2. 2010, Week 15, Bears at Vikings
Bears 40 – Vikings 14: This game wasn’t as dramatic as their clincher against the Packers eight years later, but not only did the Bears wallop the Vikings to win the NFC North, they made history. Kick returner Devin Hester became the all-time record holder for most return touchdowns in league history, and the Bears defense knocked Vikings quarterback and nemesis Brett Favre out of the league on a hit from defensive end Corey Wooten. The Bears defense caused five turnovers and the offense, led by quarterback Jay Cutler’s three touchdowns, kept the game out of reach. The game itself delivered and the Bears left Minnesota as division champs, but this one stands out for those two moments. Favre terrorized the Bears throughout his whole career and, like clinching by beating Rodgers, there’s a different vibe when you clinch a playoff spot against a rival. And Hester’s record-breaking return culminated an impressive season for him as he returned to greatness in 2010.
1. 2010, Divisional Playoffs, Seahawks at Bears
Bears 35 – Seahawks 24: The best game of the decade has to be the Bears lone playoff win, right? Even thought the game took place almost nine years ago, the vision of tight end Greg Olsen sprinting to the endzone behind the Seattle defense for a touchdown is as vivid as ever. A somewhat surging Seahawks team took down the heavily-favored New Orleans Saints thanks to “Beastquake” and now came into Soldier Field in a rematch of the 2006 divisional round. This game, however, would be less dramatic, as the Bears stormed out of the gates to a 28-0 lead in the first half. Quarterback Jay Cutler accounted for four touchdowns on the day, and moved the ball down the field effectively thanks to Olsen, who had 113 yards on three catches. In his first-ever playoff game, Cutler looked sharp for most of the day and the Bears moved on to face the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game, a matchup that arguably provided the most anticipation for a Bears game ever.
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