1980 Chicago Bears season

1980 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	Neill Armstrong
General manager	Jim Finks
Owner	George Halas
Home field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	3rd NFC Central
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1980 Chicago Bears season was their 61st regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 7–9 record under second year coach Neill Armstrong and failed to make the playoffs.

One of the 7 victories by the Bears that year was a Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions. With no time left in regulation, Bears quarterback Vince Evans scored a game-tying touchdown that sent the game into overtime. Then before a national television audience, Dave Williams returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and a 23–17 victory in overtime over the Lions.

Walter Payton once again led the NFL in rushing for the 5th straight year with 1,460 yards.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 7, 1980	at Green Bay Packers	L 12–6	54,381
2	September 14, 1980	New Orleans Saints	W 22–3	62,523
3	September 21, 1980	Minnesota Vikings	L 34–14	59,983
4	September 28, 1980	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 38–3	53,987
5	October 6, 1980	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 23–0	61,350
6	October 12, 1980	at Minnesota Vikings	L 13–7	46,751
7	October 19, 1980	Detroit Lions	W 24–7	58,508
8	October 26, 1980	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 17–14	68,752
9	November 3, 1980	at Cleveland Browns	L 27–21	84,225
10	November 9, 1980	Washington Redskins	W 35–21	57,159
11	November 16, 1980	Houston Oilers	L 10–6	59,390
12	November 23, 1980	at Atlanta Falcons	L 28–17	49,156
13	November 27, 1980	at Detroit Lions	W 23–17	75,397
14	December 7, 1980	Green Bay Packers	W 61–7	57,176
15	December 14, 1980	Cincinnati Bengals	L 17–14	48,808
16	December 20, 1980	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 14–13	55,298

Season summary

Week 13

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions

1 2 3 4 OT Total • Bears 0 3 0 14 6 23 Lions 3 7 7 0 0 17 Date: Thursday, November 27 Location: Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan Game start: 12:30 p.m. CST Game weather: indoors (dome) Referee: Fred Silva TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall, Tom Brookshier, and Irv Cross (sideline) Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Lions Eddie Murray 34-yard field goal Lions 3–0 2 Lions Billy Sims 47-yard pass from Gary Danielson (Eddie Murray kick) Lions 10–0 2 Bears Bob Thomas 24-yard field goal Lions 10–3 3 Lions Gary Danielson 1-yard run (Eddie Murray kick) Lions 17–3 4 Bears Bob Fisher 20-yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick) Lions 17–10 4 Bears Vince Evans 4-yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Tie 17–17 OT Bears Dave Williams 94-yard kickoff return Bears 23–17

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 0 7 0 0 7 • Bears 0 28 13 20 61 Date: December 7 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 56°F, wind 10 mph

Scoring summary 2 CHI Walter Payton 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 7–0 2 CHI Walter Payton 3 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 14–0 2 CHI Roland Harper 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 21–0 2 GB James Lofton 15 yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick) Bears 21–7 2 CHI Brian Baschnagel 4 yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 28–7 3 CHI Robin Earl 9 yard pass from Vince Evans (kick failed) Bears 34–7 3 CHI Rickey Watts 53 yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 41–7 4 CHI Walter Payton 14 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 48–7 4 CHI Len Walterscheid 36 yard interception return (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 55–7 4 CHI Willie McClendon 1 yard run (kick failed) Bears 61–7

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Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings^(3)	9	7	0	.563	5–3	8–4	317	308	L1
Detroit Lions	9	7	0	.563	5–3	9–5	334	272	W2
Chicago Bears	7	9	0	.438	5–3	7–5	304	264	W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5	10	1	.344	1–6–1	4–7–1	271	341	L3
Green Bay Packers	5	10	1	.344	3–4–1	4–7–1	231	371	L4

References

1. Pro-Football-Reference.com