1.) 2015, Bears @ Packers: Cutler outplays Rodgers, gets first Lambeau win to spoil Favre’s number retirement
It’s no secret former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler struggled against our biggest rival. In his 13 career starts against them he won just 2, completing just 56.8% of his passes for 2881 yards, 16 touchdowns, 22 interceptions and a passer rating of just 68.9.
Compare that to his numbers against the Lions/Vikings, (16-12 record, 64.3%, 6567 yards, 47 touchdowns, 25 interceptions and a 90.8 passer rating) and you will see just how badly the Packers had Cutler’s number.
But not on a Thanksgiving night in 2015.
The 7-3 Green Bay Packers hosted the 4-6 Bears, and former Packers quarterback, and famed Bear killer Brett Favre was to be honored by the team by retiring his number.
Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears, however, wanted to spoil the party.
The Packers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks to a 25-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Eddie Lacy, but Cutler would respond with a touchdown pass of his own, a 3-yard toss to Bears tight end Zac Miller. A pair of Packer field goals and a Jeremy Langford touchdown rush set the score 14-13, Bears.
It would remain that way unit the 4th quarter where Robbie Gould extended the lead to 4 with a 21 yard field goal. That’s where the defense stepped up.
Tracy Porter forced a rare Aaron Rodgers interception late in the 4th, but the Packers would get the ball back for one more chance. Starting at their own 20, they drove all the way down to the Bears 8. At this point most Bears fans can tell you what usually happens next.
But not this time.
The defense tightens, forcing 4 straight incompletions, turning the ball over on downs and securing the win, spoiling the night for the Packers faithful.
In 12 career games against the Packers as a Chicago Bear, Jay Cutler only had 1 game where he did not throw a pick against them, that game was on November 26th, 2015, on Brett Favre number retirement night.
2.) 1985, Bears vs. Falcons: Bears blast Falcons 36-0, posting biggest back-to-back shutout wins in team history
In a season of dominant games, the week 12 matchup against the 2-9 Atlanta Falcons may have been a high point of domination.
The Atlanta Falcons had a rough early history in the NFL, claiming just 4 winning seasons (and one of those in a strike shortened season) in it’s first 20 years leading up to the the 1985 season, the 1985 season was no different. And staring down the barrel of one of (if not THE) best defenses in NFL history certainly won’t help.
While the game stayed at a 0-0 deadlock after the first quarter, the Bears were merely a sleeping giant. Snapping off 20 points in the 2nd quarter, catalyzed by a Walter Payton 40-yard touchdown run (who had 102 yards on the day), and The Fridge adding a 1 yard touchdown rush of his own later.
The Bears would have 4 different players scoring rushing touchdowns, a Calvin Thomas 2-yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter, and a 1-yard Thomas Sanders touchdown to cap the scoring at 36-0.
The Bears defense, however, like most games in the 1985 season was the highlight.
Allowing just 97 total yards and -22 net passing yards, Falcons quarterbacks had a miserable day completing just 3 passes on 17 attempts for just 16 yards. 5 combined sacks for 28 yards lost resulted in the -22 net passing yards.
They also three 2 interceptions and lost 1 fumble.
Dating back to week 10, the Chicago Bears would outscore opponents 104-3, which is a hilarious 1 point per game given up on defense. In that same time frame they forced 12 turnovers, recorded 15 sacks, and allowed just 132 yards per game.
One of the most dominating defensive stretches in NFL history.
3.) 2018, Bears @ Lions: With backup QB Chase Daniel, Bears win 3rd divisional game in 12 days on Thanksgiving
Quarterback Chase Daniel made a career out of being a backup. In his 13 year pro career he would make just 5 starts, and 3 of them came as his time as a Chicago Bear.
None more impressive then his Thanksgiving day game against the Lions.
After starting Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky suffered a injury to his throwing shoulder in week 11’s win against the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears would have to turn to veteran journeyman Chase Daniel.
With just a 4 day turnaround from the Bears’ Sunday night win over the Vikings (the Bears famously would play 3 games in the span of 12 days, beating the Lions twice and the Vikings in-between) Chase Daniel delivered when the Bears needed him most.
Daniel would complete 27 of 37 passes for 230 yards, 2 touchdown and no interceptions. Good for a 106.8 passer rating. He would find Taquan Mizzell for his first touchdown throw, a pass for 10-yards, and hit Tarik Cohen later on a 14-yard touchdown.
But late in the game, it was the Bears defense that would put the nails in the coffin. After the Lions forced a 3 and out from the Bears, they would get the ball back tied 16 all, with just 6:09 left to play at their own 41, prime field position to start a drive to take the lead with. But All-Pro safety Eddie Jackson shut the door on that immediate. On the 1st play of the drive, Jackson read Stafford perfectly, jumping a throw to the flat intended for Michael Roberts, picking it, and returning it for 6.
Now down 7 the Lions would put together a drive that would get them all the way to the Bears 11. On 3rd and 9 Stafford would look in the direction of Roberts again, and this time fellow All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller as there to seal the game with a pick, moving the Bears to 8-3, and 3-0 in the span of 12 days.
4.) 2010, Bears vs. Eagles: Cutler throws for 4 touchdowns, cooling down the red hot Michael Vick led Eagles
I had to throw in an Eagles game with a show down looming with them on Black Friday next week.
This was a highly anticipated game, with both teams entering it at 7-3. Michael Vick was in the midst of his best season as a quarterback, getting a second chance in the league after being suspended for 2 years for running a dog fighting ring.
Vick had been excellent leading up to the Bears game, completing 62.8% of his passes for 1608 yards, 11 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a 108.7 passer rating. He had also chipped in 375 yards rushing and 5 rushing touchdowns while only losing 1 fumble.
Despite playing at home, and having the same record as the Eagles, the Bears were -3.5 underdogs.
But history was never really on the side of Michael Vick against the Bears.
In 8 games he managed to win just 2, completing just 57.8% of his passes for 127.5 yards per game. He accounted for just 3 total touchdowns in those games, while throwing 4 interceptions and fumbling 7 times (losing 2). He was also sacked 16 times in those 8 games, the 5th most of any opponent, and the most by any non-divisional opponent.
History would repeat itself in 2010. While Vick did throw for 333 yards, he threw his first interception of the season, a redzone turnover to safety Chris Harris. The Bears would also sack him 4 times and force 4 fumbles (interestingly none recovered by the Bears.)
Meanwhile, under center for the Bears, Jay Cutler played one of his best games of his career, needing just 14 completions on 21 attempts to rack up 247 yards and 4 touchdowns to the tune of a 146.2 passer rating. (His second best mark of all time.)
The Bears cruised into the 4th quarter with a 18 point lead, the only thing saving the Eagles from a 2 score defeat was a touchdown pass with 1:48 remaining in the game. The Bears would recover the onside kick, and Jay Cutler would kneel out the game moving the Bears to 8 wins, in route to a 11-5 finish and an NFC North championship.
5.) 2012, Bears vs. Vikings: Cutler returns from concussion, Marshall becomes first Bears WR since 2002 to eclipse 1000 yards
Another year, another 8-3 start for the Chicago Bears under Lovie Smith. This time the Bears were playing host the the 6-4, Leslie Frazier led Minnesota Vikings. And while Adrian Peterson had another banner day against the Bears (the only team in the NFL Peterson rushed for more yards against was the Green Bay Packers) running for 100+ yards, the Bears would have the last laugh.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was efficient on the day, completing 23 of 31 passes for 188 yards, a touchdown and an interception. But he looked to his number one receiver Brandon Marshall early and often.
Marshall was haul in 12 of 17 targets for 92 yards, including an 11 yard completion in the 3rd quarter that would put Marshall over the 1,000 yard receiving mark. Marty Booker was the last Bears receiver to top this mark with a 1189 yard season in 2002.
Marshall would go on to set the franchise mark in receptions (118) and yards (1508) while hauling in 11 touchdowns that year, good for 7th in franchise history.
The Bears would ride out a 25 point first half to a 28-10 victory, forcing 3 Vikings turnovers and limiting them to just 258 yards on the day.
Unfortunately the Bears would go on to miss the playoff’s in 2012 despite finishing with a 10-6 record, thanks to the divisional record tie-breaker being owned by the Vikings (Vikings went 4-2 in division play, Bears 3-3). Despite a 7-1 start to the year, the Bears would miss the dance, and in the offseason would move on from Lovie Smith as head coach.
Smith is the 3rd all time winningest head coach in Bears history. (81 wins)
Gary Baugher Jr. is a rookie contributor to WCG, bringing football insight backed by over 16 years of experience in organized football and more than 30 years as a passionate fan of the game. You can follow him on Twitter at @iamcogs.
