Every Thursday throughout the 2021 regular season, Bears Wire will take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in Chicago Bears history that occurred on or near that given day.
November 17, 2013: Bears defeat Ravens 23-20 in overtime in harsh conditions
Soldier Field is often criticized for its poor playing surface but eight years ago, the turf had never looked worse when the Chicago Bears welcomed in the reigning Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Inclement weather threatened the area, but the game got underway as scheduled.
The Ravens took the early 7-0 lead on a touchdown run from Ray Rice and added a field goal before the weather became a major issue. Storms and strong wind forced players, coaches, and fans to take shelter and play had to be halted for nearly two hours. When the weather cleared and the game resumed, Soldier Field looked like a mud pit. But the delay might have been what the Bears needed.
After a promising offensive drive that ended up resulting in just three points, the Bears defense came alive. Defensive end David Bass intercepted Joe Flacco near the line of scrimmage and took the ball back for a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10. Baltimore didn’t dwell on the turnover for long, though, as they marched downfield and found the endzone on a quick strike from Flacco to Torrey Smith. The Bears were once again down by seven.
Another defensive interception, this time by linebacker Jon Bostic, led to more points for the Bears. Robbie Gould added a second field goal to trim the deficit to 17-13 to close out the first half. The Bears were able to carry that momentum into the final two quarters.
Baltimore got the ball to start the third quarter and were driving, but elected to go for it on a long fourth down while in field goal range. The Bears defense clamped down, however, as Flacco was sacked by Cheta Ozougwu to turn the ball over on downs. It didn’t take long after that for the Bears offense to finally wake up.
Josh McCown, starting in place for the injured Jay Cutler, got the ball moving with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery to get into Ravens territory. Matt Forte then did the rest, catching a 14-yard pass for the touchdown and the lead early in the fourth quarter. The score would stay that way until the Ravens mounted a potential game-winning drive late in the game.
The Bears were pushed to the limit as the fourth quarter wound down. Flacco and the Ravens were driving and had the ball at the Bears five-yard line with over thirty seconds left. But a valiant effort from the Bears defense prevented a touchdown, leading to the tying field goal from Justin Tucker to force overtime. A marathon game was about to go the extra mile. Fortunately for the fans still in attendance, it would be worth it.
The Ravens got the ball first and promptly went three-and-out, opening the door for the Bears to get the win. They busted it down. McCown found Martellus Bennett for a deep pass to move within field goal range and Gould did the rest, drilling a 38-yard field goal to win the game 23-20. McCown had his second win in a row as a starter and the Bears improved to 6-4 on the season.
The two teams play again at Soldier Field this Sunday afternoon for the first time since this game. Hopefully this one doesn’t last nearly six hours, though.
[listicle id=488818]