The Bears travel to Kansas City for just the 7th time since the NFL and AFL merger this Sunday. The Bears and Chiefs will meet for the 14th time. The Bears currently hold a 7-6 advantage in a series that began in 1973. In their previous 13 games, eight games have been one-score games.
The most memorable game in this matchup occurred the first time the Bears hosted the Chiefs, November 13, 1977. It was a blustery day on the lakefront. The Bears were coming off their worst loss of the season, a 47-0 beatdown in Houston. Their record sat at 3-5.
The Kansas City game started in similar fashion. Two touchdown runs including one from the great Ed Posolak and a second quarter field goal from Jan Stenerud gave the Chiefs a 17-0 halftime lead. The passing game led by Bob Avellini was not effective, and Bob Thomas, the Bears kicker missed on 2 field goal attempts. The only bright spot was the running of Bears great, Walter Payton.
The Famous Payton Run
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The Bears drew within 17-7 on a one-yard run by Payton, but it was his now famous run a couple of plays prior to that TD that energized the entire stadium. Payton ran an off-tackie to the right. After breaking several tackles he was caught from behind at the four yard line. The play is immortalized is GIFs, as he pinballed his way through five or six would be tackles.
Payton would score again on another one yard run early in the 4th quarter. A Stenerud field goal would make the score 20-14 late in the game.
On the Bears next drive Payton, once again was magic, His 20 yard reception got the Bears inside the Chiefs’ 20 yard line, and two plays later his 15 yard run gave the Bears their first lead of the day, 21-20. Kansas City would retake the lead when Podolak ran in from 14 yards to make the score 27-21, with under one minute to play.
The Bears had one last shot. With the ball on their own 43 yard line. A 20 yard completion to Robin Earl gave the Bears one last shot from the Chiefs 37. With the clock at 10 seconds, Avellini took the snap and lofted a ball down the left side, finding Greg Latta for the tying score. Thomas converted the PAT for the final points and the Bears won in surprising fashion 28-27. There were still three seconds left on the clock and the Bears used a squib kick to end the game. The ball was ultimately recovered by Chicago and the Bears walked off with one of their most thrilling victories since they began playing at Soldier Field in 1971.
Walter Payton finished the game with 193 yards rushing, one reception for 20 yards and three touchdowns.
The Bears never lost again in the regular season after this game and finished with a 9-5 record and their first post season berthe since their NFL championship win in 1963.
