1963 Chicago Bears season

1963 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	George Halas
General manager	George Halas, Jr.
Owner	George Halas
Home field	Wrigley Field
Results
Record	11–1–2
Division place	1st Western
Playoff finish	Won NFL Championship

The 1963 Chicago Bears season was their 44th regular season and 12th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted an 11–1–2 record to gain their first Western Conference championship since 1956, and the berth to host the NFL Championship Game against the New York Giants (11–3–0).

In the regular season, Chicago defeated the Green Bay Packers (11–2–1) twice to deny them a third consecutive NFL title. In the championship game on December 29, the Bears defeated the Giants 14–10 at Wrigley Field for the club's eighth league title, and their last under legendary head coach George Halas.

This was the Bears' last playoff berth prior to the AFL-NFL merger, and their last NFL championship until 1985 and Super Bowl XX. The Bears' defense in 1963 became the third in the history of the NFL to lead the league in fewest rushing yards, fewest passing yards and fewest total yards;^[1] the defense also allowed only 144 points, formerly an NFL record.^[2]

In 2007, ESPN.com ranked the 1963 Bears as the ninth-greatest defense in NFL history,^[3] noting, "[i]n 1963, Bears defensive coach George Allen came up with a new zone defense against the pass, befuddling opponents. With Doug Atkins and Ed O'Bradovich pressuring opposing QBs from their defensive end slots, and Bill George and Larry Morris defending against short passes from the linebacker position, the Bears picked off 36 passes, and allowed just 10.3 points and 227 yards per game. The Bears went on to win the NFL championship, thanks to the Defense. In the title game against Y.A. Tittle and the Giants, who had the best offense in the NFL, Chicago's five picks were the key, as the Bears won 14–10. George Allen got the game ball."

Offseason

NFL Draft

1963 Chicago Bears draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	11	Dave Behrman	C	Michigan State	Pick from trade with PIT
2	20	Steve Barnett	T	Oregon	Pick from trade with DAL
2	25	Bob Jencks	E	Miami (OH)
3	38	Larry Glueck	DB	Villanova
4	49	Stan Sanders	E	Whittier	Pick from trade with SF
4	52	Charley Mitchell	HB	Washington	Pick from trade with PIT
6	80	John Johnson	T	Indiana	Pick from trade with PIT
6	81	Dave Mathieson	QB	Washington State
7	94	Paul Underhill	B	Missouri
8	109	Dennis Harmon	DB	Southern Illinois
9	118	Monte Day	T	Fresno State	Pick from trade with DAL
9	122	Dave Watson	LB	Georgia Tech
10	137	Ed Hoerster	LB	Notre Dame
11	150	James Tullis	DB	Florida A&M
12	165	Dick Drummond	B	George Washington
13	178	John Szumcyk	B	Trinity (CT)
14	193	Gordan Banks	B	Fisk
15	206	Bob Dentel	C/LB	Miami (FL)
16	221	Lowell Caylor	DB	Miami (OH)
17	234	John Sisk	B	Miami (FL)
18	249	Jeff Slabaugh	E	Indiana
19	262	Bob Yaksick	DB	Rutgers
20	277	John Gregory	E	Baldwin-Wallace
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[4]

Personnel

Coaches

• Head Coach – George Halas
• Assistants – George Allen (Defensive Coordinator), Jim Dooley, Phil Handler, Luke Johnsos, Sid Luckman, Chuck Mather

^[5]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Game site	Record	Attendance
1	September 15, 1963	at Green Bay Packers	W 10–3	City Stadium	1–0	42,327
2	September 22, 1963	at Minnesota Vikings	W 28–7	Metropolitan Stadium	2–0	33,923
3	September 29, 1963	at Detroit Lions	W 37–21	Tiger Stadium	3–0	55,400
4	October 6, 1963	Baltimore Colts	W 10–3	Wrigley Field	4–0	48,998
5	October 13, 1963	at Los Angeles Rams	W 52–14	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	5–0	40,476
6	October 20, 1963	at San Francisco 49ers	L 20–14	Kezar Stadium	5–1	35,837
7	October 27, 1963	Philadelphia Eagles	W 16–7	Wrigley Field	6–1	48,514
8	November 3, 1963	at Baltimore Colts	W 17–7	Memorial Stadium	7–1	60,065
9	November 10, 1963	Los Angeles Rams	W 6–0	Wrigley Field	8–1	48,312
10	November 17, 1963	Green Bay Packers	W 26–7	Wrigley Field	9–1	49,166
11	November 24, 1963	at Pittsburgh Steelers	T 17–17	Forbes Field	9–1–1	36,465
12	December 1, 1963	Minnesota Vikings	T 17–17	Wrigley Field	9–1–2	47,249
13	December 8, 1963	San Francisco 49ers	W 27–7	Wrigley Field	10–1–2	46,994
14	December 15, 1963	Detroit Lions	W 24–14	Wrigley Field	11–1–2	45,317

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 3 0 7 0 10 Packers 3 0 0 0 3 Date: September 15 Location: City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin Game attendance: 42,327 Game weather: 54°F • Wind 7

Scoring summary 1 CHI Bob Jencks 32-yard field goal Bears 3–0 1 GB Jerry Kramer 41-yard field goal Tie 3–3 3 CHI Joe Marconi 1-yard run (Bob Jencks kick) Bears 10–3

^[6]

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 7 7 0 14 28 Vikings 0 7 0 0 7 Date: September 22 Location: Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, MN Game attendance: 33,923 Game weather: 51°F; wind 9

Scoring summary Q1 CHI Bull 24 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 7–0 Q2 MIN Reichow 24 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 CHI Ditka 36 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 14–7 Q4 CHI Wade 1 yard run (Jencks kick) CHI 21–7 Q4 CHI Ditka 10 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 28–7

• Mike Ditka 8 Rec, 124 Yds

^[7]

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 7 28 0 2 37 Lions 0 0 14 7 21 Date: September 29 Location: Tiger Stadium, Detroit, MI Game attendance: 55,400 Game weather: 54°F; wind 13

Scoring summary Q1 CHI Coia 18 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 7–0 Q2 CHI Morris 16 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 14–0 Q2 CHI Ditka 13 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 21–0 Q2 CHI Petitbon 66 yard interception return (Jencks kick) CHI 28–0 Q2 CHI Wade 1 yard run (Jencks kick) CHI 35–0 Q3 DET Barr 60 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) CHI 35–7 Q3 DET Cogdill 67 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) CHI 35–14 Q4 CHI Safety, Atkins tackled Morrall in end zone CHI 37–14 Q4 DET Cogdill 38 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) CHI 37–21

^[8]

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Colts 0 0 3 0 3 • Bears 0 0 0 10 10 Date: October 6 Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL Game attendance: 48,998 Game weather: 73°F; wind 11

Scoring summary Q3 BAL Martin 16 yard field goal BAL 3–0 Q4 CHI Bull 44 yard pass from Bukich (Jencks kick) CHI 7–3 Q4 CHI LeClerc 16 yard field goal CHI 10–3

^[9]

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 7 21 3 21 52 Rams 0 7 0 7 14 Date: October 13 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA Game weather: 66°F; wind 9

Scoring summary Q1 CHI Ditka 13 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 7–0 Q2 CHI McRae 35 yard interception return (Jencks kick) CHI 14–0 Q2 LA Phillips 10 yard pass from Bratkowski (Villanueva kick) CHI 14–7 Q2 CHI Ditka 25 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 21–7 Q2 CHI Ditka 2 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 28–7 Q3 CHI LeClerc 31 yard field goal CHI 31–7 Q4 LA Bass 4 yard run (Villanueva kick) CHI 31–14 Q4 CHI Ditka 14 yard pass from Wade (Jencks kick) CHI 38–14 Q4 CHI Galimore 2 yard run (Jencks kick) CHI 45–14 Q4 CHI Farrington 17 yard pass from Bukich (Jencks kick) CHI 52–14

• Mike Ditka 9 Rec, 110 Yds

^[10]

Standings

NFL Western Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Chicago Bears	11	1	2	.917	10–1–1	301	144	W2
Green Bay Packers	11	2	1	.846	9–2–1	369	206	W2
Baltimore Colts	8	6	0	.571	7–5	316	285	W3
Detroit Lions	5	8	1	.385	4–7–1	326	265	L1
Minnesota Vikings	5	8	1	.385	4–7–1	309	390	W1
Los Angeles Rams	5	9	0	.357	5–7	210	350	L2
San Francisco 49ers	2	12	0	.143	1–11	198	391	L5

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

NFL Championship Game

1 2 3 4 Total Giants 7 3 0 0 10 • Bears 7 0 7 0 14 Date: December 29 Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois Game attendance: 45,801 Game weather: 4°F; wind 11 Referee: Norm Schachter TV announcers (NBC): Jack Brickhouse, Chris Schenkel & George Connor

Scoring summary Q1 7:38 NYG Frank Gifford 14-yard pass from Y.A. Tittle (Don Chandler kick) NYG 7–0 Q1 :16 CHI Bill Wade 2-yard run (Bob Jencks kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 9:49 NYG Don Chandler 13-yard field goal NYG 10–7 Q3 2:12 CHI Bill Wade 1-yard run (Bob Jencks kick) CHI 14–10

The Giants opened the scoring in the first quarter when quarterback Y.A. Tittle led New York on an 83-yard drive that was capped off by a 14-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gifford. The drive was set up by Bears quarterback Bill Wade's fumble deep in the Giants territory, which was recovered by former Bear Erich Barnes.^[11] However, later in the first period, Tittle suffered an injury to his left knee when Larry Morris hit him during his throwing motion. For the rest of the game, Tittle would never be the same. Morris then intercepted Tittle's screen pass and returned the ball 61 yards to the Giants 6-yard line. Two plays later, Wade scored a touchdown on a two-yard quarterback sneak to tie the game at 7.

In the second quarter, the Giants retook the lead, 10–7, on a 13-yard field goal. But on New York's next drive, Tittle re-injured his left knee on another hit by Morris. With Tittle out for two possessions, the Giants struggled, only able to advance 2 yards in 7 plays. New York coach Allie Sherman even punted on third down, showing no confidence in backup Glynn Griffing. However, the score remained 10–7 at halftime.

Tittle came back in the third period, but he needed cortisone, Novocain, and heavy taping and bandaging just to continue. For the rest of the game, Tittle was forced to throw off his back foot (poor mechanics for a quarterback). An interception on a screen pass by the Bears' Ed O'Bradovich was brought deep into Giant territory, setting up Wade's 1-yard touchdown to give Chicago a 14–10 lead. The score held up, and the Bears iced the game on Richie Petitbon's interception in the end zone with 10 seconds left. It was Tittle's 5th interception. At the end of the game, defensive coordinator George Allen was given the game ball due to his defense's spectacular play.

References

1. The Best Show in Football:The 1946–1955 Cleveland Browns, p.294, Andy Piascik, Taylor Trade Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-1-58979-360-6
2. "Happy Birthday George Halas". Chicago Bears. January 31, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
3. The List: Best NFL defense of all-time, 2007
4. 1963 Draft at Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2013-Dec-08.
5. Chicago Bears media guide. Retrieved 2015-Aug-23.
6. Pro-Football-Reference.com
7. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Nov-30.
8. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Dec-04.
9. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Dec-06.
10. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Dec-08.
11. Coppock, Chet (December 27, 2013). "Bears defeat Giants 14–10 for 1963 championship". Chicago Bears. Retrieved December 27, 2013.

• NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 978-1-932994-36-0)