Last Nights Orlando vs Chicago game Recap and Pictures

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Today in the NJLMFL- “Where the Legends Play”

NFC Wild Card / Divisional Playoff Game 1

# 6- Orlando Thunder ( NFC East WC ) at # 3 Chicago Bears ( NFC North Champs )

SOLDIER FIELD- CHICAGO


On a 10 degree night in Chicago you would expect a low scoring defensive minded ground attack type of game. WRONG. Last night the Bears and Thunder put on one of the greatest shows you will ever see in such cold conditions. The game was fast and furious early then slowed down in the middle only to open up into a track meet at the end. When it was all over the warm weather Orlando Thunder stunned the Chicago Bears 42-32 in a history making game.

1st Half- Orlando won the toss and took the ball. On their 3rd play of the game Orlando QB Michael Vick scrambled for a first down but was hit by Chicago’s Otis Wilson causing a fumble and the Bears Richard Dent recovered on the Thunder 19. The Bears got close but couldn’t push it in and K Kevin Butler kicked a 28 yd FG for an early 3-0 Chicago lead. Orlando got the ball back and drove the length of the field and scored the games first TD when Vick hit Braylon Edwards for an 8 yd TD and a 7-3 lead. Then came some league history. On the kickoff the Bears Devin Hester took the kick on his own 14 and was off to the races for an 86 yd TD giving the Bears a 10-7 lead. Part 2- Orlando KR Kevin Williams then returned Butlers kickoff 95 yards for an Orlando TD and a 14-10 lead. Part 3- History was made when Hester returned the Orlando kickoff 87 yards for back to back to back TDs. Three TDs were scored in less than a minute and when the smoke finally cleared Chicago had a 17-14 lead after the first quarter. The defenses finally showed up in the 2nd quarter and the only score came very late when Vick connected with RB Ryan Grant for a 9 yd TD with :02 left in the half. Orlando took a 21-17 lead into the half.

2nd Half- With the temperature dropping into the single digits both teams grinded out a scoreless 3rd quarter. Orlando was on the move as the quarter ended and then scored early in the 4th when Vick threw his 3rd TD of the night a 3 yarder to Jeremy Shockey giving the Thunder a 28-17 lead with 14:43 to go. At this point both Vick and Chicago QB Jim McMahon were both red hot. Midway through the quarter McMahon hit Willie Gault deep taking it to the Orlando 10 yd line then followed it up with a 10 yd strike to Gault cutting the Orlando lead to 28-23. Head Coach Buddy Ryan elected to go for the 2 pt conversion with 6:10 to go in the game. McMahon converted the 2 pts with a nifty QB draw and the score was 28-25 Thunder. It took just under 2 minutes for the Thunder to score when Ricky Williams burst through the Chicago line on his way to a 56 yd TD run and a 35-25 lead with just 4:30 left in the game. Back came the Bears. After a long gainer to Gayle Sayers on a screen pass down to the Orlando 23 McMahon hit TE Mike Ditka for a 23 yard TD and it was 35-32 Orlando with 3:14 remaining. The Bears elected to go for the onsides kick but came up empty with Orlando recovering the squib kick at the Chicago 43. On their first play after the recovery Ryan Grant delivered the knockout punch with a brilliant 43 yd TD run and a 42-32 Thunder lead. Chicago’s last effort ended with a Brock Marion interception and Orlando had the 42-32 upset victory. The Thunder will now travel to play the #1 overall seed Richmond Rebels next week in the Divisional Round. Orlando has scored 38 and 42 points in their two playoff games so far so we will see if a Richmond squad a team featuring many current NY Giant players can stop the explosive Orlando offense.

Scoring

Orlando 14-7-0-21…..42
Chicago 17-0-0-15….32

1st QTR
CHI- Butler 28 yd FG…………………………………………….3-0 7:42
ORL- Edwards 8 yd pass from Vick (Keading kick)………….7-3 5:34
CHI- Hester 86 yd kickoff return (Butler kick)……………..…10-7 5:12
ORL- K. Williams 95 yd kickoff return (Keading kick)……….14-10 4:48
CHI- Hester 87 yd kickoff return (Butler kick)………………...17-14 4:20

2nd QTR
ORL- Grant 9 yd pass from Vick (Keading kick………………21-17 :02

3rd QTR
No Scoring………………………………………………………..21-17 :00

4th QTR
ORL- Shockey 3 yd pass from Vick (Keading kick)………….28-17 14:43
CHI- Gault 10 yd pass from McMahon (McMahon run 2 pts) 28-25 6:10
ORL- Williams 56 yd run (Keading kick)……………………….35-25 4:30
CHI- Ditka 23 yd pass from McMahon (Butler kick)…………..35-32 3:14
ORL- Grant 43 yd run (Keading kick)…………………………..42-32 2:10

INTs ORL- Marion (1).