Windy City Gridiron
Opening blurb.
On a cold and blustery October afternoon, the 3–4 Chicago Bears squared off against the 3–4 Minnesota Vikings. In a back-and-forth battle, the Bears jumped out to an early 14–3 lead, highlighted by a 54-yard touchdown strike from Walter Payton to Brian Baschnagel, which would be the first of eight career touchdown passes for the Hall of Fame running back.
Chicago followed up with another score, this time a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bob Avellini to Payton.
The Vikings answered in the second half, rallying behind two touchdown passes from Tommy Kramer to take a 17–14 lead in the third quarter.
But the Bears refused to fold. Kicker Bob Thomas connected on a pair of field goals, and Payton added another touchdown with a two-yard rushing scramble. That final score gave him one passing, one receiving, and one rushing touchdown in the same game, making him just the eighth player in NFL history to accomplish the feat. To this day, he remains one of only twelve players ever to do so. The Bears would unfortunately fall to the Vikings as Tommy Kramer found Rickey Young for a 5-yard touchdown pass with just 13 seconds remaining, giving the Vikings a 30-27 win.
All three touchdowns, and game highlights can be found in the video above.
Touchdown Pass: 54-yard touchdown pass to Brian Baschnagel
Touchdown Reception: 2-yard touchdown reception from Bob Avellini
Touchdown Run: 2-yard touchdown rush off right tackle
What could have been for the 2012 Chicago Bears. A team that started 7–1 only to falter down the stretch, finishing 10–6 and missing the playoffs. Longtime head coach Lovie Smith was dismissed after the season, marking the end of an era.
Before that collapse, though, the 5–1 Bears hosted the 1–5 Carolina Panthers, who were led by former Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.
The game started well enough. Matt Forte opened the scoring with a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. But the Panthers tightened up defensively and rattled off the next 19 points, putting the Bears in a 12-point hole entering the fourth quarter.
Midway through the final frame, Jay Cutler found tight end Kellen Davis over the middle for a 12-yard touchdown. And on the very next snap, Cam Newton fired a pass intended for longtime Bears nemesis Steve Smith, but Smith slipped, and cornerback Tim Jennings took advantage. He intercepted the pass and returned it for a touchdown, giving Chicago the lead after the two-point try failed.
Newton and the Panthers responded, driving into field goal range. Kicker Justin Medlock’s 45-yard attempt hit the right upright and bounced through, putting Carolina ahead 22–19.
But Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall weren’t finished. The duo connected four times for 36 yards on a 55-yard march that chewed up 2:28 of clock. The drive settled at the Panthers’ 23, setting...
