Vikings Pillage Game from Bears

CHICAGO – One of the city’s biggest heroes in 1985 became a goat today.

With the scored tied 21-21 with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, the Bears took over on their own 23 yard line. Time to kill the clock and head to overtime, right?!? Jim McMahon is given instructions to “PASS SAFE”. Why were they passing in the first place? Because they have a knucklehead for a head coach (Bruce Thomas, not Mike Ditka). At any rate, McMahon proceeds to throw a perfect spiral into the hands of Vikings DB Joey Browner. Browner falls safely to the ground. Chuck Nelson comes on and boots a 43-yard field goal. Minnesota wins 24-21 to remain undefeated at 3-0.

The ending obscured (in the eyes of the home town fans) what was a magnificent battle between these two NFC Central rivals.

Chicago (1-2) dented the scoreboard on its first drive when Neal Anderson (20-97) bolted in from 5 yards out. The big play of the drive was a McMahon to Anderson hitch route that Anderson whirled and turned into a 44-yard gain.

The Vikings tied the game toward the end of the first quarter when Wade Wilson (16-27-212-3TD) found TE Steve Jordan from 8 yards out. Wilson and Jordan had hooked up for 22 on the previous play.

The Bears respond with a 12-play, 68-yard drive culminating in a Calvin Thomas 1-yard plunge into the endzone.

With 3:35 left in the half Wilson again connects with Jordan, this time for a 23-yard scoring strike.

It looks like we’ll be tied 14-14 heading into the locker rooms until Minnesota fails to convert a 4^th and 1 from their own 45 with 17 ticks left. McMahon hits Dennis McKinnon on a short slant and the WR takes into 45 yards to the house and a 21-14 Chicago lead at the break.

Midway through the 3^rd frame, the Vikings tie it again when Wilson hit WR Cris Carter with a 13-yard TD toss.

The two clubs continued to battle as the clock wound down to what looked like to be certain overtime. Then the improbable happened . . .

Great play calling today by Bill Scheider. Next week his Vikings host the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bears head north to face their nemesis in Lambeau Field.