5 Most Memorable Games of the Last 25 Years Between the Bears and Vikings

With all the subplots focused on everything but the game itself, this Bears-Vikings Monday Night matchup could be remembered around these parts for a long time…especially if the Bears are able to clinch the North on the Vikings’ (backup) home field.

Here’s a look at the 5 most memorable Bears-Vikings games over the last 25 years.

5) 2006 – Good Rex leads late TD drive to catapult Super Season.

The Bears entered the 3rd game of the 2006 season undefeated. In what was a sign of things to come, Rex Grossman had an up-and-down game in the Metrodome. Through the first 3 quarters, Bad Rex struggled and tossed 2 INTs that led directly to Viking points.

But thanks to a Tommie Harris strip of current Bears running back Chester Taylor, Chicago took over in Minnesota territory with about 3 minutes left in the game. Five plays later, Rex found Rashied Davis for a 24-yard TD pass to give the Bears the lead and eventual win.

The victory helped catapult Chicago to a 13-3 season that ended in Miami in the Super Bowl.

4) 2009 – Cutler OT TD pass ruins Vikes’ hopes for homefield advantage in playoffs.

The 12-2, Brett Favre-led Vikings strolled into Soldier Field vs. the 5-9 Bears for a frigid Monday Night matchup. Jay Cutler, who up to that point in the season was a one-man interception machine (25 picks coming into the game), sparked the Bears to a 16-0 halftime lead.

But the ageless, gray-haired wonder guided the Vikings back. A short TD pass to Sidney Rice in the corner of the end zone tied the score with only seconds remaining. In OT, Hunter Hillenmeyer forced an Adrian Peterson fumble in Vikings territory.

On the following play, Cutler hit a wide-open Devin Aromashodu down the sideline for the 39-yard game-winner. Cutler finished the night with 4 TD passes. The loss dropped Minnesota behind New Orleans in the chase for home field in the NFC playoffs. And we all know how that worked out for them down in Nawlins…

3) 2007 – Two 80-yard Hester TDs not enough to save Bears from last-second loss.

In a game that featured huge plays from the teams’ most explosive weapons, Devin Hester almost had the last laugh on rookie Pro Bowler, Adrian Peterson. Early on, Hester juked 4 Vikings defenders (without the aid of any Bears blockers) and darted down the sideline for an 89-yard return that helped the Bears rally against the Vikings.

But big rushes by Peterson kept the Bears down by as many as 14 points late in the 4th quarter. With 1:38 remaining, Brian Griese found his newbie WR Hester wide open down the sideline for an 81-yard TD pass to tie the score. A 53-yard kick return by Adrian Peterson – who rushed for a Soldier Field opponent record 224 yards – on the ensuing kickoff set the Vikings up in great field position.  They moved down to the Bears 37-yard line, where Ryan Longwell booted a career long 54-yard field goal to give the Vikings the win at the gun.

The electrifying big-play battle between Hester and Peterson was one for the ages…even if Viking fans remember it more fondly.

2) 1995 – Upstart Bears upset Vikes in playoff rematch.

The Vikings swept the Bears during the 1994 regular season, one via blowout and another in an OT win at the Metrodome. The underdog Bears, led by former Miami Hurricane QB Steve Walsh (who supplanted free agent pickup Erik Kramer as starter late in the season) helped navigate the Bears to a 35-18 win.

Coming out of the locker room with a 5-point halftime lead, Walsh threw a long TD to WR Jeff Graham. The Bears got a late defensive touchdown to seal the deal and hand the Warren Moon-led Vikings an abrupt first-round playoff exit.

It would be the crowning achievement of the Dave Wannstedt era.

1) 1985 – Hobbled McMahon leads Bears to comeback win.

The Bears entered this rare Thursday night matchup with a 2-0 record. With starting QB Jim McMahon nursing a sore back and neck, backup Steve Fuller started for the Bears. After spending 3 quarters harassing Mike Ditka to put him the game, the Punky QB finally got his chance with the Bears trailing 17-9.

On his first play, he launched a 70-yard TD bomb to Willie Gault. Then, on his second play from scrimmage, McMahon found Dennis McKinnon for a 25-yard TD toss that put the Bears ahead.

For good measure, McMahon threw another TD to McKinnon on his 8th play from scrimmage. Final score: Bears 33, Vikings 24. The Bears of course went on to finish a magical ’85 season 18-1 and Super Bowl XX Champs.

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Pick Six: Most memorable plays in NFL history

Every Lynyrd Skynyrd-loving Jacksonville citizen worth their salt will claim that they were at EverBank Field when the Jaguars beat the Texans on QB David Garrard‘s desperation heave to WR Mike Thomas, regardless of what the attendance says.

Because big moments are what define the NFL. And some of the best ones even get a fancy nickname. Here are my top six most memorable plays in NFL history:

6. Music City Miracle

Following the Bills’ kickoff on the game’s final play, Titans WR Kevin Dyson takes a field-wide lateral from TE Frank Wycheck and races 75 yards to lift Tennessee over Buffalo in an AFC Wild Card Game. What made the outcome more delicious was that Bills coach Wade Phillips had benched QB Doug Flutie for the game after Rob Johnson performed well in a meaningless Week 17 contest that was played after their playoff slot had been determined. Phillips was seconds away from being justified for an unjust move. The Football Gods said otherwise.

5. Tyree’s catch in Super Bowl XLII

Talk about your desperation heaves. Giants QB Eli Manning fights through a number of defenders, launches the ball toward a little-known David Tyree, who pins it to his helmet while Patriots safety Rodney Harrison desperately tries to knock it away. This is what happens to Harrison when he tries to play by the rules. The play set up Plaxico Burress‘ winning touchdown reception to end the Patriots’ bid for perfection.

4. The Holy Roller

The Raiders were once known (should that be past tense?) as rule breakers. But QB Ken Stabler might not have broken the rules when he intentionally fumbled the ball forward against the Chargers, which allowed RB Pete Banaszak to knock it into the end zone so TE Dave Casper could fall on it for a touchdown. A rule was later added making this illegal.

3. Immaculate Reception

This might be hard for you youngsters to believe, but there was a time when the Steelers were a downtrodden franchise and the Raiders were among the NFL’s elite. But when Steelers RB Franco Harris caught a ball that had ricocheted off John “Frenchy” Fuqua‘s hands via the Raiders’ Jack Tatum and raced into the end zone, a dynasty was born.

The only thing that could have made this play more memorable would have been if the referee had buried his head into the replay booth for five minutes, if there were a replay rule at the time, and later emerged to explain that there was no conclusive evidence, and the play would stand.

2. The Hail Mary

The one and only. Cowboys QB Roger Staubach threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to WR Drew Pearson in the closing seconds of a 1975 NFC Divisional playoff game. After the game, Staubach referred to the pass as a “Hail Mary” and the legend was born. Vikings fans still say that Pearson pushed off and call it Holy (expletive).

1. The Tuck Rule

This game had everything you would want: a snow storm, in the playoffs, and the Raiders losing. Patriots QB Tom Brady appeared to have fumbled in the closing minutes to give Oakland the win. But the now-famous NFL Rule 3, Section 21, Article 2, Note 2 said otherwise. Brady went on to lead New England to the win and ultimately a Super Bowl win over St. Louis. Adam Vinatieri‘s winning boot in the Super Bowl deserves an honorable mention here.

Also deserving votes: the Ghost to the Post, the Sea of Hands, and the fight between Rams and Raiders fans during a Week 11 game at Anaheim Stadium in 1994.

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