Every Thursday throughout the 2020 regular season, Bears Wire looks back at some of the most memorable moments in Chicago Bears history that occurred on or near that given day.
December 25, 2005: Bears celebrate Christmas at Lambeau Field with a 24-17 win and division title
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXlV16JL5g0
Back in 2005, there weren’t many new feats the Chicago Bears haven’t accomplished in their storied history. Well, except having a quarterback who can throw for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. But up until 2005, the Bears had never played a football game on Christmas day. When it finally happened, they made sure it was a memorable game.
Fifteen years ago, the Bears turned a slow start to their season into an improbable playoff run during head coach Lovie Smith’s second season. Led by one of the best defenses of the decade, along with a power running game, the Bears were stifling opponents left and right, winning 10 games and were on the verge of capturing a division title. They just needed to defeat their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, to get there.
In their primetime matchup, the Bears struck first. Quarterback Rex Grossman, who was making his first start of the season after missing much of the year with a broken ankle, fired a dart to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad on the Bears’ first drive to put them up 7-0. The lead wouldn’t last, though, as the Packers responded on their next drive.
Quarterback Brett Favre drove down the field on a defense that had only allowed 12.6 points per game, tying it up at 7-7. Green Bay had a chance to take the lead on their next possession but missed a 38-yard field goal attempt from kicker Ryan Longwell. From there, the Bears began to turn things around. Grossman launched a 54-yard bomb to wide receiver Bernard Berrian to put the Bears in striking distance. Running back Thomas Jones finished the job, putting the Bears up 14-7. The veteran back had 105 yards on 25 carries.
Things got worse for the Packers as Favre began throwing passes to the other team. The Hall of Fame quarterback threw four interceptions in total, including a pick six to linebacker Lance Briggs that put the Bears up 24-7 in the third quarter. The game tightened at the end, however, when the Packers cut the Bears lead to 24-17 late in the fourth quarter.
With one last chance and just under a minute to go, Favre would fall short in his comeback bid as he would be picked off to end the game. The win gave the Bears the NFC North title, a first-round bye in the playoffs, a sweep of the Packers for the first time since 1991, and one heck of a Christmas present for fans everywhere.
[listicle id=464708]