This 1985 NFC Divisional Playoff Game between the Chicago Bears verses the New York Giants features a tremendous number of Pro Football Hall of Fame Members…..starting with the two coaches….Bears Mike Ditka and Giants Bill Parcells….including the Bears RB Walter Payton, LB Mike Singletary, DE Richard Dent and DT/DE Dan Hampton….while the Giants had LB Harry Carson and LB Lawrence Taylor.
The Bears defense dominated the game by allowing only 32 rushing yards….with 181 total yards….while sacking the Giants quarterback for 60 yards lost…..as Giants QB Phil Simms was sacked six times during the game….with 3.5 of them coming from Bears DE Richard Dent.
New York’s offense passed for just 104 yards in the first half….and had 89 total yards in the third quarter….while Chicago’s first TD resulted on a Giant punt attempt from their own 12….which forced a Sean Landeta to make the kick 3 yards inside his goal line….as Landeta dropped the ball to kick it….the wind altered the ball’s descent and caused it to go off the side of his foot…..at least so he says….but when you watch the drop of the ball….it looks to us at ImaSportsphile like Landetta might be “on the take”….cuz the ball went right into the ground and bounced a short distance before Bears reserve safety Shaun Gayle picked it up and returned the -7 yard punt five yards for a TD…..for Gayle’s run was the shortest punt return touchdown in NFL history still to date.
New York had their best chance to score late in the second quarter when QB Simms completed passes to George Adams and Bobby Johnson for gains of 31 and 17 yards….thus giving the team a first down on the Chicago 2-yard line….but Simms’ next 3 passes were incomplete….which was a big surprise to both commentators Pat Summerall and John Madden that the Giants didn’t try to run the ball in from the two yard line…..so, with just 11 seconds left in the half….Giant’s kicker Eric Schubert hit the left upright on his 19-yard field goal attempt.
