Butler Does It as the Bears Barely Escape, 12-10 : McMahon, Victim of ‘Blatant’ Late Hit, Is Ineffective; Field Goal Beats Packers

Kicker Kevin Butler and safety Dave Duerson had chances to make amends, but such was not the case with Green Bay defensive tackle Charles Martin.

Butler, who missed an earlier field goal, kicked a 32-yarder with 2:37 left to give the Chicago Bears a 12-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers Sunday in the 133rd game between these rivals.

Duerson, who was victimized by a 46-yard touchdown pass play that put Green Bay ahead, 10-9, midway through the fourth quarter, recovered a fumble that led to Butler’s field goal.

Martin? He was thrown out of the game in the second quarter for picking up quarterback Jim McMahon and slamming him to the ground long after the Packers’ Mark Lee had intercepted a pass thrown by McMahon.

Jim Covert, in turn, hammered Martin. But referee Jerry Markbreit stepped in and maintained order by ejecting Martin immediately and penalizing the Packers to their 25-yard line.

“I’ve been the victim of a lot of late hits but nothing that blatant,” said McMahon, who struggled while making his first start in a month because of shoulder injuries.

McMahon, although extending his streak to 23 straight victories in games he has started, completed only 12 of 33 passes for 95 yards and was intercepted 3 times. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Mike Tomczak.

About the late hit, Martin said: “I didn’t hear the whistle. We got the interception and I was just trying to block him. It was not my intention to put him out of the game.”

On Green Bay’s first play from scrimmage after Martin was ejected, Mike Richardson intercepted a Randy Wright pass at the Packer 32-yard line.

The Bears then moved to the one-yard line and William (The Refrigerator) Perry came in to make a goal-line charge. But Perry fumbled, and John Dorsey recovered for the Packers. Three plays later Dan Hampton nailed Ken Davis in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Chicago lead.

A short time later, Richard Dent sacked Wright for a 10-yard loss and then the Bears got a touchdown when Dennis Gentry recovered a punt blocked by Shaun Gayle in the end zone.

But a 22-yard field goal by Al Del Greco and the 46-yard touchdown pass play on which Wright connected with Ed West gave the Packers the lead and set the stage for Butler’s game-winning kick.

Duerson blamed himself “for putting us in a predicament” because he let West get behind him on the touchdown pass play.

“It was the dumbest play I ever made,” Duerson said. “I thought Randy had gone beyond the line of scrimmage when he scrambled. You never let a tight end beat you. I’m grateful Mike Singletary brought me out of my predicament.”

Singletary stripped the ball from Gary Ellerson and Duerson recovered to set up Butler’s winning field goal.

Butler missed three straight field goals in the Bears’ 13-10 win over Atlanta the previous Sunday and missed a 46-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter, which would have given the Bears a nine-point lead.

The victory left the Bears at 10-2. The Packers dropped to 2-10.