Windy City Gridiron
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which tore off nearly 70% of the Superdome’s roof and forced the Saints to play their “home games” across three different stadiums, including LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Kyle Orton was named the Bears’ starting quarterback for the 2005 season after Rex Grossman broke his left ankle in the preseason against the St. Louis Rams. (Grossman would later returned in Week 16, leading Chicago to a 24–17 win on Christmas Day to clinch the NFC North title.)
The Bears piled up 183 rushing yards, led by Adrian Peterson (no, not that Adrian Peterson), who averaged nearly 10 yards per carry and scored a third-quarter touchdown to give Chicago a 17–10 lead.
Aaron Brooks and the Saints answered with a touchdown drive of their own, as Brooks punched it in from one yard out to tie the game.
Both teams traded three-and-outs and punts until, with 4:08 remaining, Kyle Orton marched the Bears 65 yards downfield in 10 plays. On third-and-five from the Saints’ 32, he found Muhsin Muhammad on a perfectly lofted 22-yard pass, setting up Robbie Gould for an easy chip-shot field goal to take the lead with four seconds left.
A desperation heave from Aaron Brooks was intercepted by Nathan Vasher, sealing the win. The Bears used that momentum to rattle off four more victories in a row.
During that stretch, the 2005 Bears defense became nearly untouchable, allowing just 8.5 points per game over eight straight wins. It remains one of the most dominant defensive runs in Chicago Bears history.
(This game technically took place in Week 8, but since it was before the NFL adopted the bye week, we’ll give it a pass.)
In what became the highlight of an otherwise lost season, the 0–7 Chicago Bears hosted the 1–6 Pittsburgh Steelers at Wrigley Field. Legendary linebacker Dick Butkus took control of the game, setting the tone throughout the afternoon.
A 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bobby Douglass (who famously would play in his Chuck Taylors) to running back Brian Piccolo, followed by a safety on the ensuing drive, provided all the points the Bears would need. But they didn’t stop there, tacking on 29 more. The defensive showcase continued as Butkus sacked Steelers quarterback Dick Shiner for another safety, one of eight total sacks by the Bears defense.
The Kansas Comet, Gale Sayers, capped the rout with a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to make it 38–0. The Steelers finally got on the board late with an Earl Gros two-yard touchdown, but by then, the damage was long done.
Butkus was a monster all game, recording 25 tackles and the sack that lead to the aforementioned safety. His performance would lead...
