NFL Network: America's Game- The 1985 Chicago Bears

Source:Amazon- the Super Bowl 20 Championship Ring.

"The 1985 Chicago Bears were larger than life. They had in-your-face personalities. They boasted Hall of Fame-caliber players. But most importantly, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Chicago dominated opponents like few others. The Bears offense was a reflection of their hard-nosed head coach, Mike Ditka. First and foremost, Ditka liked to establish the run, with Walter Payton rushing for 1,551 yards on 324 carries. Still, the coach could be creative, too. He occasionally used a 300-pound rookie named William "Refrigerator" Perry at the goal line, to the delight of teammates and fans alike. Perry was also a part of Chicago's "46 Defense", which is widely considered the best in league history. The scheme -- designed by defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan -- so overwhelmed opponents a world title seemed inevitable. And it was. Chicago lost just one game prior to reaching Super Bowl XX, where it whipped the New England Patriots for their first NFL championship since 1963. Join NFL Films as they retell the story of the '85 Bears, a team as popular as they were dominant." 

From Amazon 

"America’s Game 1985 Bears: Story about the 85 bears" 

Source:The Legendary DCA- Chicago Bears QB Jim McMahon.

From The Legendary DCA 

"America's Game 1985 Chicago Bears" 

Source:Christy Gene- Da Coach Mike Ditka.

From Christy Gene  

I believe what made the 85 Bears defense as far as their personal and perhaps their whole team even though they did have Walter Payton and Jim McMahon when he was healthy on offense, but what really sets the 85 Bears apart from most of the other Super Bowl champions, was their front 7. 

Richard Dent and Dan Hampton as the Bears DE's, which meant you couldn't double-team either, especially with Wilbur Marshall and Otis Wilson on the outside. And Steve McMichael and William Perry inside. McMichael was a Pro Bowler and Perry was the frig, but in 1985 he was excellent against the run for the Bears and could get up the field against the QB as well. 

Then you have Marshall, Mike Singletary, and Otis Wilson as your LB's and you are trying to tell your offensive line that you have to block all these guys so the QB can have time to throw the ball and so you can run the ball against them. Might as well be asking for snow in South Florida for Christmas, while you are at it. 

"The Purple People Eaters, the Legion of Boom, the Steel Curtain, the Monsters of Midway and so many other great NFL Defenses have their place on the NFL’s Greatest Defenses list. However, one stands out amongst the rest. 

They are known as one of the meanest, toughest teams to ever take the field. Led by a fearless leader, the 1985 Chicago Bears are the greatest defense in NFL history. 

With Mike Ditka at the helm and Buddy Ryan as the defensive coordinator, the Bears were set up to have one of the greatest runs on the defensive side of the ball, ever. The Bears had Richard Dent, Otis Wilson, Steve McMichael, Leslie Frazier, Mike Singletary, Dave Duerson and Gary Fencik."

Source:The Sporting Blog- Chicago Bears LB's from left to right: Wilbur Marshall, Mike Singletary, and Otis Wilson.

From The Sporting Blog

This is from NFL Network's America's Game about the top 20 Super Champions ever. But the video where this photo came from is not currently available online right now, but the photo is still here on this blog.

Source:NFL Films- Chicago winning their first Super Bowl in 1985.

When I look at the 1985 Chicago Bears, I see how the 1980s Bears should have been. Dominant defense, strong offensive line with a great running game that can also pass block, but with a healthy Jim McMahon a passing game as well. Pre-1985 or so all you needed was a strong run defense and a team that could score about twenty points a game or less to beat the Bears. They had Walter Payton, Roman Harper and Matt Suhey running the ball and that was basically it for their offense. Especially Payton and if they had a big game running the ball then maybe Jeff Fuller or whoever the quarterback was could hit a few passes to James Scott, or Willy Gault and Payton in the passing game.

The 85 Bears with a healthy McMahon, now had an offense to go with perhaps the best defense that the NFL has ever seen for one season in the 85 Chicago Bears and their 46 Defense. Jimmy Mc, was the difference between the Bears being a good, or very good team and a great dominant team that was perhaps better than any NFL team we’ve ever seen at least in the 1980s. But for that one season the Bears were about as good, or better than any NFL team that the NFL has ever seen. Because they had all of their parts both on defense and on offense. Mike Ditka, running the offense and Buddy Ryan running the defense. With the offense only having to come up with 14-17 points, but that could give you 25-30, even though they didn’t have to do that very often if ever.

The reason why the 1980s Bears only won one Super Bowl and the Bears haven’t won another one since is because they either couldn’t protect Jim McMahon, or he couldn’t protect himself. Or a combination of both, plus he only weighed about 190 pounds. And when you’re 6’1 and you’re playing QB in the NFL and play on Astroturf, you probably need to weigh 200 or more so you’re strong enough to take a beating every week. By when McMahon was healthy and on he was about as good as any QB in the NFL at least in 85. He was athletic and quick and had a strong accurate throwing arm. And he had a great offensive line and running game and you got to see how great the Bears back then could be in 85.

The reason why we can’t talk about the 1980s Bears like we can talk about the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, or the 1980s San Francisco 49ers, or even the 1980s Washington Redskins that played in three Super Bowls and won two of them, is because the Bears only did it for one season. And to be that team and a dynasty you must have more than one great season. You have to win multiple Super Bowls in the same decade and have at least one great Super Bowl champion. But in 1985 for one season we got to see how great and NFL team can be on both sides of the ball for 19 games. The 18-1 Chicago Bears that only lost to the Miami Dolphins who were the last NFL franchise to go undefeated in the NFL. And the 85 Bears were real special and still are.