Colts Put Up a Battle, but Bears Tack Up a Win

It was supposed to be a mismatch, but Chicago Coach Mike Ditka and his players said they weren’t surprised that Indianapolis gave them a battle Sunday, losing only 17-10.

“They took it to us,” Ditka said. “They challenged us and played well.”

Although the Bears (13-1) were heavily favored, the game was close most of the way.

“The most important thing we did today was doing what we had to do to win,” Chicago linebacker Mike Singletary said.

Quarterback Jim McMahon, who made his first start since Nov. 3 and completed 11 of 23 passes for 145 yards, said, “We expected them to come in here and play us tough.”

Walter Payton, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, gained 111 yards, extending his NFL record to nine consecutive 100-yard games. It was the 73rd time in his career he topped that mark.

“We don’t care about numbers as long as we win,” Payton said.

The teams were tied, 3-3, at halftime as the Bears were held to 117 total yards in the half. But in the second half, the running attack kicked into gear and the Bears churned out 148 yards on the ground and rushed for their only two touchdowns to win.

“The offensive line came on in the second half, blocking people,” Payton said. “That made the difference.”

Chicago controlled the ball almost 39 minutes in the game, much of the second half, including the final six minutes.

Indianapolis Coach Rod Dowhower, whose team fell to 3-11 and lost for the sixth straight time, said: “Our players gave an outstanding effort. I don’t think at any time we gave up. They controlled the ball running, but we came back with a big play.”

The big play was a 61-yard pass play from Mike Pagel to Wayne Capers with 5:57 left in the game.

But the Bears preserved the victory by grinding out the clock with their running game.

Payton scored the game’s first touchdown with 1:53 left in the third quarter, bursting 16 yards up the middle. That capped a 63-yard drive built on the running of Payton and Matt Suhey and gave Chicago a 10-3 lead.

It was Payton’s 150th consecutive start in 11 seasons and he played despite suffering from the flu. His 111 yards rushing extended his NFL record to nine straight games of more than 100 yards.

Payton, who last week broke the mark for consecutive games of more than 100 yards previously held by Earl Campbell and O.J. Simpson, said: “Believe me, the flu took it out of me.”

In the fourth quarter, after the Colts were forced to punt from their own end zone, the Bears took possession on the Indianapolis 45.

They produced a time-consuming drive that ended with Calvin Thomas’ three-yard touchdown burst up the middle that gave Chicago a 17-3 lead.

But Indianapolis came back with Albert Bentley returning the kickoff 48 yards to the Colt’s 49. Two plays later, Pagel and Capers teamed up on their 61-yard bomb.

The Bears were rebounding from their only loss of the season, to Miami, after 12 straight wins. They had lost seven straight to the Colts since 1966.