1966 Chicago Bears season

The 1966 season was the Chicago Bears' 47th in the National Football League. The team failed to improve on their 9–5 record from 1965 and finished with a 5–7–2 record under head coach George Halas, earning them a fifth-place finish in the NFL Western Conference. This was the franchise's second losing season in the past three.

1966 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	George Halas
General manager	George Halas
Owner	George Halas
Home field	Wrigley Field
Local radio	WGN
Results
Record	5–7–2
Division place	5th Western
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

Roster

Chicago Bears 1966 roster
Quarterbacks  10 Rudy Bukich  9 Billy Wade Running Backs 21 Jon Arnett 29 Ronnie Bull FB 32 Ralph Kurek 34 Joe Marconi 41 Brian Piccolo FB 40 Gale Sayers Wide Receivers 45 Dick Gordon 80 Jim Jones Tight Ends 85 Duane Allen 89 Mike Ditka		Offensive Linemen 72 Jim Cadile G 70 Herman Lee T 50 Mike Pyle C 64 Mike Rabold G 63 Bob Wetoska T Defensive Linemen 81 Doug Atkins DE 79 Dick Evey DT 76 John Johnson DT 87 Ed O'Bradovich DE 60 Brian Schweda DE		Linebackers 55 Doug Buffone 51 Dick Butkus 31 Joe Fortunato 53 Jim Purnell Defensive Backs 22 Charlie Brown 26 Bennie McRae CB 17 Richie Petitbon S 24 Rosey Taylor S 23 Dave Whitsell CB Special Teams 88 Bobby Joe Green P

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Record	Attendance
1	September 11	at Detroit Lions	Tiger Stadium	L 14–3	0–1	52,225
2	September 16	at Los Angeles Rams	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	L 31–17	0–2	58,916
3	Bye
4	October 2	at Minnesota Vikings	Metropolitan Stadium	W 13–10	1–2	47,426
5	October 9	Baltimore Colts	Wrigley Field	W 27–17	2–2	47,452
5	October 16	Green Bay Packers	Wrigley Field	L 17–0	2–3	48,573
7	October 23	Los Angeles Rams	Wrigley Field	W 17–10	3–3	47,475
8	October 31	at St. Louis Cardinals	Busch Memorial Stadium	L 24–17	3–4	49,516
9	November 6	Detroit Lions	Wrigley Field	T 10–10	3–4–1	47,041
10	November 13	San Francisco 49ers	Wrigley Field	T 30–30	3–4–2	47,078
11	November 20	at Green Bay Packers	Lambeau Field	L 13–6	3–5–2	50,861
12	November 27	Atlanta Falcons	Wrigley Field	W 23–6	4–5–2	44,777
13	December 4	at Baltimore Colts	Memorial Stadium	L 21–16	4–6–2	60,238
14	December 11	at San Francisco 49ers	Kezar Stadium	L 41–14	4–7–2	37,170
15	December 18	Minnesota Vikings	Wrigley Field	W 41–28	5–7–2	45,191

• A bye week was necessary in 1966, as the league expanded to an odd-number (15) of teams (Atlanta); one team was idle each week.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	12	2	0	.857	10–2	335	163	W5
Baltimore Colts	9	5	0	.643	7–5	314	226	W1
Los Angeles Rams	8	6	0	.571	6–6	289	212	L1
San Francisco 49ers	6	6	2	.500	5–5–2	320	325	L1
Chicago Bears	5	7	2	.417	4–6–2	234	272	W1
Detroit Lions	4	9	1	.308	3–8–1	206	317	L3
Minnesota Vikings	4	9	1	.308	4–7–1	206	304	L1

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

Game summaries

Week 4: vs. Baltimore Colts

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	3	7	7	17
Bears	10	0	10	7	27

at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois

• Date: Sunday, October 9, 1966
• Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information

First Quarter CHI – Roger LeClerc 42-yard field goal – Bears 3–0 CHI – Joe Fortunato 24-yard fumble return (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 10–0 Second Quarter BAL – Lou Michaels 13-yard field goal – Bears 10–3 Third Quarter CHI – Gale Sayers 30-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 17–3 CHI – Roger LeClerc 27-yard field goal – Bears 20–3 BAL – Bobby Boyd 37-yard interception return (Lou Michaels kick) – Bears 20–10 Fourth Quarter CHI – Gale Sayers 7-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 27–10 BAL – John Mackey 79-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick) – Bears 27–17 Colts Johnny Unitas 18/38, 274 Yds, TD, 2 INT Tom Matte 4 Rush, 57 Yds John Mackey 2 Rec, 89 Yds, TD Bears Rudy Bukich 8/15, 96 Yds, INT Gale Sayers 18 Rush, 106 Yds, 2 TD Jimmy Jones 3 Rec, 64 Yds

References