Chicago Bears: Ranking the Biggest Wins in Franchise History

The Chicago Bears have a long and storied history. Heck, "Papa Bear" George Halas founded pro football in 1920 and charged each team $100 for membership.

Along the way, they have accumulated 704 regular-season and 18 postseason victories. Included as part of those totals are nine championships and one Super Bowl win.

This franchise started in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys of the American Professional Football Association. The following year, they became the Chicago Staleys, and since the present day National Football League (NFL) started in 1922, they have been known as the Chicago Bears.

But no matter what you call them — "Monsters of the Midway"; "Da Bears"; "Pride and Joy of Illinois"—the navy blue and Pantone 1665 jerseys represent a lot of history.

Trying to assimilate all those years and sum up the best wins is a daunting task, to be sure. But trying to rank them is downright ridiculous.

Yet that's exactly what I've done here, so feel free to let me know where you disagree, or to simply share stories of how you've basked in the glory that is our Chicago Bears.

photo from www.mummydeals.org

10. January 12, 1986: Chicago Bears 24, Los Angeles Rams 0

This game was the NFC Championship, and it vaulted the Bears into the Super Bowl for the first time.

The Rams were held to 130 yards of total offense by a dominating Bears defense. One memorable scene is when Richard Dent forced a fumble, and Wilbur Marshall picked up the loose ball and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.

The Rams did have a chance to get back in the game near the end of the first half, getting to the Bears' 15 yard line. But stupid play calling and bad clock management resulted in the clock running out.

9. January 21, 2007: Chicago Bears 39, New Orleans Saints 14

This was the NFC Championship game, and with the win, the Bears finally got back to the Super Bowl after a 21-year drought. It was the second Super Bowl appearance in the team's history.

The Saints actually outgained the Bears in this game, but they committed three fumbles and threw an interception, sealing the win for the Bears.

In their first drive of the second half, Drew Brees committed an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears then drove 85 yards for a TD to put the game out of reach.  

8. December 26, 1943: Chicago Bears 41, Washington 21

This game was significant, not only because the win gave the Bears the championship, but it was played the day after Christmas.

However, of the Bears titles, this one may have been a bit diluted due to the war. Two teams actually merged during the season and four were severely impacted by the war.

It was also the first year that wearing helmets became mandatory for all players.

Played at Wrigley Field, the Bears were led by MVP Sid Luckman, who threw five TD passes and fullback Bronco Nagurski, who scored his last Bears' TD.

This was an angry team that had been denied a shot at history by being beaten the year before to prevent a four year run as champs.

The season was further diluted by the fact that it was shortened to 10 games. But it did establish the Bears as the dynasty of the 1940s.

photo from www.profootballhof.com

7. December 14, 1941: Chicago Bears 33, Green Bay Packers 14

Though this wasn't a title game, it was important in Bears' history because of who they played.

The Bears and Packers finished in a tie at 10-1 that season, with the teams splitting two games. The Packers and Bears played a one-game playoff in Chicago to determine who would play in the championship.

The Bears beat their archrivals in the first post-season game ever played between them. 

While the U.S. was fully embroiled in WWII, the Bears and Packers were in a war of their own. The two teams wouldn't play in the post-season again until this past season.

photo from www.nfltouchdown.com

6. December 15, 1946: Chicago Bears 24, New York Giants 14

The Bears won on the road, in New York's Polo Grounds. That season, George Halas had returned from the war to coach the team to an 8-2-1 record.

The game was marked by scandal as two Giants players were accused of taking bribes to fix the game. One player admitted to it (Merle Hapes), and he was not allowed to play.

But the other player (Frank Fitchcock) did play, though he later admitted to the bribe when under oath.

The game was tied at 14 entering the fourth quarter. But in front of 58,346 people, Sid Luckman ran 19 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and they never looked back.  

photo from www.legendaryauctions.com

5. December 29, 1963: Chicago Bears 14, New York Giants 10

Commissioner Pete Rozelle had asked George Halas to play the game at Soldier Field in case of darkness but he refused, so the game time was changed to 12:05 pm CT.

On a very cold day, the Bears defense stopped the powerful Giants offense, which was led by QB Y.A. Tittle. That season, the Bears defense was nicknamed the "Monsters of the Midway", yielding only 144 points in 14 games.

The Bears offense, however, was nicknamed "three yards and a cloud of dust", ranking 10th out of 14 teams. But the defense would win out, injuring Tittle in the process, although he would come back to play.

The game went down to the wire, with Richie Petitbon's interception in the end zone sealing the win with 10 seconds left in the game. It was Tittle's fifth interception on the day.

photo from www.fs64sports.blogspot.com

4. December 21, 1941: Chicago Bears 37, New York Giants 9

The game carried extra importance as it came just two weeks after Pearl Harbor. Chicago, and indeed the nation, sorely needed a diversion.

However, if someone tells you they were there, don't believe them.

Well, first of all, the game was almost 70 years ago. But the attendance was only 13,341, the smallest ever to see an NFL title game.

According to wikipedia.org, "Two players who appeared in the game, Young Bussey and Jack Lummus, would be killed in action before World War II ended."

The Bears became the first team since the NFL adopted the championship game in 1933 to win back to back titles.

photo from www.replayphotos.com

3. December 17, 1933: Chicago Bears 23, New York Giants 21

This was the first ever NFL Championship Game. Yes, the Bears previously won two titles, but it was back when titles were determined by the won-loss record and no championship game was played.

So this game, played at Wrigley Field, was significant for being the first real championship in the Bears long history.

The Bears hosted the New York Giants at Wrigley Field in Chicago in the NFL's inaugural championship game and it lived up to its billing. The teams went back and forth, with Bronko Nagurski leading in rushing and also throwing a TD pass.

Then, in the closing minutes of the game, with the Giants up by five points, Nagurski again threw the ball, which was caught by Bill Hewitt, who lateraled the ball to Billy Karr who raced for the winning TD.

Each member of the Bears earned $210.34 and the Giants players received $140.22 each.

photo from www.profootballhof.com

2. December 8, 1940: Chicago Bears 73, Washington Redskins 0

In this, the 1940 NFL Championship, the Bears secured the most one-sided victory in NFL history.

The Bears thrilled the nation with the T-formation, and that was the secret weapon George Halas and the boys used to completely befuddle the Redskins in such a lopsided win.

According to www.history.com "The Bears, coached by George Halas, brought a 6-2 record to their regular-season meeting with the Redskins in Washington...After Chicago lost 7-3, the Redskins coach, George Preston Marshall, told reporters that Halas and his team were "quitters" and "cry babies."

Well, that was apparently the wrong thing to say because when the Bears renewed acquaintances with Washington in the championship game, they stepped on the gas and destroyed them 73-0.

Things got so bad that "by the end of the second half officials were asking Halas not to let his team kick for extra points, as they were running out of footballs after too many had been kicked into the stands."

photo from www.windycitizen.com

1. January 27, 1986: Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

Maybe it's because this was the only title I was old enough to remember (I was only two in 1963), or perhaps it was because of what was arguably the most dominating defense in NFL history.

But whatever the reason, I picked the first ever Super Bowl win as the Bears biggest win in their history.

Led by a dominating defense, this team was not only bad on the field, they were bad off of it as well. I'm talking bad as in "we're so bad we know we're good" bad.

Look, this game was simply a must win for Chicago. With the way they bragged their way through the Super Bowl Shuffle, if they hadn't won the Super Bowl, they would have been the laughingstock of football and remembered forever for that.

Instead, they are remembered as a team with so many colorful characters that even when they weren't dominating opponents during games, they were entertaining.

And what about the nicknames? The "Fridge"; the "Punky QB"; "Sweetness"; "Danimal"; "Mongo"...the list goes on and on.

The only downside to this game was the fact that Walter Payton didn't score a touchdown. Mike Ditka said it's one of the biggest regrets he has.

But I don't regret picking it as the best win in Bears history.

photo from www.offthebench.nbcsports.com