating.
Thanks to Mark Christy for a wonderful way to spend America’s Independence Day with America’s most popular game (sorry baseball). Both of us were exhausted after this gut wrencher. It was literally a game of inches today.
Sorry also that this was so long, but there was much to tell.
EXTENDED GAME NOTES:
First of all congrats to Bruce and his victory and great season...He couldnt have said it better about how exhausted we were and that is one of the better games ever..The fact that is was a Super Bowl only heightened the emotions..This is why we love this game so much..This one had it all and just to add to what Bruce wrote there was intigue b4 the game even started..Both Bears WR Dennis McKinnon and Raiders FS Vann McElroy were listed with injuries and probable for the game..However McElroy aggrevated his injury in warm-ups and could not go while McKinnon ( 9-51-1td ) played and became a big factor after Raiders All-Pro CB Mike Haynes got hurt in the 1st quarter and did not return leavin reserve CB James Davis to fill in...Great Game ...Big Plays...As i told Bruce wish we could bring this one to life to watch on TV despite the final score..I really love this retro league and the guys in it make it very enjoyable to bring back childhood memories..Here is looking to 1986...Mark
