1965 Chicago Bears season
Encyclopedia
The 1965 Chicago Bears
season was their 46th regular season
completed in the National Football League
. The club posted a 9-5 record, earning them a third place finish in the NFL Western Conference. The club improved over the dismal 5-9 record of the previous season.
They started the season 0-3, but thanks to rookies Gale Sayers
and Dick Butkus
, the team won 9 of the last 11 games. Sayers had a magnificent rookie season, and in one game against the San Francisco 49ers
at Chicago
's Wrigley Field on December 12, he scored 6 touchdowns in a 61-20 Bears win. Gale Sayers would set an NFL rookie record with 22 touchdowns in one season. The six touchdown performance from December 12, would tie an NFL record and set a new Bears record.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was their 46th regular season
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
completed in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The club posted a 9-5 record, earning them a third place finish in the NFL Western Conference. The club improved over the dismal 5-9 record of the previous season.
They started the season 0-3, but thanks to rookies Gale Sayers
Gale Sayers
Gale Eugene Sayers also known as "The Kansas Comet", is a former professional football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....
and Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
, the team won 9 of the last 11 games. Sayers had a magnificent rookie season, and in one game against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Wrigley Field on December 12, he scored 6 touchdowns in a 61-20 Bears win. Gale Sayers would set an NFL rookie record with 22 touchdowns in one season. The six touchdown performance from December 12, would tie an NFL record and set a new Bears record.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score | Record | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, September 19 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
Kezar Stadium Kezar Stadium Kezar Stadium is a stadium located adjacent to Kezar Pavilion in the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. It is the former home of the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, and of the San Francisco Dragons of MLL. It also served as the home of the... |
Loss | 24-52 | 0-1 | |
| Saturday Night, September 25 | at Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... |
Loss | 28-30 | 0-2 | |
| Sunday, October 3 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
Loss | 14-23 | 0-3 | |
| Sunday, October 10 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Win | 31-6 | 1-3 | |
| Sunday, October 17 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America... |
Win | 45-37 | 2-3 | |
| Sunday, October 24 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Win | 38-10 | 3-3 | |
| Sunday, October 31 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Win | 31-10 | 4-3 | |
| Sunday, November 7 | Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Loss | 21-26 | 4-4 | |
| Sunday, November 14 | St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Win | 34-13 | 5-4 | |
| Sunday, November 21 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
Tiger Stadium | Win | 17-10 | 6-4 | |
| Sunday, November 28 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Yankee Stadium | Win | 35-14 | 7-4 | |
| Sunday, December 5 | at Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road... |
Win | 13-0 | 8-4 | |
| Sunday, December 12 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Win | 61-20 | 9-4 | |
| Sunday, December 19 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
Loss | 17-24 | 9-5 | |
Standings
| NFL Western Eastern and Western Divisions (NFL) 1933-69 The Eastern and Western Divisions of the National Football League, renamed the American and National Conferences in 1950 and then the Eastern and Western Conferences in 1953, were organized as a result of the disputed NFL championship of 1932... |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Green Bay Packers 1965 Green Bay Packers season The 1965 Green Bay Packers season was their 45th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-3-1 record under coach Vince Lombardi, earning them a tie for first place in the Western Conference with the Baltimore Colts. The Packers and Colts played a one-game playoff in Green Bay,... |
10 | 3 | 1 | .769 | 316 | 224 | T-1 |
| Baltimore Colts 1965 Baltimore Colts season The 1965 Baltimore Colts season was the 13th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1965 season with a record of 10 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie, tied for first in the Western Conference with the Green Bay Packers... |
10 | 3 | 1 | .769 | 389 | 284 | W-1 |
| Chicago Bears | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 409 | 275 | L-1 |
| San Francisco 49ers 1965 San Francisco 49ers season -NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *... |
7 | 6 | 1 | .538 | 421 | 402 | T-1 |
| Minnesota Vikings 1965 Minnesota Vikings season The 1965 Minnesota Vikings season was the fifth year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 46th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of seven wins and seven losses under head coach Norm Van Brocklin.... |
7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 383 | 403 | W-2 |
| Detroit Lions 1965 Detroit Lions season The 1965 Detroit Lions season was the 36th season in franchise history. Harry Gilmer replaced George Wilson as the Lions head coach.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-References:***... |
6 | 7 | 1 | .462 | 257 | 295 | W-1 |
| Los Angeles Rams 1965 Los Angeles Rams season The 1965 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 28th year with the National Football League and the 20th season in Los Angeles.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 269 | 328 | L-1 |
Awards and records
- Gale Sayers, NFL rookie record, most touchdowns in one season (22)
- Gale Sayers, NFL record (tied), most touchdowns in one game (6)
- Gale Sayers, Club record, most touchdowns in one game (6)