Bears’ Walsh Takes Plunge, Comes Up Winner : Interconference: Quarterback sneak on fourth down helps Chicago top Buffalo, 20-13.

There was no fear of fourth-down failure Sunday for the Chicago Bears and Steve Walsh. No way, even though they were stopped on their first try early in the game against the Buffalo Bills.

“To have the opportunity on the goal line and not get in, but to overcome that when an offense could easily go in the tank, we fought back through it,” said Walsh, whose fourth-down sneak with 11:25 left lifted the Bears to a 20-13 victory.

“We were disappointed early in the game when we didn’t get it in. We got back down there and we got some points.”

Walsh’s one-yard score put Chicago ahead, 17-13. Later, he passed for 12 yards on fourth-and-three, setting up a field goal by Kevin Butler with 3:08 to go.

The Bills were without running back Thurman Thomas, sidelined by a sprained right knee.

Kenneth Davis filled in for Thomas and gained 78 yards on 18 carries, but it wasn’t enough. Buffalo had the ball for only 6:28 in the second half.

Walsh started for Erik Kramer, out with a separated shoulder, and will get the call again next Sunday against New Orleans. He led a go-ahead drive of 16 plays that covered 69 yards and took 9:03, completing five of six passes for 51 yards.

On fourth down, Walsh wedged into the line for the lead. In the first quarter, Chicago had taken a chance on fourth-and-one at the two, but Bruce Smith stopped Lewis Tillman short.

“It was a little bit of a second effort,” Walsh said of his first NFL touchdown. “I got some good push from (Mark) Bortz and (Andy) Heck on that side and I was able to push it over.”

Added Bear Coach Dave Wannstedt: “Obviously, you’ve got to have enough confidence in your team and give your players enough confidence. You’d like to think you can make a fourth-and-one.”

Said Bill nose guard Jeff Wright: “They were relentless. The coach made a lot of gutsy calls. When they make it on fourth down like that, you have to regroup. We didn’t.”