1984 Chicago Bears season

The 1984 season was the Chicago Bears' 65th in the National Football League the 15th post-season completed in the NFL, and their third under head coach Mike Ditka. The team improved from their 8–8 record from 1983, to a 10–6 record, earning them a spot in the NFL playoffs. The Bears went on to lose in the NFC Championship Game 23–0 to the eventual Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers.

1984 Chicago Bears season
OwnerThe McCaskey Family
(Family control since 1921; Virginia McCaskey since 1983)
Head coachMike Ditka
General managerJerry Vainisi
Home fieldSoldier Field
Results
Record10–6
Division place1st NFC Central
Playoff finishWon Divisional Playoffs (Redskins) 23–19
Lost NFC Championship Playoffs (49ers) 23–0
Pro Bowlers
AP All-Pros

The Bears opened their 1984 training camp in a new location, Platteville, Wisconsin as head coach Mike Ditka needed his team to get away from any distractions they might face at home. The team was on the verge of discovering a group of young leaders for the first time, and began to show the dominating defense that would emerge in full the following season, and pushed much farther than anyone expected them to go.

Chicago opened the season by routing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 34–14. In Week Two, they shut out the Denver Broncos 27–0 behind a huge day from star running back Walter Payton. This game featured a famous image from Payton's career: a 50+ yard run down the sideline, led by 2nd-year guard Mark Bortz, an 8th round draft pick that was converted from defensive tackle.

In Week Three, they were without the services of starting quarterback Jim McMahon at Green Bay, reserve quarterback Bob Avellini took the reins. Chicago's offense performed inferiorly but still managed a 9–7 victory. This contest marked the first meeting between Mike Ditka and Packers head coach Forrest Gregg. It would be a rivalry that would go down in history as arguably the dirtiest era in Chicago-Green Bay football.

In Week Four, the Bears' lack of offensive power was evident as they lost to the Seattle Seahawks 38–9. After this loss, Ditka cut Avellini. The following week, the Bears lost to the Dallas Cowboys 23–14, bringing their record to 3–2.

On October 7, 1984, Walter Payton reached a major milestone as he surpassed Jim Brown as the game's all-time leading rusher in yards, he did it in the third quarter of a Week Six home game against the New Orleans Saints. The Bears beat the Saints 20–7. Incidentally, the 1984 Bears ran for the second-most rushing attempts in a season, with 674.[3]

In Week Seven, the Bears lost 38–21 to the Cardinals in St. Louis the following week. Sitting at 4–3, the Bears proceeded to win three in a row. They beat Tampa Bay 44–9, then Minnesota Vikings at home, 16–7. Following the win over the Minnesota Vikings, came the biggest challenge for the Bears: a showdown with the defending world champion Los Angeles Raiders. The Bears beat the Raiders 17–6, a game that showcased Richard Dent, who collected three sacks against Raiders QB Marc Wilson. Dent would finish with 17.5 sacks, third-most for the season behind Mark Gastineau and Andre Tippett.[4] The Bears would then record 72 sacks, a team record.[5] The Bears' victory was marred by a kidney laceration suffered by Jim McMahon, ending his season.

Six-year veteran QB Steve Fuller had been acquired from the Los Angeles Rams prior to the 1984 season for insurance in case McMahon was injured. The investment paid off, as Fuller guided the Bears to a 2–1 record over the next 3 games. In the third game at Minnesota's new Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Week Thirteen, the team clinched its first NFC Central Division title.

After the Minnesota game, Fuller was injured, and Chicago was faced with another quarterback problem. Ineffective Rusty Lisch replaced the injured Fuller and lost the Week Fourteen game at San Diego, then started the following week against Green Bay at home. Lisch was again ineffective, so Ditka inserted none other than Walter Payton behind center in the shotgun formation. Payton, unsurprisingly, was ineffective as well, and the Bears lost to the Packers 20–14.

Fuller was expected to return by the playoffs, but Ditka did not want to enter the postseason with another loss. The Bears signed 14-year journeyman Greg Landry to start his last NFL game against his previous team, the Detroit Lions, in the season finale. The Bears won 30–13, and were headed to the playoffs for the first time since 1979.

1984 NFL Draft
Main article: 1984 NFL Draft
1984 Chicago Bears draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 11 Wilber Marshall *  Linebacker Florida
2 44 Ron Rivera  Linebacker California
3 71 Stefan Humphries  Guard Michigan
4 98 Tom Andrews  Guard Louisville
7 179 Nakita Robertson  Running back Central Arkansas
8 212 Brad Anderson  Wide receiver Arizona
9 244 Mark Casale  Quarterback Montclair State
10 266 Kurt Vestman  Tight end Idaho
10 271 Shaun Gayle *  Safety Ohio State
11 298 Mark Butkus  Defensive tackle Illinois
12 330 Donald Jordan  Running back Houston
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Preseason
Walter Payton (34), pictured breaking the NFL's career rushing record
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenue
1August 4, 1984St. Louis CardinalsL 10–190–1Soldier Field
2August 11, 1984Green Bay PackersL 10–170–2Milwaukee County Stadium
3August 18, 1984Cincinnati BengalsL 17–250–3Soldier Field
4August 26, 1984Buffalo BillsW 38–71–3Hoosier Dome

Regular season

Schedule
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 2, 1984Tampa Bay BuccaneersW 34–141–0Soldier Field58,789
2September 9, 1984Denver BroncosW 27–02–0Soldier Field54,335
3September 16, 1984at Green Bay PackersW 9–73–0Lambeau Field55,942
4September 23, 1984at Seattle SeahawksL 38–93–1Kingdome61,520
5September 30, 1984Dallas CowboysL 23–143–2Soldier Field63,623
6October 7, 1984New Orleans SaintsW 20–74–2Soldier Field53,752
7October 14, 1984at St. Louis CardinalsL 38–214–3Busch Memorial Stadium49,554
8October 21, 1984at Tampa Bay BuccaneersW 44–95–3Tampa Stadium60,003
9October 28, 1984Minnesota VikingsW 16–76–3Soldier Field57,517
10November 4, 1984Los Angeles RaidersW 17–67–3Soldier Field59,858
11November 11, 1984at Los Angeles RamsL 29–137–4Anaheim Stadium62,021
12November 18, 1984Detroit LionsW 16–148–4Soldier Field54,911
13November 25, 1984at Minnesota VikingsW 34–39–4Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome56,881
14December 3, 1984at San Diego ChargersL 20–79–5Jack Murphy Stadium45,470
15December 9, 1984Green Bay PackersL 20–149–6Soldier Field59,374
16December 16, 1984at Detroit LionsW 30–1310–6Pontiac Silverdome53,252

Standings
NFC Central
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Chicago Bears(3) 10 6 0 .625 7–1 8–4 325 248 W1
Green Bay Packers 8 8 0 .500 5–3 8–4 390 309 W3
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6 10 0 .375 3–5 5–9 335 380 W2
Detroit Lions 4 11 1 .281 3–5 4–7–1 283 408 L3
Minnesota Vikings 3 13 0 .188 2–6 3–9 276 484 L6

Week 2: vs. Denver Broncos

The Bears limited the Broncos to 130 total yards as three different Denver quarterbacks (John Elway, Gary Kubiak, and Scott Stankavage) completed just nine passes with two interceptions. Seven different Bears players led by Walter Payton rushed for 302 yards.

Week 3: at Green Bay Packers
1 2 34Total
Bears 3 3 039
Packers 0 7 007

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: Sunday, September 16
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 50°F, wind 9 mph
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com
Game information

Week 4: at Seattle Seahawks
1 2 34Total
Bears 7 0 029
Seahawks 7 3 21738

at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington

Game information

Six Bears turnovers and a 21-0 run by the Seahawks in the 3rd quarter were the key as Chicago's season-opening win streak was blunted, 38-9. The two teams combined for just 504 yards of offense with 22 penalties eating up 181 yards.

Week 5: vs. Dallas Cowboys
1 2 34Total
Cowboys 10 7 3323
Bears 7 7 0014

at Soldier Field, Chicago

Game information

Mike Ditka for the first time as Bears head coach faced Tom Landry, who'd coached Ditka in Super Bowl VI. Landry's Cowboys were outgained in yardage 313 to 400 but forced two Bears turnovers to win 23-14. The Bears rushing attack still managed 283 yards.

Week 6: vs. New Orleans Saints
1 2 34Total
Saints 0 7 007
Bears 6 7 0720

at Soldier Field, Chicago

  • Date: Sunday, October 7
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 62°F, wind 11 mph
  • Game attendance: 53,752
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
  • TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com
Game information

Walter Payton ran for 154 yards and a touchdown on his way to breaking Jim Brown's career rushing yardage and 100-yard games records.[6]

Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings
1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 0 077
Bears 6 10 0016

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Week 10: vs. Los Angeles Raiders
1 2 34Total
Raiders 0 3 306
Bears 7 7 0317

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Week 11
1 234Total
• Bears 7 10170 34
Vikings 3 000 3
  • Bears clinch division title

[7]

Week 15: vs. Green Bay Packers
1 2 34Total
Packers 0 7 6720
Bears 0 0 7714

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Postseason

See full article, 1984–85 NFL playoffs

The first-round matchup sent the 10–6 Bears to Washington, a team that had lost to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. Washington was heavily favored, but Chicago came away with a 23–19 victory that featured touchdown passes from Fuller, as well as Payton on a halfback option pass.

With the momentum of defeating the defending NFC champions, the Bears then travelled to San Francisco for their first appearance in a championship game of any sort since their championship year in 1963. The line for the game came down steadily as the week wore on, but the Bears were shut out 23–0. Fuller had performed poorly in games against tough opponents, and the offense sputtered as the 49ers were able to render Walter Payton ineffective. The team had gone farther than many had expected them to go in 1984, and the season set the stage for their Super Bowl winning 1985 season.

Schedule
Further information: 1984–85 NFL playoffs
RoundDateOpponentResultVenueAttendance
Divisional RoundDecember 30, 1984at Washington RedskinsW 23–19Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium55,431
NFC ChampionshipJanuary 6, 1985at San Francisco 49ersL 23–0Candlestick Park61,040

NFC: Chicago Bears 23, Washington Redskins 19
Game summary
1 2 34Total
Bears 0 10 13023
Redskins 3 0 14219

at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.

NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers 23, Chicago Bears 0
Game summary
1 2 34Total
Bears 0 0 000
49ers 3 3 71023

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

Roster and staff

Staff
1984 Chicago Bears staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches


Strength and conditioning

  • Assistant trainer – Brian McCaskey
  • Weightlifting/Strength – Clyde Emrich

Roster
1984 Chicago Bears final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

References
  1. "1984 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  2. "1984 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. "Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1978 to 2011, in the regular season, sorted by descending Rushing Att". Pfref.com. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  4. "Pro-Football-Reference: For single seasons, in 1984, sorted by descending Sacks". Pfref.com. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  5. "Does Cutler play better in day games?". Chicagobears.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  6. "Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's NFL career rushing record". UPI. October 7, 1984. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  7. The Football Database. Retrieved 2018-Oct-28.
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