The '68 & '71 Bears

[74_75_78_79_]

I got a weird feeling I posted something like this already. I'm sorry if I did.

'Year One' after Halas no longer being HC, if Chicago would have beaten GB in the '68 finale, they would have finished 8-6 and gotten the nod over Minnesota for the division due to they sweeping them. They lost that finale at home to GB, 28-27 (in 'Year One' w/out the Pack, themselves, having Vince at HC), while Minnesota won at Philly by seven in that infamous 'Santa Claus' game! Even if you like "what-ifs", there is zero point in discussing a hypo they-at-Colts playoff game for its all-but-definite they do no better than Minny did as well as no better than their own 28-7 loss at Memorial to that very juggernaut early on.

In '69 they bottom-out at 1-13 (as Pittsburgh did; but they beat the Steelers, 38-7), but get back to respectability the following year at 6-8 beginning with a 2-0 start.

In '71, their first season at Soldier Field, they also start 2-0 with that second win being...at Minnesota! Not just that, but they go on to stretch things to 6-3! And within that stretch were further quality wins over Detroit at Tiger (very sadly the Chuck Hughes game), World Champs-to-be Dallas, and then Washington for that sixth win!

This dropped George Allen's bunch to 6-2-1. They would end up getting the wild card spot in '71. But they would go on to lose two more games thus Chicago's Wk#9 win over them actually placed the Bears in the driver's seat!

But then they not only lose the rest of their games, but four of those by convincing margin! And besides SB-bound Miami on the road on MNF, the other losses were quite doable. This also includes the finale vs Minny who already had their division wrapped. But, instead, an outright complete collapse that would cost Dooley his job.

These are the two post-Halas-as-HC campaigns before Pardee and Armstrong's respective pair of late-'70s post-season berths in which the Bears at least flirted with the playoffs.

Thoughts?

[JohnTurney]

though the miracle of Stathead
Bobby Douglass' 8-game streak to end season is only time since
1970 that someone has attempted 11 or more in all 11
games and had a completion % of less than 49% in all 11 games

2023-09-30_14-42-33.jpg (57.8 KiB) Viewed 660 times

the 3 games streak Det, Mia, Den
may be the worst QB passing 3-game streak since the early days of pro football

an average of about 30-35 yards a game rushing but didn't run for
any TDs

2023-09-30_14-45-04.jpg (73.32 KiB) Viewed 660 times

his last 5-game streak is pretty bad too
but at least he's not alone there...

2023-09-30_14-54-40.jpg (124.91 KiB) Viewed 660 times

[Cali_Eagle]

I got a weird feeling I posted something like this already. I'm sorry if I did.

'Year One' after Halas no longer being HC, if Chicago would have beaten GB in the '68 finale, they would have finished 8-6 and gotten the nod over Minnesota for the division due to they sweeping them. They lost that finale at home to GB, 28-27 (in 'Year One' w/out the Pack, themselves, having Vince at HC), while Minnesota won at Philly by seven in that infamous 'Santa Claus' game! Even if you like "what-ifs", there is zero point in discussing a hypo they-at-Colts playoff game for its all-but-definite they do no better than Minny did as well as no better than their own 28-7 loss at Memorial to that very juggernaut early on.

In '69 they bottom-out at 1-13 (as Pittsburgh did; but they beat the Steelers, 38-7), but get back to respectability the following year at 6-8 beginning with a 2-0 start.

In '71, their first season at Soldier Field, they also start 2-0 with that second win being...at Minnesota! Not just that, but they go on to stretch things to 6-3! And within that stretch were further quality wins over Detroit at Tiger (very sadly the Chuck Hughes game), World Champs-to-be Dallas, and then Washington for that sixth win!

This dropped George Allen's bunch to 6-2-1. They would end up getting the wild card spot in '71. But they would go on to lose two more games thus Chicago's Wk#9 win over them actually placed the Bears in the driver's seat!

But then they not only lose the rest of their games, but four of those by convincing margin! And besides SB-bound Miami on the road on MNF, the other losses were quite doable. This also includes the finale vs Minny who already had their division wrapped. But, instead, an outright complete collapse that would cost Dooley his job.

These are the two post-Halas-as-HC campaigns before Pardee and Armstrong's respective pair of late-'70s post-season berths in which the Bears at least flirted with the playoffs.

Thoughts?

I looked up the 1967 and 1968 Bears on PRF and had never before realized how close each of those teams were to winning the division. In 67 they lose to the Packers 13-10 and 17-13. Plus, the aforementioned 28-27 loss to GB in the 68 finale. Reverse those 3 games (or maybe even two of them) and the Bears are right there. Plus, the 1971 collapse had escaped my memory also. Dooley prob deserved to be fired after a meltdown like that, but in his defense, I suppose he would've pointed to Douglass (privately at least, if not publicly).