5. 2015 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at 1. 1985 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION CHICAGO BEARS
1. 1985 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION CHICAGO BEARS
Record: 15-1
Pythag: 14-2
Off: 2nd
Def: 1st
1st NFC North
d. Giants Div Rnd 21-0
d. Rams NFC Title 24-0
d. Patriots Super Bowl 46-10
d. '61 Giants 9-3 (Richard Dent - PotG)
d. '07 Chargers 13-10 (Otis Wilson-PotG)
HC: Mike Ditka, OC: Ed Hughes, DC: Buddy Ryan
Soldier Field 45 degrees
Wayne Larrivee/Dick Butkus/Jim Hart
Offense
QB Jim McMahon (26 BYU) 15 td/ 11 int 56.9% 7.6 y/a 184 y/g 82.6 3 td rush
RB Walter Payton (31 Jackson St) All Pro 1551 yds 4.8 y/a 49 catch, 483 yds 9.9 y/rec 11 TD
FB Matt Suhey (27 Penn St) 471 yds 4.1 y/c 33 rec 295 yds 8.9 y/c 2 TD
WR Willie Gault (25 Tennessee) 33 catch, 704 yds 21.3 y/c 1 TD
WR Dennis McKinnon (24 Florida St) 31 catch, 555 yds 17.9 y/c 7 TD
TE Emery Moorehead (31 Colorado) 35 catch, 481 yds 13.7 y/c 1 TD
LT Jimbo Covert (25 Pitt) All Pro
LG Mark Bortz (24 Iowa)
C Jay Hilgenberg (26 Iowa)
RG Tom Thayer (24-R N Dame)
RT Keith Van Horne (28 USC)
Defense
LDE Dan Hampton (28 Arkansas) 6.5 scks
LDT Steve McMichael (28 Texas) All Pro 8 scks
RDT William Perry (23 - R Clemson) 5 sacks
RDE Richard Dent (25 Tenn St) All Pro 2 int 17 sacks
LLB Otis Wilson (28 Louisville) 3 int 10.5 scks
MLB Mike Singletary (27 Baylor) All Pro int 3 scks
RLB Wilber Marshall (23 Florida) 4 int 6 scks
LCB Mike Richardson (24 Ariz St) 4 int
RCB Leslie Frazier (26 Alcorn St) 6 int
SS Dave Duerson (25 N Dame) 5 int 2 scks
FS Gary Fencik (31 Yale) 5 int
K Kevin Butler (23 UGA)
P Maury Buford (25 TTech)
KR Willie Gault (25 Tennessee) TD
PR Ken Taylor (22 Ore St)
3 All Pros on defense, 28 year old Mongo McMichael, who had 8 sacks; 25 year old Richard Dent with 17 sacks; and the leader of the defense, 27 year old Mike Singletary. Chicago also had the second best offense in '85; Jim McMahon's 26, 15 scores (and 3 on the ground) 11 picks. Two All Pros; the left tackle, 25 year old Jimbo Covert and the legendary 31 year old Walter Payton, who ran for 1551 yards. The Bears are now 20-1 after beating the '61 Giants 9-3 and then the 2007 Chargers 13-10
5. 2015 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Record: 10-6
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 4th
Def: 1st
2nd NFC West
d. Vikings WC 10-9
Lost Div Rnd Panthers 31-24
d. '77 Rams 12-9 (PotG - Steven Hauschka)
d. '68 Chiefs 22-16 (PotG- Bobby Wagner)
HC: Pete Carroll: OC: Darrell Bevell, DC: Kris Richard
Century Link Field 50 degrees
Steve Raible/Warren Moon
Offense
QB Russell Wilson (27 NC St) 34 TD/8 INT 68.1% 8.3 y/a 251.5 yds/gm 110.1 553 yds rush, 5.4 yds/carr 1 TD
RB Thomas Rawls (22-R C Michigan) 830 yds 5.6 y/c 9 catch 76 yds 8.4 y/c 5 TD
WR Doug Baldwin (27 Stanford) 78 catch 1069 yds 13.7 y/c 14 TD
WR Jermaine Kearse (25 Washington) 49 catch 685 yds 14 y/c 5 TD
WR Tyler Lockett (23-R Kansas St) All Pro 51 catch 664 yds 13 y/c 6 TD
TE Jimmy Graham (29 Miami) 48 catch 605 yds 12.6 y/c 2 TD
LT Russell Okung (27 Ok St)
LG Justin Britt (24 Missouri)
C Patrick Lewis (24 Tex A&M)
RG JR Sweezy (26 NC St)
RT Garry Gilliam (25 Penn St)
Defense
LDE Michael Bennett (30 Tex A&M) 10 sacks
LDT Ahtyba Rubin (29 Iowa St) int 2 sacks
RDT Brandon Mebane (30 Cal) 1.5 sacks
RDE Cliff Avril (29 Purdue) 9 sacks
LLB Bruce Irvin (28 W Virginia) 5.5 sacks
MLB Bobby Wagner (25 Utah St) .5 sacks
RLB KJ Wright (26 Miss St) sack
LCB Richard Sherman (27 Stanford) 2 int
RCB Cary Williams (31 Washburn) sack
SS Kam Chancellor (27 Va Tech) 2 int
FS Earl Thomas (26 Texas) 5 int
K Stephen Hauschka (30 NC St)
P Jon Ryan (34 Regina)
KR/PR Tyler Lockett (23 Kansas St) 2 TD
The '15 Seahawks who had the best defense in the league. We get a battle of top end defenses with the winner heading to play the best defense of all time; Region 2 really bringing the defensive intensity. 30 year old Michael Bennett/29 year old Cliff Avril combined for 19 sacks. The offense is #4; Russell Wilson's 27, threw for 34 scores and 8 picks. 27 year old Doug Baldwin caught 14 scores; 23 year old rookie Tyler Lockett was All Pro, he returned two kicks for scores. The Seahawks beat the '77 Rams in OT in a battle of FGs and returned to OT to knock off the '68 Chiefs.
Chicago's a 14 point favorite; the Bears haven't had any offense in either round, they're still waiting to unlock the offense. It is a bitterly cold day at Soldier Field.
Let's head out to Chicago.
1st qtr
Bears will start at the 34.
1/10 - Walter Payton takes a pitch and explodes through the line, 45 yards - Walter Payton rambling through the Seattle defense.
1/10 - Dennis Gentry didn't play in round two, he goes for 3 here.
2/7 - Jim McMahon finds Matt Suhey out of the backfield and he goes 13 all the way to the Seattle 5 yard line!
But - the Seattle defense holds, Cliff Avril gets a sack and Chicago settles for the FG.
Seattle at the 34. The Bear defense has been as good as advertised, giving up just one TD in the first two rounds. Seattle at the 34.
1/10 - Thomas Rawls 8 yard run.
2/2 - Rawls first down.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Russell Wilson hits Jermaine Kearse, 13 yards and they are into Bear territory.
That's it - Seattle punts - Bears at the 12.
1/10 - 11 for Payton.
1/10 - Payton stopped in the backfield.
2/13 - Payton for 3.
3/10 - McMahon forced to run - he does, 11 yards and the Bears are at their own 34.
But - that's all - Michael Bennett sacks McMahon and there's a punt.
Seattle at the 34.
1/10 - Marshawn Lynch stopped at the line.
2/10 - Maybe a yard for Lynch.
3/10 - Russell Wilson Hits A Home Run --- 55 yards to Jimmy Graham, Graham dragged down at the Chicago 10 yard line -- thats how the quarter ends, Seattle first and goal.
2nd Qtr: Bears 3 Seahawks 0
Chicago was forced to settle for a FG after they had a first and goal - Seattle opens the quarter at the Bear 10.
1/10 - Wilson, planned run - he goes for 6 yards.
2/goal - Rawls ---- Is Into the End Zone --- TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS -- that 55 yard Jimmy Graham reception sets up the Rawls score and Seattle takes the lead.
Bears at the 29.
1/10 - 2 for Payton
2/8 - 11 for Payton
1/10 - Give to Suhey....Suhey's got a huge hole -- Matt Suhey running -- Matt Suhey running -- it's a 48 yard pickup and the Bears are at the Seattle 10 yard line!
1/goal - Gentry for 2.
2/goal - Suhey for 2.
3/goal - Dennis Gentry......Is Into the End Zone --- TOUCHDOWN BEARS -- the big Suhey run setting up the Gentry score and the Bears regain the lead.
Seattle at the 18.
1/10 - Marshawn Lynch goes for 9 yards - and a face mask tacks on 15, Seattle is at the 42.
1/10 - Wilson to Doug Baldwin - 11 yards, Seattle moving the ball against the Bears so far.
And then the drive ends - Wilber Marshall sacks Wilson, after the punt, Bears at the 11. Halfway through the 2nd.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Nothing for Payton
3/10 - McMahon -- McMahon finds a streaking Willie Gault -- Gault catches it in stride -- Gault with the huge, gain, 45 yard gain - Bears out to the Cardinal 44 yard line! Big throw by McMahon, finding the track star Gault who uses that deep speed to get behind this great Seattle secondary.
1/10 - Payton -- Payton - through the line -- Payton -- Payton RUNNING AWAY FROM THE DEFENSE -- PAYTON IS GONNA GO --- PAYTON IS GONNA GO --- TOUCHDOWN BEARS --- Walter Payton goes 44 yards, the Chicago Bears go up 17-7. 89 yards in 2 plays -- the Bears go up 10.
Seattle at the 33, 5 and a half left in the half.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Wilson to Baldwin, 13 yards.
That's all - again a punt, again, Bears pinned deep, at their own 5.
3 and out - after the punt it's great field position at the 2 minute warning, Seattle at the 37.
1/10 - Wilson to Graham, 14 yards, the Seahawks are at the 23.
Back to Back sacks, by Richard Dent and Dan Hampton, just bury Wilson into the frozen turf, Hauschka with the 52 yard FG and with less than a minute to go, it is 17-10 Chicago.
Bears at the 32.
1/10 - McMahon to Dennis McKinnon, it's a 22 yard pickup - Bears stop the clock with 29 seconds left at the Seattle 46.
1/10 - McMahon back to McKinnon, 13 more -- another timeout, Chicago at the 33 with 20 seconds left in the half.
That's it - at the whistle, Butler hits a FG and it is 20-10.
3rd Qtr: Bears 20 Seahawks 10
-Chicago's offense hadn't quite found its stride - but they have hammered some big plays against this top ranked Seattle defense and lead by 10.
Seattle at the 25.
3 and out.
Bears at the 36.
1/10 - 2 for Suhey
2/8 - McMahon in trouble, gets back to the line.
3/8 - McMahon hits Payton out of the backfield, he high steps to the first down at the 49. An illegal motion call then backs them up 5.
1/15 - Suhey for 1. Bears at their own 45.
2/14 - Payton...Payton...Walter Payton through the hole -- Walter Payton with the Stiff Arm -- WALTER PAYTON IS IN OPEN FIELD - WALTER PAYTON IS IN OPEN -- WALTER PAYTON IS GONNA GO -- ALL - THE -- WAY -- TO THE END ZONE -- TOUCHDOWN BEARS -- 55 Yard TD Run for Walter Payton -- Wow - Wow -- The Bears go up 27-10 - it took until the Regional Semi Final - but the Chicago Bears are rolling right now - 17 point lead.
Seattle at the 30.
1/10 - Wilson 9 to Graham.
2/1 - Wilson flushed, picks it up.
1/10 - Rawls for 3, Seattle at the 47.
2/7 - Incomplete
3/7 - Wilson to Lynch, 10 yards out of the backfield and a first down.
But thats all - Otis Wilson gets Chicago's 4th sack, Seattle punts it awayt, Bears are at the 20 with less than 5 in the third.
1/10 - McMahon play action to Emery Moorehead - it's an 18 yard gain right down the heart of the defense and another Bears first down.
1/10 - Walter Payton Busts Another One -- 48 yards for Walter Payton -- Walter Payton Having a Game for the Ages here in the Regional Semi-Final -- Walter Payton stopped at the Seattle 14 yard line!!!
The drive ends - Butler FG and it is 30-10.
Seattle at the 29.
Two incomplete passes and the quarter ends.
4th Qtr: Bears 30 Seahawks 10
-This is done; Chicago's offense is unlocked, Walter Payton leading the Bears past Seattle and into the Region 2 Final.
Seattle forced to punt, Bears at the 32.
1/10 - four for Payton
2/6 - Calvin Thomas with a carry, he goes for 13.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Thomas for 2
3/8 - McMahon to Payton, Payton doing it all - Payton doing it all - Payton picking up 16 yards after the catch to the 28.
1/10 - Payton, Payton goes for 10 more - Bears at the 10.
1/10 - Gentry gets a yard, a holding call moves them back 10.
2/19 - Incomplete
3/19 - McMahon --- McMahon throwing to the end zone --- WILLIE GAULT -- TOUCHDOWN BEARS - the '85 Bears are just devastating. it is 37-10 with 10 minutes left.
Seattle starts at the 26 with 10 minutes left, they go down the field over the next 5 minutes ending in Wilson to Kearse, 9 yard TD pass, the 2 pt conversion fails.
Chicago will run the ball 3 times and kick.
The game ends on the next drive, Wilson getting intercepted by Gary Fencik.
Final: Bears 37 Seahawks 16
The Bears offense joins the tournament, Chicago romps in winning the Region 2 first semi final. 237 yards rushing for Payton in an all time monster performance.
McMahon: 10 for 15, 173 yds TD
Wilson: 15 for 28, 195 yds TD/INT
Payton: 20 carries, 237 yds TD
Rawls: 10 carries, 35 yds TD
Gault: 3 catches, 70 yds, TD
Graham: 4 catches, 91 yds
Wright: 13 tackes
Wagner: 12 tackles
Player of the Game: Walter Payton
