Ditka Growls as Bears Lack Bite in 20-7 Win

You wonder what Mike Ditka would be like if the Chicago Bears ever lost again.

The Bears struggled past the Houston Oilers, 20-7, Sunday at the Astrodome for their 12th straight victory and 24th in their last 25 games, and their coach was furious.

“We cannot pretend to contend for a championship playing like we did out there,” Ditka said. “Everyone who saw that game today could see we did not execute. We won the game, but we certainly didn’t play well.”

The Bears (6-0) were sluggish on offense, but got a normal performance from the defense to subdue the Oilers (1-5), who lost their fifth straight game.

Quarterback Jim McMahon, who was not scheduled to start because of a shoulder injury, went all the way except for one play and completed only 13 of 33 passes for 209 yards. He has led Chicago to victories in 21 of his last 30 starts.

“They did a good job mixing up their blitz,” McMahon said. “They came after me real well.”

Walter Payton rushed for 76 yards in 22 carries and caught a pass for 30 yards to raise his career total of all-purpose yards to 20,045--making him the first NFL player to pass the 20,000 mark. He reached 20,000 on a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that gave the Bears a 14-0 lead.

Houston’s Warren Moon, who was sacked 5 times for 49 yards in losses, was 12 of 29 for 204 yards with 1 interception and an 18-yard touchdown pass to ex-Ram Drew Hill, making it 14-7 late in the third quarter.

Kevin Butler kicked field goals of 31 and 27 yards in the fourth quarter for the Bears, who scored on a 21-yard run by Dennis Gentry in the second quarter.

Houston missed scoring chances when Tony Zendejas was wide on a 53-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and on the game’s final play when the Bears stopped Oiler fullback Larry Moriarity at the one-yard line.