News / Sports
NFC Championship Game: Super Bowl Bound Chicago Bears Beat New Orleans Saints 39-14.
The Chicago Bears put 21 points on the board in the fourth quarter to seal a 39-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints and punch their ticket to the Super Bowl for the first time since their 1985 season.
Limiting the Saints to just 56 yards on the ground, the Chicago Bears defense held tough in sub-freezing weather to cap an incredible run through NFC opponents this year. Overall the Bears were 13-1 against teams in the NFC, their only loss coming against the Green Bay Packers in the final game of the season.
Against the Saints, Chicago came out kicking. Robbie Gould converted on field goal attempts of 19, 43, and 24-yards to give the Bears a 9-0 mid way through the second quarter. The Bears then tacked on a touchdown at the two-minute warning when Thomas Jones busted in on a 2-yard score and Chicago was up 16-0.
New Orleans answered before the end of the half with a 73-yard drive in just over a minute to close the gap to 16-7 at the break.
It looked as if the Saints would get right back in the game as the second half got underway. Quarterback Drew Brees found Reggie Bush out of the backfield and the former Heisman Trophy winner went 88-yards for a touchdown and the game was 16-14.
Chicago couldn’t get their offense clicking in the third quarter but the Bears managed to add another two points to their total when Drew Brees was called for a penalty in the endzone and the Bears were rewarded with a safety.
Heading into the fourth quarter it appeared as if the game could go either way. That idea was dispelled early as Rex Grossman found Bernard Berrian on a 33-yard touchdown pass 37 seconds into the final frame and Chicago was up 25-14.
The Bears added another touchdown less than three minutes later when Cedric Benson ran 12-yards for a score and Chicago took control of the game 32-14. Thomas Jones then added his second touchdown of the game with less than five minutes remaining to give the Bears a 39-14 lead.
In the end it came down to turnovers, and as they have done all year the Bears forced their opponent into giving the ball away. New Orleans finished with four turnovers while the Bears played errorless football.
While Rex Grossman wasn’t sensational he did what was needed and the Bears got a huge lift from their running game to take any pressure of the maligned quarterback. Thomas Jones finished with 123 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Cedric Benson rushed for an additional 60 yards and a score. Grossman finished with 144 yards passing and a touchdown.
The Saints got a big game from Drew Brees who finished with 354 yards passing and two touchdowns but New Orleans’ inability to run and hold on to the ball allowed the Bears defense an added advantage.
Chicago now packs their bags for Miami and will face off against the winner of the New England Patriots Indianapolis Colts game in Super Bowl XLI.
