Nine more 100-yard games helped give Payton his fourth consecutive NFC rushing title with 1,610 yards. Payton passed Rick Casares as the Bears’ career rushing leader. He also threw his first touchdown pass, a 54-yarder to Brian Baschnagel.
On Oct. 7, Payton proved the Bears were no longer a one-man team; they were a one-superman team. He beat the Buffalo Bills 7-0 with a fourth-quarter leap into the end zone so high and so far it looked like an Olympic high dive. Payton landed squarely on top of his head, demonstrating the limits to which he would go to help his team.
“The play is called: `Get movement and let Walter go over the top,’ ” tackle Ted Albrecht explained.
Buffalo nose tackle Fred Smerlas stood up and raised his arms and still couldn’t reach Payton.
“That guy can leap so high he could stuff himself in the basket,” Smerlas said. “He’s like a fly.”
Linebacker Doug Buffone, last of the Bears who played with Sayers and Payton, thought he had seen everything.
“Every game he comes up with a play that’s beyond the laws of nature,” Buffone said.
The Bears rebounded to 10-6, but not before one of the strangest season finales in their history, on Dec. 16. They awoke to the sad news of the sudden death of team President George “Mugs” Halas Jr. They had to play the St. Louis Cardinals in minus-12 degree wind chill at Soldier Field. They were trailing Pardee’s Redskins by an impossible 34 points in the differential to determine a playoff spot. The Redskins were playing the Cowboys in a late game.
You could cut the tension with an ice pick. The Bears had scored as many as 34 points only three times in Payton’s five seasons. So on Payton’s first run, the official moved in to spot the ball with his foot and Payton untied his shoe.
“That’s Walter, always trying to keep it loose,” Albrecht said.
Payton scored first, Payton scored third, Payton scored fifth, and the Bears didn’t stop until they won 42-6 with Payton getting 157 yards. Then they sat in the locker room and watched the Cowboys beat the Redskins by one. The Bears had won seven of their last eight games and were in the playoffs again.
Again, it was not for long. They lost to the Eagles in Philadelphia in the wild-card game. Payton’s 84-yard run for an apparent touchdown was nullified by a motion penalty.
The Bears believed scoring 42 points might start a trend. They had no idea how long they would have to wait for another chance.
———-
December 16
The Bears need to beat St. Louis by 34 points on the final day of the season to make the playoffs, and they win 42-6 as Payton runs for 157 yards and three touchdowns.
1979
ATTEMPTS YARDS AVERAGE TD
369 1,610 4.4 14
