Bears Grind Out 24-17 Win Over Cardinals

[dogwood30]

Today in the NJLMFL- Wild Card #2 Arizona Cardinals vs NFC North Champs Chicago Bears- Soldier Field.

The Chicago Bears won the turnove battle 3-2 and that was the difference in a hard fought 24-17 victory. The game got off to a fast start with 28 points scored in the first quarter on some big plays. The biggest a catch and run from Chicago QB Jim McMahon to Walter Payton for a 90 yard TD. Arizona scored first on a Warner to Fitzgerald strike from 46 yards. After the kick Willie Gault hauled in McMahon's first TD pass on a 73 yd bomb. After a 3 and out by the Cardinals punter Scott Player pinned Chicago deep with a kick that was downed on the Bears 3 yd line. After Gayle Sayers gained 7 yds to the 10 the Bears then got the long TD to Payton. After the kick on 3rd and 7 Kurt Warner was intercepted by LB Wilbur Marshall who returned it 30 yards for the score. On the Cardinals next possessionin in the 2nd quarter Warner was picked off again by Donnell Woolford who returned it to the Arizona 33. The Bears were in position to put the Cardinals away early but Cardinals DB Roger Wehrli changed the game around by picking of McMahon on the very next playand returned it to the Cardinals 38. from there Warner settled down and drove Arizona to the Chicago 27 then hit WR Roy Green on a post pattern for a 27 yd TD to make it a 21-14 game. The Bears KR Devin Hester muffed the kickoff and fell on it at the Bears 9 yd line. On first down Walter Payton was hit by DE Bertrand Berry and fumbled. The Cardinals Freddie Joe Nunn recovered at the 9. The Cardinals failed to score a TD and had to settle for a 29 yd FG by Neil Rackers at 2:00 minute warning making it Bears 21 Cardinals 17. Chicago went 3 and out, and the Cardinals used their 3rd timeout with :17 left in the half. Cardinals Terry Metcalf returned the punt 47 yds to the Bears 36 with :01 left but Rackers was short on a 53 yd FG attempt and it was 21-17 at the half. The 2 teams traded punts beginning the 3rd Qtr when Arizona finally got a big play. RB OJ Anderson broke off a 51 yd run to the Chicago 9. On the next play Terry Metcalf gained 5 yards but fumbled and Bears DB Richie Pettibon recovered on the Chicago 4.(photo) Chicago began the drive from their 4 with 6:34 to go in the 3rd. The Bears moved slowly down the field in small chunks of yards. The Quarter ended scorless at 21-17.
The Bears continued the drive into Cardinal territory but a holding penalty helped stall the drive and the Bears punted. After another 3 and out Willie Gault had a 46 yd punt return deep into Arizona territory. The Bears did not make a first down so on came the field goal unit. Kevin Butlers 30 yd FG attempt was blocked and Cardinals Arneas Williams returned it to the Arizona 32 with 2:32 left in the game. Things went sour for Arizona again when Warner was sacked on the next play by Mike Singletary and fumbled. Doug Plank recovered for Chicago at the Arizona 30 at the 2:00 warning. Chicago ran off 3 plays forcing Arizona to burn all of their timeouts. This time Butler connected from 45 yds out to give the Bears a 24-17 lead with just 25 ticks left on the clock. Metcalf returned the kick to the Cardinals 42 and with :12 left Warner hit Roy Green but he was tackled at the Bears 45 and time ran out. After the Bears fast start in the first quarter the Cadinals outplayed them the rest of the game but it was the missed opportunities and once again turnovers that did them in. The Bears will face a tough test in the next round. The defending Super Bowl Champion Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome.

Picture1- teams lined up
Picture 2- Screen to Payton
Picture 3- Quick slant to Gault
Picture 4- Metcalf run and Fumble
Picture 5- Fumble Recovery-Bears Have It !

[jeff]

I love the pic of the scrum for the fumble........... CLASSIC!