Nov. 8, 1964 - The Bears proved charitable if not gracious hosts at Wrigley Field today as the Colts cashed in Chicago’s gift stamps for a 40-24 triumph before 47,891 Windy City fans.
The victory extended Baltimore’s win streak to eight and increased the Colts’ Western Division lead to 2½ games over the Lions and the Rams.
The loss eliminated the defending NFL champion Bears from the divisional race. They now have a 2-7 record, to Baltimore’s 8-1.
There was little similarity between this Bear-Colt game and the first meeting in Baltimore — won by the Colts, 52-0 — except the outcome.
The Bears came to play a game, seek revenge, and restore some of their lost public image as 1963 champs. Instead, their downfall in the rematch resulted from a combination of Colt effectiveness in spots and Chicago’s own mistakes.
They were their own worst enemies today, giving up the ball three times on fumbles and once on an interception. Besides these mistakes, which in part could be blamed on the Colts, the Chicagoans committed two critical offside penalties — each on a Colt punting situation, each giving Baltimore a first down. In both cases, the Colts went on to score.
“No matter how you write it, it’s still a victory,” grinned Wendell Harris in the Colt dressing room.
Yet Don McCafferty’s fervent prayer as the Colt offensive coach trudged down to the locker room was a more sincere expression: “Thank God that one is over.”
Most of the players felt the same way.
As Bill Pellington, veteran linebacker, put it: “Those guys weren’t down in the mouth. They hit hard and played hard.”
The difference in the game, as Baltimore coach Don Shula saw it, was: “We didn’t make mistakes with interceptions and fumbles; they did. We got the ball four times on their turnovers. They never received a gift.
“For team hurting as much as the Bears were with Bill George and Doug Atkins out of the lineup and Larry Morris playing on a bad leg, we still had a tough time moving the ball.
“Unitas was rushed harder in this game than any we have played. And he was hit hard.”
Bob Vogel, Colt offensive tackle, had something to be thankful for besides the victory: “I got hurt on every play. It was tough out there, and I didn’t have to play against Doug [Doug Atkins, one of the toughest defensive ends in the league]. If he had been in there, they would have carried me back in a box.”
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments