Win Puts Bears in Da Playoffs

The Chicago Bears have a question for all those people--and there were plenty--who wrote them off as losers before the season.

What are you doing for the playoffs?

The Bears clinched their first playoff berth since 1994 with a 27-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. And when Green Bay lost to Tennessee later Sunday, Chicago (10-3) moved a game ahead of the Packers in the race for the NFC Central title.

The Bears forced four turnovers and made Brad Johnson’s life miserable, and Anthony Thomas ran for 173 yards and a score as Chicago’s offense finally broke loose.

“The best thing about this is that nobody gave us a chance outside this locker room but us,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “The best thing about it is proving everyone wrong--especially after last week [a loss to the Packers], everyone said we probably wouldn’t win another game.”

The crowd at Soldier Field was on its feet for most of the fourth quarter, and when “Da Bears are playoff bound” flashed across the scoreboard with about a minute left, the cheers were deafening. Cars passing the stadium on Lake Shore Drive after the game tooted their horns.

The victory gave Chicago double-digit victories for the first time since 1991.

The Bears are winning--and their defense can take most of the credit for that. Johnson was harassed all afternoon, with many of his passes falling short or getting tipped. He completed only 18 of 40 for 191 yards. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott couldn’t go anywhere, either, as Tampa Bay (7-6) managed 61 yards rushing.

And whenever the Buccaneers got into Chicago territory, the Bears came up with a big play. The biggest came with three minutes left in the first half and the Bears clinging to a 10-3 lead.

Keyshawn Johnson caught a pass and beat Tony Parrish and Mike Brown as he sprinted 47 yards to the Bear nine. But R.W. McQuarters tripped him up, and Walt Harris poked the ball free. Parrish recovered at the one.

“I was just trying to make something happen and Walt came behind and made a great play,” Keyshawn Johnson said. “And that’s why they won the game.”

The Bear offense couldn’t do anything with the gift, but the defense gave them another chance, as Warrick Holdman sacked Brad Johnson and forced a fumble with 58 seconds left.

Alfonso Boone recovered the ball at the Bear 47, and Paul Edinger kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired to give Chicago a 13-3 lead at the half.