Super Bowl: Bears 20, Jets 17

The Super Bowl is typically more about pagentry and hype than it is about 2 great teams playing a game for the ages. Tonight we got the game "for the ages" ! At 8:08 pm EST the game kicked off. The much anticipated matchup between the 16-2 Chicago Bears and the 13-6 NY Jets was underway.

On the second play from scrimmage Ken O'Brien hit Al Toon in stride for 34 yards. The only problem with the play was that Toon left the ball on the Rose Bowl turf and Chicago's Reg Phillips fell on top of it. The Jets would again turn the ball over with 6:44 left in the quarter as Freeman McNeil caught a 10 yard pass, but was stripped by Vestee jackson on the Jet 41. Jim McMahon put the pedal to the metal and hit Willie Gault in stride as he tookthe ball down to the Jets 1. That's where thing got interesting. McMahon tried to sneak it in but the Jets popped the ball out of his hand, but right into Walter Payton's to give the Bears a 7-0 lead.

Bobby Humphrey then took the ensuing kick off back 71 yards and the Jets looked to be in business. Chicago tightened up the defense and the Jets were facing 3rd and long when O'Brien hit Wesley Walker on a corner route for the tying TD.

The Jets took the lead 14-7 on a 4 yard TD toss from O'Brien to backup TE Rocky Klever. The big play on the drive was a 49 yard delayed draw by Freeman McNeil, which brought the ball down to the Bear 4. The game was tied at halftime thanks to a 5 play 79 yard drive that culminated in a 7 yard McMahon to Ortego TD pass.

Chicago openend the second half trying to sneak a handoff to seldom used back Thomas Sanders. The Jets smelled this one coming and had him keyed correctly. DE Joe Klecko knocked the ball out of Sanders' hands and reserver DL Barry Bennett fell on it. Chicago's D came in and bailed out their offense. On successive plays Dan Hampton and Wilbur Marshall both sacked O'Brien and the Jets had to settle for a Pat Leahy field goal to take a 3 point lead.

For most of the second half the Bears offense went to the air and McMahon was either picked off or they were forced to punt. Chicago handed the ball to Payton who was stuffed on a 1 dice roll by Gastineau who was keying him correctly along with 7 other men in the box. The Bears got conservative and Kevin Butler kicked a 40 yarder to tie the game at 17.

Now the game gets interesting, as if it wasn't a nail biter up until this point. On the Bears next possession the Jets sent LB Bob Crable in on a blitz as McMahon tried to force the ball into a fatigued Payton. DB Johnny Lynn picked it off on the Bear 37 and ran the it back 9 yards closer to paydirt. The Jets moved the ball cautiously and after an 11 yard pass to Mickey Shuler they found themselves on the Bears 9 yard line, where Chicago's famed 46 defense stiffened. Content not to press their luck the Jets were happy to settle for a 26 yard Pat Leahy field goal attempt with 3:56 left to go in the game. If Leahy makes it the Jets go up by 3. Instead Dave Duerson got through the line and blocked the kick. The Jets blew a golden opportunity.

The Bears took over on their own 22 with less than 4 minutes to play in the Super Bowl and the score knotted at 17. McMahon fought his instincts to go for the big play and slowly drove his team down to the Jets 40 yard line. Feeling like they needed a big play the Jets threw an all out blitz at McMahon who handed the ball to his most realiable weapon Walter Payton. Sweetness busted throught the Jet blitzers and took the ball 33 yards down to the Jet 7 yard line. With a sure field goal staring them right in the eye all the Bears needed to do was grind down the clock before scoring. Instead with 1:37 left to go Joe Klecko struck again and blindsided ball carrier Matt Suhey and Charles Jackson fell on the pigskin and the Jets looked well on their way to escaping to OT. Improbable as it sounded the Jets had a chance to escape regulation and take their chances in an extra session. They needed to burn 1:28 off the clock, but they had the ball on their own 2 and Chicago had 2 time outs. The Bears new the Jets weren't going to pass, so they loaded up their run D and keyed the heck out of Freeman McNeil. The Jets knew they couldn't risk passing on their own 2 considering O'Brien is very susceptible to the sack and the Bears are very adept at getting the sack. Dave Jennings came on with :29 seconds left to punt the ball to safety. The Ivy league punter kicked it 39 yards to the Jet 48 yard line, where returner Lew Barnes took the ball 14 yards to New York's 34. With :20 seconds left to go McMahon hit tight end Emery Moorehead for 7 quick yards to move to the Jets 27 yard line. Kevin Butler came on and nailed a 44 yard FG with :13 seconds left to win the Super Bowl for the Chicago Bears in a wild and wacky finish.

The league sends congratulations to Coach Ed Mikhli on winning his first ever Distant Replay Tournament Championship !!!