While the nation came to watch fancy quarterbacks Monday night, the Bears again proved that solid defense and basic running can still win football games.
They proved it in spite of a shaky performance by quarterback Doug Flutie and shakier play selection by coach Mike Ditka, who admitted he still must learn a simple lesson.
”Our game is to run the football,” Ditka said.
Kevin Butler`s 22-yard field goal on the final play beat the Detroit Lions 16-13 after Ditka abandoned the pass and sent Walter Payton and Matt Suhey banging into the Lions` defense, ranked 26th in the National Football League against the run.
The Bears scored 13 points in the final quarter, when they went to the run, and overcame a 13-3 Detroit lead in the debut of the Lions` No. 1 draft choice, quarterback Chuck Long.
A ”severe bruise” to the right leg of starting quarterback Mike Tomczak on the Bears` first series forced Flutie to play nearly the whole game.
Flutie summed up his 13-for-24 passing performance that included an interception and three fumbles by saying: ”Thank God for defense and Walter Payton. We realized we had to get back to basics and run it down their throats.”
Two good punt returns by Lew Barnes helped the Bears get field position in the final quarter.
Butler kicked a 32-yard field goal with 12:26 left. Suhey scored on a 4-yard run with 5:49 left to tie it.
Butler`s kick was his sixth winning field goal this season. It was the fifth Bear victory by three points or fewer, and it kept the Bears in the running with the New York Giants for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Bears already had clinched the home field for their first National Football Conference playoff game Jan. 3 or 4.
Although they improved their record to 13-2, their quarterback picture became no clearer.
The Bears discovered their receivers, not Flutie, are too short. Flutie had no trouble getting the ball over the linemen, forcing his receivers to leap for too many balls.
Ditka said Flutie will start at quarterback against the Cowboys in Dallas next week and Steve Fuller will play ”about half the game.” Ditka didn`t think Tomczak would be recovered from a bruise on the tibia above his right ankle, the same leg he broke as a junior at Ohio State.
Ditka said he didn`t think of turning to Fuller as Flutie struggled.
”I think Doug played good,” Ditka said. ”He was trying to audible and nobody could hear the audibles.”
Long completed 12 of 24 with a touchdown pass and an interception. He was sacked six times and generally terrorized by the No. 1 defense in football.
”Long did all right,” Ditka said. ”We have a good defense.”
In another replay of regrets, Ditka was apologetic for his play-calling.
”The truest statement after the game was when Suhey said, `If it ain`t broke, don`t fix it,` ” Ditka said. ”We went ahead and fixed something that isn`t broke. We tried to throw instead of run the ball.
”We have to learn to stay with it.”
Ditka was using the royal ”we” in that reference. He said ”about 13 assistant coaches, Payton and Suhey” were reminding him not to forget the run.
”When we were down 13-3, we knew we had to start playing football,”
Payton said.
By then, most viewers on national television probably were bored by a series of turnovers and penalties that proved quarterbacks can live below their press clippings, especially when defenses get aroused.
Late in the first half, Ditka went for a first down on fourth and 6 from the Detroit 35 with the score tied 3-3, passing up a 52-yard field goal.
Three penalties by the Bear defense led to Eddie Murray`s second field goal and a 6-3 lead with 15 seconds left in the half.
Ditka said he had a little talk with the defensive players at halftime and told them he was testing them because they weren`t playing well.
Flutie tested them more severely on the first play of the second half when the ball popped backwards on a pass and the Lions recovered the fumble at the 11.
Linebacker Wilber Marshall stripped Long two plays later, giving the ball back to Bears.
After a 60-yard punt by Detroit`s Jim Arnold was downed by Donnie Elder at the 1-yard line, Payton fumbled what appeared to be a decent handoff by Flutie.
The Lions recovered at the 4, and Long completed the only touchdown pass of the night to wide receiver Leonard Thompson, who gave rookie cornerback Vestee Jackson his toughest test of the season.
After the Lions went up 13-3 with 6:56 left in the third quarter, Ditka responded by calling five passes in Flutie`s next six plays.
After a 35-yard punt return by Barnes, Bears` fullback Calvin Thomas fumbled at the Detroit 23.
Long and the Lions could manage only one first down for the remainder of the game in three series.
Barnes` 21-yard punt return set up a 12-yard pass to Willie Gault that led to Butler`s 32-yard field goal.
With 9:50 to play, the Bears took over at their own 26. By now, Ditka had received the message from assistants and players alike.
Flutie opened with a 25-yard pass to tight end Emery Moorehead. But from the Detroit 49, Ditka called seven straight runs–four by Suhey, one by Neal Anderson and two by Payton–that resulted in the Bears` only touchdown of the night.
An 18-yarder by Payton to the 18 was the one that broke the Lions` backs. Suhey carried three times and Payton once from the 18, and Butler`s conversion tied the score.
Long started from his 17 and handed off to James Jones. He was met by William ”the Refrigerator” Perry, who had been benched earlier for two plays by Ditka after Perry committed a personal foul.
On second down, free safety Gary Fencik nailed Long for an 11-yard loss on a blitz. On third down, a 6-yard pass to Pete Mandley only gave Arnold more room to punt.
The Bears took over at their 45. A pass to Gault was incomplete. Then Ditka went to the run again.
Payton broke a 17-yarder. Gault caught a 9-yard pass in front of cornerback Bruce McNorton. Then it was Suhey, Payton, Suhey, Flutie on a sneak, Payton, Payton, Payton, Butler.
The last time the Bears played the Lions, they beat them 13-7, and Ditka admitted he had to change his game plan and return to basics.
He chuckled at the thought.
”I`m just afraid if we keep doing that stuff, nobody will chisel
`genius` on my tombstone,” Ditka said.
