2002 Chicago Bears season

The 2002

2002 NFL season

The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...

 Chicago Bears

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 83rd regular season completed in the National Football League. Though the team had hopes of returning to the playoffs after an unexpected 13-3 season the previous year, the club posted a dismal 4-12 record and missed the postseason. The Bears had trouble on both sides of the ball, finishing 27th in the league in points scored and 23rd in points allowed.

Because Soldier Field

Soldier Field

Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...

 was being rebuilt, the Bears were forced to play all of their home games at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...

. The Bears never seemed to get used to their new home field, and injuries piled up as the season went on on both offense and defense. Starting QB Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 was injured throughout the year, leaving the team no choice but to use backup Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 and rookie third-string QB Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

 for both spot relief and as starters. 2001 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (American football)

Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

 suffered a broken right index finger in Week 15 against the Green Bay Packers. These injuries and the league's 23rd worst turnover differential contributed to the team's franchise record-tying eight game losing streak and their poor record.

Draft

Round	Overall Pick	Player	Position	College
1	29	Marc Colombo Marc Colombo Marc Edward Colombo is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was originally selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He played college football for Boston College...	Offensive Tackle	Boston College Boston College Eagles football The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
3	72	Roosevelt Williams	Defensive Back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...	Tuskegee
3	93	Terrence Metcalf Terrence Metcalf Terrence Orlando Metcalf is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft...	Guard Guard (American football) In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....	Ole Miss Ole Miss Rebels football The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
4	104	Alex Brown	Defensive End Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...	Florida Florida Gators football The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
5	140	Bobby Gray Bobby Gray (American football) Bobby Wayne Gray is a former safety in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears from 2002 to 2004. He played college football at Louisiana Tech....	Defensive Back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...	Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters refer to the sports teams of Louisiana Tech University. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports. Since 2001, LA Tech has been a member of the Western Athletic Conference. LA Tech adopted Bulldogs as its nickname in 1900, the first of the four FBS...
5	165	Bryan Knight Bryan Knight Bryan Knight is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh....	Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...	Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Panthers football Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
6	199	Adrian Peterson	Running Back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...	Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Eagles football The Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award...
6	203	Jamin Elliott Jamin Elliott A native of Portsmouth, Va., Elliott enjoyed an outstanding four-year football career as a big-play receiver and capped the season by being selected in the sixth round of the National Football League draft in April by the Chicago Bears...	Wide Receiver Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...	Delaware
6	210	Bryan Fletcher	Tight End Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...	UCLA UCLA Bruins Football The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...

Preseason

Week	Opponent	Date	Kickoff Time (ET)	Stadium	Results	Record	Attendance	NFL Game Summary
1	Denver Broncos 2002 Denver Broncos season The 2002 Denver Broncos season was the team's 43rd year in professional football and its 33rd with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:* *...	Saturday August 10	8:00 PM	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 3 – 27	0 – 1	N/A	Summary
2	St. Louis Rams 2002 St. Louis Rams season The 2002 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 65th year with the National Football League and the eighth season in St. Louis.-Schedule:This season marked the decline of Kurt Warner and The Greatest Show On Turf-Standings:...	Friday August 16	7:00 PM	Edward Jones Dome Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...	W 19 – 17	1 – 1	65,311	Summary
3	Jacksonville Jaguars 2002 Jacksonville Jaguars season The 2002 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the team's 8th year in the National Football League. The team finished with a record of 6–10 and finished 3rd place in the AFC South...	Friday August 23	7:00 PM	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 16 – 24	1 – 2	52,143	Summary
4	Miami Dolphins 2002 Miami Dolphins season The 2002 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 37th as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 11–5, instead winning only nine games. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...	Thursday August 29	7:00 PM	Pro Player Stadium	L 22 – 24	1 – 3	57,113	Summary

• Green background indicates win
• Red background indicates loss

Schedule

Week	Opponent	Date	Kickoff Time (CT Central time Central time can refer to:*North American Central Time Zone*Central European Time*Central Standard Time Australia... )	Network	Stadium	Results	Record	Attendance	NFL Game Summary
1	Minnesota Vikings 2002 Minnesota Vikings season 2002 was the 42nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.On January 10, 2002, Mike Tice was named the sixth Head Coach in Vikings history. Tice was the third of the six Vikings head coaches to be promoted from within the team's...	Sunday September 8	12:00 PM	FOX	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	W 27 – 23	1 – 0	52,168	Summary
2	Atlanta Falcons 2002 Atlanta Falcons season The 2002 Atlanta Falcons season was their 37th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 7-9 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in four years. The team was also involved in a rare tie, matching the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-34 at the end of overtime...	Sunday September 15	12:00 PM	FOX	Georgia Dome Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...	W 14 – 13	2 – 0	68,081	Summary
3	New Orleans Saints 2002 New Orleans Saints season The 2002 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 36th as a member of the National Football League. They improved upon their previous season's performance of 7–9, winning nine games. Despite the winning season, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs....	Sunday September 22	12:00 PM	FOX	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 23 – 29	2 – 1	63,216	Summary
4	Buffalo Bills 2002 Buffalo Bills season The 2002 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s forty-third season.The Bills acquired quarterback Drew Bledsoe from the New England Patriots on draft weekend in exchange for Buffalo's first round pick in the 2003 draft...	Sunday September 29	12:00 PM	FOX	Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...	L 27 – 33	2 – 2	72,780	Summary
5	Green Bay Packers 2002 Green Bay Packers season During the 2002 Green Bay Packers season, the team completed a 12-4 regular season with before losing in the Wild Card playoff round to Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field...	Monday October 7	8:00 PM	ABC	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 21 – 34	2 – 3	63,226	Summary
6	Bye Week Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
7	Detroit Lions 2002 Detroit Lions season The 2002 Detroit Lions season was the 73rd season in franchise history. It was the Lions inaugural season at Ford Field.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:***...	Sunday October 20	12:00 PM	FOX	Ford Field Ford Field Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...	L 20 – 23	2 – 4	60,421	Summary
8	Minnesota Vikings 2002 Minnesota Vikings season 2002 was the 42nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.On January 10, 2002, Mike Tice was named the sixth Head Coach in Vikings history. Tice was the third of the six Vikings head coaches to be promoted from within the team's...	Sunday October 27	12:00 PM	FOX	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...	L 7 – 25	2 – 5	64,122	Summary
9	Philadelphia Eagles 2002 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2002 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 70th in the league. The team improved upon their previous output of 11–5, going 12–4 and making the playoffs for the third consecutive year...	Sunday November 3	12:00 PM	FOX	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 13 – 19	2 – 6	54,049	Summary
10	New England Patriots 2002 New England Patriots season The 2002 New England Patriots season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League and 43rd season overall. They finished with a 9–7 record, good enough for second in the division but not a playoff berth....	Sunday November 10	3:15 PM	CBS	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 30 – 33	2 – 7	63,105	Summary
11	St. Louis Rams 2002 St. Louis Rams season The 2002 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 65th year with the National Football League and the eighth season in St. Louis.-Schedule:This season marked the decline of Kurt Warner and The Greatest Show On Turf-Standings:...	Monday November 18	8:00 PM	ABC	Edward Jones Dome Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...	L 16 – 21	2 – 8	66,250	Summary
12	Detroit Lions 2002 Detroit Lions season The 2002 Detroit Lions season was the 73rd season in franchise history. It was the Lions inaugural season at Ford Field.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:***...	Sunday November 24	12:00 PM	FOX	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	W 20 – 17	3 – 8	62,375	Summary
13	Green Bay Packers 2002 Green Bay Packers season During the 2002 Green Bay Packers season, the team completed a 12-4 regular season with before losing in the Wild Card playoff round to Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field...	Sunday December 1	12:00 PM	FOX	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...	L 20 – 30	3 – 9	64,196	Summary
14	Miami Dolphins 2002 Miami Dolphins season The 2002 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 37th as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 11–5, instead winning only nine games. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...	Monday December 9	8:00 PM	ABC	Pro Player Stadium	L 9 – 27	3 – 10	73,609	Summary
15	New York Jets 2002 New York Jets season The 2002 New York Jets season was the 43rd season for the team, and the 33rd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2001...	Sunday December 15	12:00 PM	CBS	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	W 20 – 13	4 – 10	62,226	Summary
16	Carolina Panthers 2002 Carolina Panthers season -Schedule:-References:...	Sunday December 22	12:00 PM	FOX	Ericsson Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...	L 14 – 24	4 - 11	72,602	Summary
17	Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was their most successful season in franchise history. The season began with the team trying to improve on a 9-7 season and did so with a franchise best 12-4 record. It was Jon Gruden's first season as the Buccaneers head coach...	Sunday December 29	7:30 PM	ESPN	Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...	L 0 – 15	4 – 12	55,832	Summary

• Green background indicates win
• Red background indicates loss

Week 1: Minnesota Vikings

Week One: Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, September 8 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Partly Cloudy, Hazy, 85°F Referee: Mike Carey Game attendance: 63,226 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary Scoring Summary: First Quarter MIN- 6:15 - Doug Brien Doug Brien Douglas Robert Zachariah Brien is a former American football placekicker. He played twelve seasons for seven teams in the National Football League:...  30 yd FG (MIN 3-0) CHI – 1:03 – 29 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (CHI 7-3) Second Quarter MIN -13:32 – Daunte Culpepper Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...  2 yd TD run (Brien kick) (MIN 10-7) CHI – 9:19 – Paul Edinger 49 yd FG (CHI 10-10) MIN- 3:30 – Doug Brien 22 yd FG (MIN 13-10) MIN -0:55 – 33 yd TD pass from Daunte Culpepper to Randy Moss Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...  (Brien kick) (MIN 20-10) Third Quarter CHI – 10:28 – Paul Edinger 49 yd FG (MIN 20-13) MIN – 9:07 – Doug Brien 42 yd FG (MIN 23-13) Fourth Quarter CHI – 6:13 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  1 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (MIN 23-20) CHI – 0:28 - 9 yd TD pass from Jim Miller to David Terrell (Edinger kick) (CHI 27-23)

The Bears started off the year in their temporary home of Memorial Stadium

Memorial Stadium (Champaign)

thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...

 against the divisional opponent Minnesota Vikings

2002 Minnesota Vikings season

2002 was the 42nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.On January 10, 2002, Mike Tice was named the sixth Head Coach in Vikings history. Tice was the third of the six Vikings head coaches to be promoted from within the team's...

. The Bears got off to a slow start, outgained 272-118 yards and outscored 20-10 by the Vikings at the half. Heat exhaustion took its toll on the secondary, with temperatures creeping as high as 118 degrees. At one point during the second quarter, none of the defensive backs on the field had been starters on the team during the previous season. Veteran Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...

 closed out the half with a 33 yd TD strike to Randy Moss

Randy Moss

Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...

 in the final minute.

The Bears regrouped after the half, and their defense in particular rose to the occasion. The defense held the Vikings to 92 total yards and one field goal in the second half. Wearing down the Minnesota defense, the Bears' rushing attack accumulated 71 yards in the second half alone. With 28 seconds left in the game, Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 threw a 9 yd go-ahead TD pass to David Terrell.

After the game, Miller downplayed the inconsistency between the Bears' play in the first and second halves, stating, "I think that's just our style. We run the same stuff, wear you out." Safety Mike Brown, who intercepted Culpepper for 16 yards, agreed with Miller during a postgame interview, stating, "The thing about this team is that we fight for 60 minutes no matter what the score is."

With the win, the Bears started off their season 1-0.

Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons

|Week Two: Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons — Game information

Sunday, September 15 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Game played indoors dome Dome A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory.... d stadium Referee: Jeff Triplette Jeff Triplette Jeff Triplette is an official in the National Football League since the 1996 season. He wears uniform number 42. His 2011 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Jeff Rice, head linesman Phil McKinnely, line judge Jeff Bergman, field judge Barry Anderson, side judge Dave Wyant and back judge Steve... Scoring summary: Second Quarter ATL - 11:33 – 10 yd TD pass from Michael Vick Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...  to Warrick Dunn Warrick Dunn Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...   (Feely Jay Feely Thomas James "Jay" Feely is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Jay played for the Temple Terrace Spirit Soccer team that won the National Championships when he was 16....  kick) (ATL 7-0) CHI – 1:10 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  3 yd TD run (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (CHI 7-7) ATL – 0:00 – Jay Feely 37 yd FG (ATL 10-7) Third Quarter CHI – 9:27 – 14 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to David Terrell (Edinger kick) (CHI 14-10) ATL– 6:08 – Jay Feely 27 yd FG (CHI 14-13) Game attendance: 68,081 at Georgia Dome Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...  in Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

For the second week in a row, the Bears played a close game that was decided in the game's final minute, and, once again, they came out on the winning end. The Atlanta Falcons

2002 Atlanta Falcons season

The 2002 Atlanta Falcons season was their 37th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 7-9 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in four years. The team was also involved in a rare tie, matching the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-34 at the end of overtime...

 were a team on the upswing. Falcons QB Michael Vick

Michael Vick

Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...

 had just begun his first full season as a starter, playing his first home game of the year at the Georgia Dome

Georgia Dome

The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...

 after a 37-34 loss at 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...

.

Vick finished the day with one TD and no interceptions, but Bears Pro Bowl LB Brian Urlacher

Brian Urlacher

Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...

 pressured him all game, sacking Vick twice and forcing a fumble. Both offenses struggled to move down the field. and with four minutes left in the game, a Bears challenge reversed a big play by Falcons receiver Willie Jackson

Willie Jackson (American football)

Willie Bernard Jackson, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1990s and 2000s...

. Following a 3 and out by the Bears, the Falcons had an opportunity to win the game with 56 seconds left, but kicker Jay Feely

Jay Feely

Thomas James "Jay" Feely is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Jay played for the Temple Terrace Spirit Soccer team that won the National Championships when he was 16....

 missed a 45 yard field goal, leaving the Bears undefeated with a record of 2-0.

Though the Bears had narrowly won their first two games, the team remained optimistic. Dez White, who dropped a TD pass during the game, stated, "Neither game has been pretty, but we'll take it." ESPN analyst Eric Allen

Eric Allen

Eric Andre Allen is a former professional American football cornerback who played in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Oakland Raiders from 1988 to 2001....

 echoed QB Jim Miller's

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 comments from the previous week, stating, "It's their style of play -- a hard-nosed style that suits the black-and-blue division..."

With the win, the Bears improved to 2-0 on the season.

Week 3: New Orleans Saints

|Week Three: New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Partly cloudly, 53°F Referee: Ron Blum Ron Blum Ron Blum was an American football official in the National Football League from the 1985 NFL season through the 2007 NFL season. He joined the league as a line judge, officiating Super Bowl XXIV in 1990 and Super Bowl XXVI in 1992 and later became a referee for the start of the 1993 NFL season,... Scoring summary: First Quarter CHI - 7:36 - Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  31 yd FG (CHI 3-0) CHI – 2:47 – 10 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to Dez White Dez White Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow...  (Edinger kick) (CHI 10-0) Second Quarter CHI – 13:35 – 22 yd TD pass from Jim Miller to Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (Edinger kick) (CHI 17-0) CHI – 11:47 – Paul Edinger 25 yd FG (CHI 20-0) NOR - 7:21 – 16 yd TD pass from Aaron Brooks to Jerome Pathon Jerome Pathon Jerome Pathon is an American football coach and former wide receiver who played eight seasons in the National Football League...  (Carney kick) (CHI 20-7) NOR – 6:23 – Aaron Brooks 7 yd TD run (Carney kick) (CHI 20-14) Third Quarter NOR – 8:15 – 5 yd TD pass from Aaron Brooks to Joe Horn Joe Horn Joseph Horn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...  (Carney kick) (NOR 21-20) Fourth Quarter CHI – 11:47 – Paul Edinger 25 yd FG (CHI 23-21) NOR – 8:15 – 29 yd TD pass from Aaron Brooks to Donté Stallworth (Aaron Brooks run) (NOR 29-21) Game attendance: 63,216 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

Hoping to continue their unbeaten streak at home, the Bears faced off against fellow undefeated team New Orleans

2002 New Orleans Saints season

The 2002 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 36th as a member of the National Football League. They improved upon their previous season's performance of 7–9, winning nine games. Despite the winning season, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs....

 in week 3. Against a prolific offense led by quarterback Aaron Brooks, the Bears surged to a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter after turnovers and missed opportunities by the Saints. Thanks to a pair of fumble recoveries by rookie Bryan Knight

Bryan Knight

Bryan Knight is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh....

 and solid offensive play, the Bears scored on four straight first-half possessions.

Unfortunately for the Bears, the Saints regained momentum exiting the half after a pair of quick scores, facilitated by returner Leon Johnson

Leon Johnson (American football)

Walter Leon Johnson is a former professional American football running back. He played seven seasons for the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Johnson played quarterback at Morganton's Freedom High School. He was moved to tailback at the...

 losing a kickoff in the sun on the kickoff immediately following a 16 yd TD pass from Brooks. The football bounced directly off of his helmet and was subsequently recovered by the Saints, who went on to score less than a minute later. After the game, New Orleans coach Jim Haslett echoed his team's confidence, "We came in at halftime down 20-14 and the guys knew we were going to win the game."

Down 8 in the final minute, the Bears drove all the way to the Saints 18 yard line when QB Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 threw an interception to cornerback Sammy Knight

Sammy Knight

Sammy D. Knight, Jr. is a former professional American football player. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...

 with two seconds remaining to seal victory for the Saints. Chicago had won its previous 12 games decided by a touchdown or less, and Miller hoped for better play down the stretch, stating, "It shouldn't have come down to the way it did."

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-1 on the season.

Week 4: at Buffalo Bills

|Week Four: Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills — Game information

Sunday, September 29 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Sunny, 66°F Referee: Tom White Tom White (American football official) Tom White was an American football official in the United States Football League from 1983-1986 and then National Football League for seventeen seasons from the 1989 to 2005 seasons. He started in the league as a head linesman and was promoted to referee with the start of the 1990 NFL season. He... Scoring summary: First Quarter BUF - 10:48 - 2 yd TD pass from Drew Bledsoe Drew Bledsoe Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...  to Peerless Price Peerless Price Peerless Jilo Price is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (Hollis Mike Hollis Michael Shane Hollis is a former professional American football placekicker. He spent most of his nine-year professional career playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League , kicking for the team from 1995–2001 and setting several team records...  kick) (BUF 7-0) CHI – 2:13 – Mike Brown 52 yd fumble return TD (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (7-7) Second Quarter BUF – 12:49 – Mike Hollis 48 yd FG (BUF 10-7) BUF – 4:36 –4 yd TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Eric Moulds Eric Moulds Eric Shannon Moulds is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 24th overall in the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State...  (Hollis kick) (BUF 17-7) CHI – 0:28 - 5 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to David Terrell (Edinger kick) (BUF 17-14) Third Quarter BUF – 11:11 – Mike Hollis 49 yd FG (BUF 20-14) CHI – 6:50 – Paul Edinger 46 yd FG (BUF 20-17) Fourth Quarter CHI – 12:39 – Paul Edinger 24 yd FG (20-20) BUF - 8:55 - 2 yd TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Dave Moore Dave Moore (American football) David Edward Moore is a former American football player who played for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Buffalo Bills. During his career he was a Tight End, Full Back, and Long Snapper. Moore played in his only Pro Bowl in 2007 as long snapper for the NFC. He retired on June 7, 2007...  (Hollis kick) (BUF 27-20) CHI – 2:46 – 3 yd TD pass from Jim Miller to John Davis John Davis (American football) John Henry Davis is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League, mainly for the Buffalo Bills. He played in Super Bowl XXV, Super Bowl XXVII, and Super Bowl XXVIII...  (Edinger kick) (27-27) Overtime BUF - 13:02 - 26 yd TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Travis Henry Travis Henry Travis Deion Henry is a former American football running back for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  (BUF 33-27) Game attendance: 72,780 at Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...  in Orchard Park, New York Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

In Week 4, the Bears matched up against a team equally as familiar with close games as they were in the Buffalo Bills

2002 Buffalo Bills season

The 2002 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s forty-third season.The Bills acquired quarterback Drew Bledsoe from the New England Patriots on draft weekend in exchange for Buffalo's first round pick in the 2003 draft...

. Every single game the Bears had played had come down to a TD or less. The Bears had been fortunate enough to avoid overtime up to that point, but the Bills had needed overtime to decide a game two times already.

With the exception of a fumble return TD at the end of the first quarter, the Bears defense had trouble stopping the Bills offense, powered by new veteran QB Drew Bledsoe

Drew Bledsoe

Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...

. Likewise, the Bills defense kept the Bears offense from scoring until the last minute of the first half, narrowing their deficit to only three points. Neither team could gain a significant edge in the second half, and with QB Jim Miller's

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 TD pass to John Davis

John Davis (American football)

John Henry Davis is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League, mainly for the Buffalo Bills. He played in Super Bowl XXV, Super Bowl XXVII, and Super Bowl XXVIII...

 to tie the game up at the end of the 4th quarter, the game was sent into overtime.

The Bears won the coin toss and went 3 and out to start the overtime period, leaving the door open for the Bills. Bledsoe won the game with a TD to Travis Henry

Travis Henry

Travis Deion Henry is a former American football running back for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

, setting an NFL record with his fourth career overtime TD pass., leaving both teams with identical records of 2-2. The Bears, once undefeated, now had a two game losing streak to equal its winning streak earlier in the season.

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-2 on the season.

Week 5: Green Bay Packers

|Week Five: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Monday, October 7 at 9:00 PM EDT Game weather: Clear, 46°F Referee: Ed Hochuli Ed Hochuli Edward G. Hochuli is an attorney for the firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and better known as an American football official in the National Football League since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 85... Scoring summary: First Quarter GNB - 10:56 - 85 yd TD pass from Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...  to Donald Driver Donald Driver Donald Jerome Driver is an American football wide receiver and children's author. He plays for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League...  (Longwell Ryan Longwell Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...  kick) (GNB 7-0) GNB - 3:32 - 19 yd TD pass from Brett Favre to Tyrone Davis (Longwell kick) (GNB 14-0) CHI – 1:53 – 4 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (GNB 14-7) Second Quarter GNB - 13:02 - 5 yd TD pass from Brett Favre to Bubba Franks Bubba Franks Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...  (Longwell kick) (GNB 21-7) CHI – 2:50 – 1 yd TD pass from Jim Miller to John Davis John Davis (American football) John Henry Davis is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League, mainly for the Buffalo Bills. He played in Super Bowl XXV, Super Bowl XXVII, and Super Bowl XXVIII...  (Edinger kick) (GNB 21-14) GNB – 0:00 – Ryan Longwell 49 yd FG (GNB 24-14) Third Quarter GNB – 8:53 – Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila Muhammed-Kabeer Olanrewaju Gbaja-Biamila , commonly referred to as "KGB", is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  72 yd interception return TD (GNB 31-14) Fourth Quarter GNB – 13:21 – Ryan Longwell 35 yd FG (GNB 34-14) CHI – 6:50 – 1 yd TD pass from Jim Miller to John Davis (Edinger kick) (GNB 34-21) Game attendance: 63,226 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

On the national stage of Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...

 for the first time since 1997, the Bears hoped to put their season back on track with a win over the rival Green Bay Packers

2002 Green Bay Packers season

During the 2002 Green Bay Packers season, the team completed a 12-4 regular season with before losing in the Wild Card playoff round to Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field...

 at home in their last game before their bye week. Debuting an all-navy blue alternate uniform, the Bears failed to draw inspiration from the change in uniforms and stumbled out of the gate early, giving up an 85 yd TD pass from Brett Favre

Brett Favre

Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...

 to Donald Driver

Donald Driver

Donald Jerome Driver is an American football wide receiver and children's author. He plays for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League...

 and another 19 yd TD pass to Tyrone Davis in the first quarter alone. Favre needed 262 passing yards to reach 40,000 career passing yards. Though the Bears would have preferred to avoid that dubious honor, Favre reached the number by halftime, torching the secondary for 287 yards.

Favre slowed down in the second half, but the damage was done. A dislocated left ankle injury to starting Left Guard Rex Tucker

Rex Tucker (American football)

Rex T. Tucker is a former professional American football offensive guard. He was selected 66th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears for whom he played six seasons . He also played a season with the St...

 and four turnovers by the Bears offense, including a 72 yard fumble recovery TD by Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila

Muhammed-Kabeer Olanrewaju Gbaja-Biamila , commonly referred to as "KGB", is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

, kept the Bears from staying in the game, even with Jim Miller's

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 3 TD passes. Miller himself was responsible for all four turnovers.

Favre improved to 17-4 against the Bears in his career with this game, which was also his ninth straight road victory against the team. CB R.W. McQuarters was impressed by the veteran's play, stating after the game, "He gets rid of the ball so quick, it's hard to get any kind of good read on him."

With the loss, the Bears dropped to 2-3 on the season.

Week 7: at Detroit Lions

|Week Seven: Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions — Game information

Sunday, October 20 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Played in dome Dome A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory.... d stadium, 68°F Referee: Bernie Kukar Bernie Kukar Bernie Kukar is a former American football official in the National Football League for 22 seasons from the 1984 to the 2005 season. He wore uniform number 86.... Scoring summary: Second Quarter CHI – 9:13 –Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  53 yd FG (CHI 3-0) DET – 4:59 – James Stewart 6 yd TD run (Hanson Jason Hanson Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...  kick) (DET 7-3) DET– 1:11 – James Stewart 1 yd TD run (Hanson kick) (DET 14-3) CHI – 0:05 – 14 yd TD pass from Chris Chandler Chris Chandler Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...  to Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (Edinger kick) (DET 14-10) Third Quarter CHI – 10:11 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  1 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (CHI 17-14) CHI – 8:29 – Paul Edinger 42 yd FG (CHI 20-14) DET – 0:34 – Jason Hanson 30 yd FG (CHI 20-17) Fourth Quarter DET – 0:02 – Jason Hanson 24 yd FG (20-20) Overtime DET – 10:12 – Jason Hanson 48 yd FG (DET 23-20) Game attendance: 60,421 at Ford Field Ford Field Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...  in Detroit, Michigan Detroit, Michigan Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

The Bears arrived at Ford Field

Ford Field

Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...

 for their week 6 matchup against the Detroit Lions

2002 Detroit Lions season

The 2002 Detroit Lions season was the 73rd season in franchise history. It was the Lions inaugural season at Ford Field.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:***...

 with a significant change to its starting lineup. Backup QB Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 started for the Bears in place of injured starter Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

. Chris Chandler extended a post-merger NFL record by starting at QB for his seventh team.

Neither team scored in the first quarter, but the Lions led 14-3 with a minute remaining in the half on a pair of TDs by seasoned RB James Stewart. The Bears battled back, scoring 17 straight points to take the lead early in the third quarter. Both teams struggled to put up points late in the game, but rookie Lions QB Joey Harrington

Joey Harrington

John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...

 drove the Lions down the field late in both the third and fourth quarters.

With 2:21 left in the game, Detroit started a drive from their own 22 yard line. The Lions received favorable calls from the officials twice during the drive, but a penalty against the Lions helped them the most. With five seconds left in the game, Joey Harrington was sacked by Bears DB Larry Whigham

Larry Whigham

Larry Whigham is a former professional American football player who played safety for nine seasons for the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears....

, seemingly ending the game. However, the referees had called a false start on the Lions, negating the previous play. Lions kicker Jason Hanson

Jason Hanson

Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...

 then hit a 24 yd FG with two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

The Lions won the overtime coin toss and elected to receive. Chicago's kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Lions favorable field position and possession. Detroit ran the ball seven straight times to set up the game-winning 48 yd FG from the Chicago 30 by Hanson.

Though it was only week 6, the Bears had now lost more times in 2002 than in all of 2001 during the regular season. Bears linebacker Rosevelt Colvin

Rosevelt Colvin

Rosevelt Colvin, III is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft, he played college football at Purdue....

 said after the game, "These are the games we were winning last year. Now, we're losing them."

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-4 on the season.

Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings

|Week Eight: Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings — Game information

Sunday, October 27 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Played in dome Dome A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory.... d stadium, 62°F Referee: Bill Leavy Bill Leavy Bill Leavy is an American football official in the National Football League since 1995 and is a retired San Jose, California Police Officer and Firefighter, serving for 27 years. As of the 2006 NFL season, Leavy has been assigned to nine playoff games and two Super Bowls in his NFL officiating... Scoring summary: Second Quarter MIN –8:51 – Gary Anderson 44 yd FG (MIN 3-0) MIN – 1:42 – Moe Williams Moe Williams Maurece Jabari "Moe" Williams is a former American football running back in the National Football League . He formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens...  1 yd TD run (Anderson kick) (MIN 10-0) MIN –0:03 –Gary Anderson 24 yd FG (MIN 13-0) Third Quarter MIN –10:19 – 39 yd TD pass from Daunte Culpepper Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...  to Randy Moss Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...  (Anderson kick) (MIN 20-0) MIN –7:13 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  tackled in end zone by Fred Robbins Fred Robbins -Minnesota Vikings:Robbins was drafted on the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He signed a four-year $5.5 million deal with the Vikings. As a rookie in 2000, played in 8 games as a reserve and had 5 tackles and one sack. In 2001, played in 16 games with 12 starts and had... , Nick Rogers Nick Rogers (American football) Nicholas Quixote "Nick" Rogers was an American football linebacker for the National Football League and the Arena Football League...  (MIN 22-0) MIN –1:24 – Gary Anderson 24 yd FG (MIN 25-0) Fourth Quarter CHI – 14:54 - 27 yd TD pass from Chris Chandler Chris Chandler Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...  to Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (MIN 25-7) Game attendance: 64,122 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...  in Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings

2002 Minnesota Vikings season

2002 was the 42nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.On January 10, 2002, Mike Tice was named the sixth Head Coach in Vikings history. Tice was the third of the six Vikings head coaches to be promoted from within the team's...

 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...

 proved to be the lowpoint of the Bears' season. Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 started in place of Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 for the second straight week but was ineffective against the Minnesota pass defense, then ranked 31st in the league. He was intercepted once and sacked six times.

Minnesota held onto the ball for 41 minutes, more than doubling the Bears' time of possession. The Bears had lost Ted Washington

Ted Washington

Theodore Washington, Jr. is a former American football nose tackle. He was originally drafted out of Louisville by the San Francisco 49ers, 25th overall in the 1991 NFL Draft, but also played for the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland...

, R.W. McQuarters, and Warrick Holdman

Warrick Holdman

Warrick Donte Holdman is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...

 to injuries, and the depleted defensive unit gave up 148 rushing yards and 216 passing yards. Running back Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (American football)

Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

 could only gain 18 yards on the ground and was tackled in the Bears end zone for a safety midway through the third quarter.

The Bears could not score until the fourth quarter, and head coach Dick Jauron

Dick Jauron

Richard Manuel Jauron is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was the head coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2006 until November 2009. Jauron has previously held head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and, on an interim basis, with the...

 offered no excuses. During a postgame interview, he said, "That certainly wasn't pretty in any area. It's frustrating, no doubt. There's nobody who's happy right now."

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-5 on the season.

Week 9: Philadelphia Eagles

|Week Nine: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, November 3 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Light rain and sleet mixture, 38°F Referee: Terry McAulay Terry McAulay Terry McAulay is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1998 NFL season, and Coordinator of Football Officials for the Big East Conference since 2008.... Scoring summary: Second Quarter CHI – 9:28 – Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  30 yd FG (CHI 3-0) PHI– 4:42 – Donovan McNabb Donovan McNabb Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...  5 yd TD run (Akers David Akers David Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville....  kick) (PHI 7-3) CHI – 1:17 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  6 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (CHI 10-7) CHI – 0:00 – Paul Edinger 53 yd FG (CHI 13-7) Third Quarter PHI – 10:22 – David Akers 23 yd FG (CHI 13-10) PHI – 5:42 – David Akers 36 yd FG (13-13) Fourth Quarter PHI – 13:29 – David Akers 27 yd FG (PHI 16-13) PHI – 3:42 – David Akers 22 yd FG (PHI 19-13) Game attendance: 54,049 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

The Bears returned home to face the team that had eliminated them from the playoffs the previous year, the Philadelphia Eagles

2002 Philadelphia Eagles season

The 2002 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 70th in the league. The team improved upon their previous output of 11–5, going 12–4 and making the playoffs for the third consecutive year...

. Both teams had gone in opposite directions since then. The Bears, losers of five straight games, were all but relegated to battling for draft position, and the Eagles eventually earned the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Bears frustrated the Eagles defense in the first half. Though neither team scored in the first quarter, Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 kicked a field goal midway through the second quarter to give the Bears the lead. Eagles QB Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb

Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...

 replied with a 5 yd TD run with 4:42 remaining in the half, but returning QB Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 led scoring drives twice more before halftime, capped off with a 6 yd Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (American football)

Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

 run and a 53 yd Edinger FG, respectively.

Penalties haunted the Bears in the second half. During the game, officials called 12 penalties on Chicago for 121 yards, 9 on defense. The offense could only muster 53 yards after halftime, 32 of which came on the final drive, where Miller overthrew Marcus Robinson on a 4th down end zone pass. David Akers

David Akers

David Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville....

 kicked four field goals for the Eagles in the second half, overcoming the Eagles' first half deficit and earning the win.

R.W. McQuarters was especially critical of the officiating. Following the game, he said to reporters, "There were questionable calls all day long. It's pathetic."

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-6 on the season.

Week 10: New England Patriots

|Week Ten: New England Patriots vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, November 10 at 4:15 PM EDT Game weather: Overcast, 60°F Referee: Bob McElwee Bob McElwee Robert T. "Bob" McElwee is a former American football official, who served for 41 years, with 27 of those years in the National Football League from 1976 to 2003... Scoring summary: Second Quarter CHI – 14:51 – Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  39 yd FG (CHI 3-0) NWE– 10:15 – Adam Vinatieri Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...  57 yd FG (3-3) CHI – 5:31 – Paul Edinger 40 yd FG (CHI 6-3) NWE– 0:04 – Adam Vinatieri 31 yd FG (6-6) Third Quarter CHI – 12:21 - 11 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to Stanley Pritchett Stanley Pritchett Stanley Jerome Pritchett is a former professional American football player. A 6'1", 245-lb. fullback from the University of South Carolina, Pritchett was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 4th round of the 1996 NFL Draft...  (Edinger kick) (CHI 13-6) CHI – 10:09 - 44 yd TD pass from Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  to Marcus Robinson (Edinger kick) (CHI 20-6) CHI – 6:42 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  2 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (CHI 27-6) NWE – 3:53 - 15 yd TD pass from Tom Brady Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...  to Kevin Faulk Kevin Faulk Kevin Troy Faulk is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.As of 2010, Faulk is the longest-tenured current member of the Patriots,...  (Vinatieri kick) (CHI 27-13) NWE– 1:50 – Adam Vinatieri 42 yd FG (CHI 27-16) Fourth Quarter NWE– 11:02 – Adam Vinatieri 25 yd FG (CHI 27-19) CHI – 5:22 – Paul Edinger 32 yd FG (CHI 30-19) NWE – 2:46 - 36 yd TD pass from Tom Brady to Kevin Faulk (run failed) (CHI 30-25) NWE – 0:21 - 20 yd TD pass from Tom Brady to David Patten David Patten David Patten is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Albany Firebirds as a street free agent in 1996. He played college football at Western Carolina....  (Tom Brady-Troy Brown Troy Brown Troy Fitzgerald Brown is a former NFL wide receiver, cornerback and punt returner in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall...  pass) (NWE 33-30) Game attendance: 63,105 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

During week 10, the Bears hosted the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots

2002 New England Patriots season

The 2002 New England Patriots season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League and 43rd season overall. They finished with a 9–7 record, good enough for second in the division but not a playoff berth....

. New England came into the game with a 4-4 record but still had postseason hopes. The Bears were hoping to end a six game losing streak in front of their home crowd.

Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 started the game for the Bears, but after trading field goals twice with New England, he suffered a sprained neck and did not return after the half. The Bears and Patriots entered halftime tied 6-6.

The third quarter saw a flurry of scoring from the Bears. Injured but playing QB Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 started the run with an 11 yd TD pass to Stanley Pritchett

Stanley Pritchett

Stanley Jerome Pritchett is a former professional American football player. A 6'1", 245-lb. fullback from the University of South Carolina, Pritchett was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 4th round of the 1996 NFL Draft...

. Two minutes later, Marty Booker

Marty Booker

Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...

 threw a 44 yd TD pass to Marcus Robinson on a trick play. It was the Bears' longest TD pass of the season to that point. Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (American football)

Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

 converted for 2 points on a run, giving the Bears a comfortable 27-6 lead.

New England had a scoring run of their own to close the game. Following a TD pass from QB Tom Brady

Tom Brady

Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...

 to running back

Running back

A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...

 Kevin Faulk

Kevin Faulk

Kevin Troy Faulk is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.As of 2010, Faulk is the longest-tenured current member of the Patriots,...

, Adam Vinatieri

Adam Vinatieri

Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...

 kicked two FGs for the Patriots, narrowing the deficit to 27-19. Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 responded with a 32 yd FG of his own to extend the Bears' lead.

Brady hit Faulk with another TD pass for 36 yd with 2:46, but the Bears could not close the game out, giving New England one more drive to score. On that drive, two challenges ended favorably for New England, wiping out a Bryan Robinson

Bryan Robinson

Bryan Keith Robinson nicknamed "Big Dog" is a former American football defensive lineman. He was originally signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He began his college football career at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA...

 game ending interception and upholding a last minute game-winning TD pass from Brady to receiver David Patten

David Patten

David Patten is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Albany Firebirds as a street free agent in 1996. He played college football at Western Carolina....

.

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-7 on the season.

Week 11: at St. Louis Rams

|Week Eleven: Chicago Bears vs. St. Louis Rams — Game information

Monday, November 18 at 9:00 PM EDT Game weather: played in dome Dome A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory.... d arena Referee: Gerry Austin Gerald Austin Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Austin is a retired American football official, who worked in the National Football League from the 1982 season through the 2007 season. He wore uniform number 34, which is now worn by Clete Blakeman. Austin has officiated in three Super Bowls, one as a side judge and two as a... Scoring summary: First Quarter STL – 10:05 – Ernie Conwell Ernie Conwell Ernest Harold Conwell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....  1 yd TD run (Wilkins Jeff Wilkins For the American basketball player, see Jeff Wilkins .Jeffrey Allen Wilkins nicknamed "Money" is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and St Louis Rams. He played college football at Youngstown State University...  kick) (STL 7-0) Second Quarter CHI – 14:10 – Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  37 yd FG (STL 7-3) CHI – 6:15 – Paul Edinger 48 yd FG (STL 7-6) STL – 0:42 – 22 yd TD pass from Marc Bulger Marc Bulger Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....  to Lamar Gordon Lamar Gordon -Miami Dolphins:In 2004 Gordon was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a third round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.-References:...  (Wilkins kick) (STL 14-6) Third Quarter CHI – 9:23 – Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...  13 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (STL 14-13) Fourth Quarter STL – 9:01 – 8 yd TD pass from Marc Bulger to Ricky Proehl Ricky Proehl Richard Scott Proehl is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 17 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts...  (Wilkins kick) (STL 21-13) CHI – 3:48 – Paul Edinger 50 yd FG (STL 21-16) Game attendance: 66,250 at Edward Jones Dome Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...  in St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

After hosting the Super Bowl champions in Week 10, the Bears faced the runner-up St. Louis Rams

2002 St. Louis Rams season

The 2002 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 65th year with the National Football League and the eighth season in St. Louis.-Schedule:This season marked the decline of Kurt Warner and The Greatest Show On Turf-Standings:...

 on the road. Both teams had suffered losing streaks during the season, but while the Bears were still in the midst of theirs, the Rams had bounced back and won four consecutive games, mostly due to the play of breakout backup QB Marc Bulger

Marc Bulger

Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....

, who was taking over for injured defending NFL MVP Kurt Warner

Kurt Warner

Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...

.

St. Louis scored first on a 1 yd TD run by Ernie Conwell

Ernie Conwell

Ernest Harold Conwell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....

 early in the first quarter. Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 kicked field goals of 37 and 48 yards in the second quarter. Kurt Warner returned for the Rams temporarily in the second quarter after Bulger was removed from the game with a finger injury. Once X-Rays came back negative, Bulger returned to the game, throwing a 22 yard TD pass to Lamar Gordon

Lamar Gordon

-Miami Dolphins:In 2004 Gordon was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a third round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.-References:...

, who was playing in place of the injured Marshall Faulk

Marshall Faulk

Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...

. St. Louis took a 14-6 lead to the half.

In the second half, the Bears kept the game close with a TD run by Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (American football)

Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

 and a Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 FG, but the Rams' passing game was too much for the Bears' decimated defense to handle, even with the little thread their running game posed. The Rams' defense sacked Bears QB Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 seven times, and, though they never turned the ball over, they were outgained 327-117 in total yardage.

"We just have to make plays," Chicago wide receiver Marcus Robinson said. "Bottom line, we didn't do that tonight and that's why we lost."

With the loss, Chicago dropped to 2-8 on the season and tied a franchise-worst 8 game losing streak.

Week 12: Detroit Lions

|Week Twelve: Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, November 24 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Partly cloudy, 45°F Referee: Tony Corrente Scoring summary: Second Quarter CHI – 13:42 – 3 yd TD pass from Chris Chandler Chris Chandler Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...  to Marcus Robinson (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (CHI 7-0) DET – 5:46 – Jason Hanson Jason Hanson Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...  22 yd FG (CHI 7-3) Third Quarter DET – 5:09 – 1 yd TD pass from Joey Harrington Joey Harrington John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...  to Germane Crowell Germane Crowell Germane L. Crowell is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Detroit Lions from 1998-2002. He is the older brother of Buffalo Bills linebacker Angelo Crowell....  (Hanson kick) (DET 10-7) DET – 2:38 – James Stewart 23 yd TD run (Hanson kick) (DET 17-7) Fourth Quarter CHI – 2:33 – 22 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to Dez White Dez White Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow...  (Edinger kick) (DET 17-14) CHI – 0:00 – Paul Edinger 22 yd FG (17-17) Overtime CHI – 8:58 – Paul Edinger 40 yd FG (CHI 20-17) Game attendance: 62,375 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

Before their Week 12 game against the Detroit Lions

2002 Detroit Lions season

The 2002 Detroit Lions season was the 73rd season in franchise history. It was the Lions inaugural season at Ford Field.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:***...

 at home, Week 11 marked a milestone of futility for the Bears. After losing eight straight games, the Bears had now tied their all-time worst losing streak. In their first game against the Lions during Week 7, the Lions came back under QB Joey Harrington

Joey Harrington

John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...

 to force overtime and win the game.

Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 started the game in place of injured QB Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 again, throwing a 3 yard TD pass to Marcus Robinson in the second quarter. Detroit entered halftime trailing, but they took the lead after the half once again, scoring 17 unanswered points with a 22 yard FG from Jason Hanson

Jason Hanson

Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...

, a 1 yard TD pass from Joey Harrington to Germane Crowell

Germane Crowell

Germane L. Crowell is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Detroit Lions from 1998-2002. He is the older brother of Buffalo Bills linebacker Angelo Crowell....

, and a 23 yard TD run from James Stewart.

The Lions did not score again. Chicago came back to force overtime with Jim Miller coming off the bench in the second half with a 22 yard TD strike to Dez White

Dez White

Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow...

 and a 22 yard FG by Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 with no time left in regulation.

The Lions won the coin toss in overtime, but they elected to kick the ball to the Bears because of the 17 mph winds on the field, hoping they would have the opportunity to use the advantage they gained by picking their end zone. Unfortunately for the Lions, the Bears drove down the field. In a controversial call, the Lions accepted a holding penalty on 3rd and 5, giving the Bears an extra down on 3rd and 15. Miller converted the first down on a pass to Dez White, setting up a 40 yard field goal by Edinger which gave the Bears the win.

Detroit Coach Marty Mornhinweg

Marty Mornhinweg

Marty Mornhinweg is the offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, having joined the Eagles in 2003 as the assistant head coach. He was named offensive coordinator on January 6, 2006, after the Eagles previous offensive coordinator Brad Childress was hired as the head coach of the...

 defended his decision after the game, saying to reporters, "Knowing the outcome of this game, I wouldn't do it again, but in a similar situation, I would." Paul Edinger vocalized his belief that Detroit had made a mistake, saying, "You always want to take the ball. It's sudden death."

With the win, Chicago improved to 3-8 on the season and snapped their losing streak.

Week 13: at Green Bay Packers

|Week Thirteen: Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers — Game information

Sunday, December 1 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Cloudy, 23°F Referee: Ron Winter Ron Winter Ronald J. "Ron" Winter is an American football official in the National Football League . Winter previously served as a football official for the National Collegiate Athletic Association .... Scoring summary: First Quarter CHI – 9:16 - 12 yd TD pass from Brad Maynard Brad Maynard Bradley "Brad" Alan Maynard is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...  to Dustin Lyman Dustin Lyman Dustin Sheehan Lyman is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest University by the Chicago Bears with whom he played for 5 seasons.-External links:*...  (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (CHI 7-0) GNB – 2:31 – Ryan Longwell Ryan Longwell Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...  21 yd FG (CHI 7-3) Second Quarter CHI – 5:20 - 8 yd TD pass from Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...  to Dustin Lyman (Edinger kick) (CHI 14-3) GNB – 1:03 – Ryan Longwell 31 yd FG (CHI 14-6) Third Quarter GNB – 11:43 - 6 yd TD pass from Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...  to Bubba Franks Bubba Franks Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...  (Longwell kick) (CHI 14-13) GNB – 1:05 – Ryan Longwell 27 yd FG (GNB 16-14) Fourth Quarter GNB – 8:09 - 1 yd TD pass from Brett Favre to William Henderson (Longwell kick) (GNB 23-14) GNB– 1:10 – Tony Fisher 2 yd TD run (Longwell kick) (GNB 30-14) CHI – 0:10 - 45 yd TD pass from Henry Burris Henry Burris Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...  to Marcus Robinson (pass failed) (GNB 30-20) Game attendance: 64,196 at 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...  in Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

Coming off their first win in 8 weeks, the Bears traveled to 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...

 to take on their hated rival, the Green Bay Packers

2002 Green Bay Packers season

During the 2002 Green Bay Packers season, the team completed a 12-4 regular season with before losing in the Wild Card playoff round to Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field...

 for the second time that year. After starting 9-1, the Packers had lost two straight, and needed a win to clinch the division, allowing the Bears to potentially play the role of spoiler.

The Bears scored early in the first quarter off of a fake FG pitch from holder/punter Brad Maynard

Brad Maynard

Bradley "Brad" Alan Maynard is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...

 to Dustin Lyman

Dustin Lyman

Dustin Sheehan Lyman is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest University by the Chicago Bears with whom he played for 5 seasons.-External links:*...

. Green Bay could only respond with two FGs before the half. Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 threw another TD pass to Dustin Lyman for 8 yards. Chicago entered the second half with a 14-6 lead.

Chicago missed a big opportunity on the last play of the half. Packers QB Brett Favre

Brett Favre

Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...

 threw a hail mary pass

Hail Mary pass

A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....

 at the end of the half that was intercepted by Bears CB Damon Moore

Damon Moore

Damon Moore is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State....

. Moore fumbled the ball to Packers lineman Mike Wahle

Mike Wahle

Michael James Wahle is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1998 NFL Supplemental Draft...

, who subsequently fumbled it again to the Bears' Roosevelt Williams. Packers rookie receiver Javon Walker

Javon Walker

Javon Lataff Walker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 20th overall of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....

 chased Williams down and tackled him short of the end zone to end the half. Bears CB R.W. McQuarters had a chance to make the block but attempted to position himself for a lateral instead, allowing Walker to make the tackle.

On Green Bay's first drive of the third quarter, Favre threw a 6 yard TD pass to tight end Bubba Franks

Bubba Franks

Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...

 to narrow the Chicago lead to 14-13. They took the lead later that quarter on a Ryan Longwell

Ryan Longwell

Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...

 27 yard FG. In the fourth quarter, Green Bay extended its lead with another Favre TD pass, this time to William Henderson, and a 2 yard Tony Fisher TD run.

Chicago's offense sputtered for most of the game after the first two TD passes. Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (American football)

Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

 left the game with a broken right index finger and did not return for the rest of the season. Third string QB Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

 threw a 45 yard TD pass to Marcus Robinson with 10 seconds left in the game, but it had little impact on the final outcome.

With the loss, the Bears fell to 3-9 on the season.

Week 14: at Miami Dolphins

|Week Fourteen: Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins — Game information

Monday, December 9 at 9:00 PM EDT Game weather: Mostly Cloudy, 72°F Referee: Ron Blum Ron Blum Ron Blum was an American football official in the National Football League from the 1985 NFL season through the 2007 NFL season. He joined the league as a line judge, officiating Super Bowl XXIV in 1990 and Super Bowl XXVI in 1992 and later became a referee for the start of the 1993 NFL season,... Scoring summary: First Quarter MIA – 7:30 – 5 yd TD pass from Jay Fiedler Jay Fiedler Jay Brian Fiedler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life and high school years:Fiedler was born to a Jewish family on Long Island in Oceanside, New York...  to Jed Weaver Jed Weaver Jed Weaver grew up in Redmond, Oregon becoming an all league and all state player in football, basketball and baseball. He is an American football Tight End, who played in the National Football League, and currently is retired.-High School:At Redmond High School in Redmond, Oregon, Weaver was a...  (Mare Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare is an American football placekicker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996...  kick) (MIA 7-0) Second Quarter MIA – 4:12 – Ricky Williams Ricky Williams Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...  15 yd TD run (MIA 14-0) CHI– 10:15 – Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  52 yd FG (MIA 14-3) Third Quarter MIA – 9:16 – Ricky Williams 63 yd TD run (MIA 21-3) Fourth Quarter MIA – 7:26 – Olindo Mare 23 yd FG (MIA 24-3) MIA – 5:41 – Olindo Mare 29 yd FG (MIA 27-3) CHI – 0:44 – 6 yd TD pass from Henry Burris Henry Burris Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...  to Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...  (pass failed) (MIA 27-9) Game attendance: 73,609 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida Miami, Florida Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

Coming off their loss to Green Bay, the Bears traveled to Miami to take on the Miami Dolphins

2002 Miami Dolphins season

The 2002 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 37th as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 11–5, instead winning only nine games. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...

, led by running back

Running back

A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...

 Ricky Williams

Ricky Williams

Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...

, who rushed for 228 yards the week before against the Bills. Chicago's depth chart at QB was almost depleted, with both Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 and Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 nursing injuries. The Bears were featured on Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...

 for the second time in 2002, hoping to improve on their last performance on MNF against the Packers.

Nothing in the first half went well for the Bears. Jim Miller's sore arm prevented him from making any long passes, and he finished the game 3-12 with 9 yards and an interception. Miami shut them down on both sides of the ball, outgaining the Bears 293-37. Ricky Williams rushed for 119 yards in the first half alone for his eight 100 yard game of the season. Miami QB Jay Fiedler

Jay Fiedler

Jay Brian Fiedler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life and high school years:Fiedler was born to a Jewish family on Long Island in Oceanside, New York...

 passed to Jed Weaver for the first TD of the game, and Ricky Williams ran 15 yards for another TD to put the Dolphins up 14-3 at the half.

Ricky Williams continued his rushing assault in the second half, breaking out a 63 yard TD run to put the Dolphins up 21-3 in the third quarter. Olindo Mare tacked on two FGs in the fourth quarter to put the Dolphins up 27-3. Ricky Williams finished the game with 216 yards to become one of four running backs with consecutive 200 yard rushing games.

The Bears sent Chandler out at QB in the second half with little success. Miami intercepted the QB twice, and Chicago failed to get into the end zone until third-string QB Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

 passed to Marty Booker

Marty Booker

Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...

 for a 6 yard TD pass in the fourth quarter.

With the loss, the Bears fell to 3-10 on the season.

Week 15: New York Jets

|Week Fifteen: New York Jets vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, December 15 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Partly Cloudy, 43°F Referee: Mike Carey Scoring summary: Second Quarter CHI – 8:11 – Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  53 yd FG (CHI 3-0) CHI – 1:36 – Adrian Peterson 5 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (CHI 10-0) Third Quarter NYJ – 10:55 – 5 yd TD pass from Chad Pennington Chad Pennington James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...  to Wayne Chrebet Wayne Chrebet Wayne Chrebet is a former football player who played 11 seasons as a wide receiver for the New York Jets of the NFL from 1995 to 2005.- High school and college career :...  (Hall John Hall (American football) John Hall is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He kicked for Port Charlotte High School and played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. While at Wisconsin, Hall played and won three bowl games...  kick) (CHI 10-7) CHI – 7:19 – Leon Johnson Leon Johnson (American football) Walter Leon Johnson is a former professional American football running back. He played seven seasons for the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Johnson played quarterback at Morganton's Freedom High School. He was moved to tailback at the...  2 yd TD run (Edinger kick) (CHI 17-7) NYJ – 0:13 – John Hall 42 yd FG (CHI 17-10) Fourth Quarter NYJ – 7:22 – John Hall 28 yd FG (CHI 17-13) CHI – 2:38 – Paul Edinger 48 yd FG (CHI 20-13) Game attendance: 62,226 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

Heading into Week 15's game against the New York Jets

2002 New York Jets season

The 2002 New York Jets season was the 43rd season for the team, and the 33rd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2001...

, the Bears decided to shut Jim Miller

Jim Miller (quarterback)

James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...

 down for the year with his knee injury, leaving Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 and Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

 as the only QBs on the Bears' depth chart. New York, led by top-rated QB Chad Pennington

Chad Pennington

James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...

, was still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt and needed to win as many games as possible to maximize their chances. The Bears, long eliminated from contention, could only hope to spoil the Jets' chances.

The Bears shut out the Jets in the first half and scored on an FG from Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 and a run from sixth-round pick Adrian Peterson in the second quarter. Both sides had trouble moving the ball down the field, but neither side turned the ball over at all.

At the beginning of the second half, the Jets' Chad Morton

Chad Morton

Chad Akio Morton is a former American football running back and kick/punt returner in the National Football League...

 returned the kickoff 97 yards for a TD, but a holding penalty erased it. Regardless, Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin

Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...

 broke off a 35 yard run to set up New York's only TD of the game, a 5 yard pass to Wayne Chrebet

Wayne Chrebet

Wayne Chrebet is a former football player who played 11 seasons as a wide receiver for the New York Jets of the NFL from 1995 to 2005.- High school and college career :...

. Chicago was left without its two starting CBs after Jerry Azumah

Jerry Azumah

Jerry Azumah is a former professional American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears.Azumah was selected as the 147th pick of the 1999 NFL Draft out of the University of New Hampshire where he won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in Division I-AA football. He attended Saint...

 left the game after suffering a head injury on a pass, and R.W. McQuarters was inactive because of a hip injury.

Chandler was efficient for the Bears, completing 22 of his 27 passes. Leon Johnson

Leon Johnson (American football)

Walter Leon Johnson is a former professional American football running back. He played seven seasons for the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Johnson played quarterback at Morganton's Freedom High School. He was moved to tailback at the...

 scored the Bears' second TD of the game from 2 yards out midway through the third quarter. The Jets scored two field goals to narrow their deficit to 17-13. Chicago also added a 48 yard field goal from Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger

Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

 in the fourth quarter, leaving one final chance for the Jets to score. Pennington drove the Jets from the Jets 24 all the way to the Bears 14, but with 1:10 to play, Wayne Chrebet fumbled a 22 yard pass, which was recovered by Roosevelt Williams, sealing the Bears victory.

With the win, the Bears improved to 4-10 on the season.

Week 16: at Carolina Panthers

|Week Sixteen: Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers — Game information

Sunday, December 22 at 1:00 PM EDT Game weather: Sunny, 56°F Referee: Terry McAulay Terry McAulay Terry McAulay is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1998 NFL season, and Coordinator of Football Officials for the Big East Conference since 2008.... Scoring summary: First Quarter CHI – 14:13 – 76 yd TD pass from Chris Chandler Chris Chandler Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...  to Dez White Dez White Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow...  (Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  kick) (CHI 7-0) Second Quarter CAR – 12:12 – Dee Brown Dee Brown (American football) Dadrian LaBreece "Dee" Brown is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Syracuse....  2 yd TD run (Graham Shayne Graham Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...  kick) (7-7) CAR – 8:38 – Dee Brown 1 yd TD run (Graham kick) (CAR 14-7) CAR – 3:52 – 3 yd TD pass from Rodney Peete Rodney Peete Rodney Peete is a former American football quarterback from the University of Southern California who played in the National Football League for 16 years. He retired in 2004 and is now in broadcasting.-Early life:...  to Muhsin Muhammad Muhsin Muhammad Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...  (Graham kick) (CAR 21-7) Fourth Quarter CHI – 11:48 – 5 yd TD pass from Henry Burris Henry Burris Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...  to Dez White Dez White Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow...  (Edinger kick) (CAR 21-14) CAR – 5:16 – Shayne Graham 25 yd FG (CAR 24-14) Game attendance: 72,602 at Ericsson Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...  in Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

After their win in Week 15, the Bears traveled to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers

2002 Carolina Panthers season

-Schedule:-References:...

, who were also mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Though the Bears had snapped their overall losing streak, they had still lost 6 straight on the road and hoped to snap that streak as well. The Panthers, quarterbacked by Rodney Peete

Rodney Peete

Rodney Peete is a former American football quarterback from the University of Southern California who played in the National Football League for 16 years. He retired in 2004 and is now in broadcasting.-Early life:...

, were trying to give their fans a victory in the home finale.

The game started very well for Chicago. QB Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler

Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...

 threw a season-high 76 yard pass to Dez White

Dez White

Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow...

 for a TD. He finished 7-8 on the day with 1 TD and 1 fumble. Unfortunately, he was knocked out of the game and the season with a concussion by Carolina's Brentson Buckner

Brentson Buckner

Brentson André Buckner is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League.-College career:...

.

Carolina scored all three of their touchdowns in the second quarter as well. Dee Brown

Dee Brown (American football)

Dadrian LaBreece "Dee" Brown is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Syracuse....

 ran for TDs of 2 and 1 yards, respectively. Following a fumble by Chicago QB Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

, Rodney Peete passed to Muhsin Muhammad

Muhsin Muhammad

Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...

 for a 3 yard TD pass.

Neither team moved the ball well in the second half, only able to muster an FG apiece. Chicago finished the day with four turnovers and only 106 yards of offense after the 76 yard TD pass by Chandler 47 seconds into the game. Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop

John Shoop

John Shoop is an American football coach who has coached in the National Football League and at the collegiate level...

 felt that they lost their momentum when Chandler went down, saying, "I think when Chris got injured, we started reeling a little bit and we just couldn't recover as a team."

With the loss, the Bears fell to 4-11 on the season.

Week 17: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

|Week Seventeen: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Chicago Bears — Game information

Sunday, December 29 at 8:30 PM EDT Game weather: Partly Cloudy, 38°F Referee: Bernie Kukar Bernie Kukar Bernie Kukar is a former American football official in the National Football League for 22 seasons from the 1984 to the 2005 season. He wore uniform number 86.... Scoring summary: Second Quarter TAM – 3:22 – Martin Gramatica Martin Gramatica Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...  30 yd FG (TAM 3-0) TAM – 0:02 – Martin Gramatica 32 yd FG (TAM 6-0) Fourth Quarter TAM – 13:12 – Martin Gramatica 33 yd FG (TAM 9-0) TAM – 7:01 – Martin Gramatica 26 yd FG (TAM 12-0) TAM – 3:09 – Martin Gramatica 33 yd FG (TAM 15-0) Game attendance: 55,832 at Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Champaign) thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...  in Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of... Game coverage: NFL Game Summary

The Bears returned to Memorial Stadium

Memorial Stadium (Champaign)

thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...

 one last time to host the eventual Super Bowl XXXVII

Super Bowl XXXVII

Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...

 champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was their most successful season in franchise history. The season began with the team trying to improve on a 9-7 season and did so with a franchise best 12-4 record. It was Jon Gruden's first season as the Buccaneers head coach...

 on Sunday Night Football

Sunday Night Football

Sunday Night Football is a weekly American football game held throughout most of the season by the National Football League. Sunday night games have been played regularly since 1987 and have thus far aired on three different television outlets:...

. The Buccaneers were notoriously poor in the cold weather, having lost 21 straight games when the temperature dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. With the gametime temperature at 38°F and Bucs QB Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson (American football)

James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...

 out with a back contusion, many fans thought the Bears, even with their 4-11 record, had a good chance of winning the game. With Green Bay's loss that night, Tampa Bay needed to win to secure a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Buccaneers offense was not prolific. Bucs backup QB Rob Johnson was sacked five times during the game by the Bears defense, but he did not turn the ball over and managed the game well enough for kicker Martin Gramatica

Martin Gramatica

Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...

 to kick five field goals, none more than 33 yards. The Bucs established their ground game against the Bears, rushing for 161 yards with their halfback-fullback tandem, Michael Pittman

Michael Pittman

Michael Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State....

 and Mike Alstott

Mike Alstott

Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...

.

The Bears fared worse. Former third string rookie QB Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

 found himself at a loss against the league's #1 defense. The Bucs intercepted him four times over the course of the game, and the Bears were shut out in their final game at Memorial Stadium.

With the loss, the Bears finished the season with a record of 4-12.

Roster

Chicago Bears 2002 final roster
Quarterbacks 10 Henry Burris Henry Burris Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears... 12 Chris Chandler Chris Chandler Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was... 15 Jim Miller Jim Miller (quarterback) James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989... 17 Cory Sauter Cory Sauter Cory Justin Sauter is an American football coach and former NFL quarterback. He is currently the head coach for the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs college football team.-Playing career:... Running Backs 27 Rabih Abdullah Rabih Abdullah The' Rabih Fard Abdullah is a former American football running back.-High school years:Abdullah grew up in Roselle, New Jersey, where he attended Abraham Clark High School and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track... 32 Leon Johnson Leon Johnson (American football) Walter Leon Johnson is a former professional American football running back. He played seven seasons for the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Johnson played quarterback at Morganton's Freedom High School. He was moved to tailback at the...  PR 29 Adrian Peterson 36 Stanley Pritchett Stanley Pritchett Stanley Jerome Pritchett is a former professional American football player. A 6'1", 245-lb. fullback from the University of South Carolina, Pritchett was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 4th round of the 1996 NFL Draft...  FB 31 Daimon Shelton Daimon Shelton Daimon Shelton is a professional American football player who currently plays for the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League. A 6'0", 262 lbs. fullback from Sacramento State, Shelton was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL Draft....  FB 35 Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft... Wide Receivers 86 Marty Booker Marty Booker Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft... 87 Jamin Elliott Jamin Elliott A native of Portsmouth, Va., Elliott enjoyed an outstanding four-year football career as a big-play receiver and capped the season by being selected in the sixth round of the National Football League draft in April by the Chicago Bears... 81 Ahmad Merritt Ahmad Merritt Ahmad Rashad Merritt is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2000...  KR 88 Marcus Robinson 87 Vinny Sutherland Vinny Sutherland Vincent Joseph Sutherland is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for two seasons in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. He was a standout receiver and kick returner for Purdue University from 1997-2000... 83 David Terrell 80 Dez White Dez White Edward Dezmon White is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. White was originally selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, then had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons. White played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow... Tight Ends 84 Fred Baxter Fred Baxter Frederick Denard Baxter is a former professional American football tight end who played 11 years in the National Football League for the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots... 82 John Davis John Davis (American football) John Henry Davis is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League, mainly for the Buffalo Bills. He played in Super Bowl XXV, Super Bowl XXVII, and Super Bowl XXVIII... 85 John Gilmore 89 Dustin Lyman Dustin Lyman Dustin Sheehan Lyman is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest University by the Chicago Bears with whom he played for 5 seasons.-External links:*...		Offensive Linemen 75 Marc Colombo Marc Colombo Marc Edward Colombo is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was originally selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He played college football for Boston College... T 73 Kevin Dogins Kevin Dogins Kevin Ray Dogins is a former professional American football offensive lineman for five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears....  G 79 Steve Edwards T 67 Mike Gandy Mike Gandy Michael Joseph Gandy is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft and later played for the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals... T 57 Olin Kreutz Olin Kreutz Olin George Kreutz is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washington.Kreutz has also played for the New Orleans Saints....  C 65 Patrick Mannelly Patrick Mannelly Patrick Mannelly is an American football long snapper for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was originally selected with the 36th pick of the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Duke University.-High school years:...  T 60 Terrence Metcalf Terrence Metcalf Terrence Orlando Metcalf is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft... T 74 Bernard Robertson T 64 Rex Tucker Rex Tucker (American football) Rex T. Tucker is a former professional American football offensive guard. He was selected 66th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears for whom he played six seasons . He also played a season with the St...  T 58 Chris Villarrial Chris Villarrial Chris Villarrial is a former American football guard who played with the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. He played college football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania....  G 71 James O. Williams James O. Williams James Otis "Big Cat" Williams is a former American football player. He played for the Chicago Bears throughout his 12-year NFL career. He was known as one of the top kick blockers in the league due to his height. Williams stood at 6 feet 7 inches.Massive 6'7", 330-pound James Williams was...  T Defensive Linemen 70 Alfonso Boone Alfonso Boone Alfonso D. Boone is an American football defensive end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mt...  DT 96 Alex Brown DE 93 Phillip Daniels Phillip Daniels Phillip Bernard Daniels is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft...  DE 72 Ernest Grant Ernest Grant Ernest Jouoa Grant is a former American football defensive tackle of the National Football League and Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.Grant was also a member of the Chicago...  DT 90 Bryan Knight Bryan Knight Bryan Knight is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.... DE 95 Keith McKenzie Keith McKenzie (American football) Keith Derrick McKenzie is a former American football linebacker and defensive end who played for four teams in a 8-year National Football League career.Keith is the nephew of Buffalo Bills legend Reggie McKenzie....  DT 97 Christian Peter Christian Peter Christian Peter is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. Peter's younger brother, Jason, also played in the NFL....  DT 98 Bryan Robinson DE 76 Bobby Setzer DE 95 John Stamper DE 99 Joe Tafoya Joe Tafoya Joseph Peter Tafoya is a former American football player in the NFL. He played seven seasons as a defensive end/linebacker before injuring his foot in training camp of 2008, upon which he retired. He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2001 NFL Draft by Tony Dungy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...  DT 94 Keith Traylor Keith Traylor Byron Keith Traylor is an American football nose tackle who is currently retired. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft...  DT 92 Ted Washington Ted Washington Theodore Washington, Jr. is a former American football nose tackle. He was originally drafted out of Louisville by the San Francisco 49ers, 25th overall in the 1991 NFL Draft, but also played for the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland...  DT		Linebackers 55 Mike Caldwell 49 Marq Cerqua 59 Rosevelt Colvin Rosevelt Colvin Rosevelt Colvin, III is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft, he played college football at Purdue.... 53 Warrick Holdman Warrick Holdman Warrick Donte Holdman is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... 52 Bobbie Howard Bobbie Howard Bobbie Allen Howard, Jr. is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for three seasons for the Chicago Bears.... 63 Jody Littleton Jody Littleton Jody Littleton is a former American football long snapper of the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Cleveland Browns during his NFL career. He played college football at Baylor.-NFL career:Littleton was primarily used to long snap in the NFL... 54 Brian Urlacher Brian Urlacher Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the... Defensive Backs 24 Reggie Austin Reggie Austin Reginald Antonio Austin is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for two seasons for the Chicago Bears. He was a 4th round selection in the 2000 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest University.... 23 Jerry Azumah Jerry Azumah Jerry Azumah is a former professional American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears.Azumah was selected as the 147th pick of the 1999 NFL Draft out of the University of New Hampshire where he won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in Division I-AA football. He attended Saint... 30 Mike Brown FS 26 Travis Coleman 25 Bobby Gray Bobby Gray (American football) Bobby Wayne Gray is a former safety in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears from 2002 to 2004. He played college football at Louisiana Tech.... 43 Mike Green Mike Green (defensive back) Michael Wayne Green is an American football safety and cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  SS 38 Eric Joyce Eric Torezi Joyce Eric Torezi Joyce is a former American footballdefensive back in the National Football League, NFL Europe and Arena Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears of the NFL, the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFLE, and the Nashville Kats of the AFL. Joyce played college football at Tennessee... 26 Todd McMillon Todd McMillon Todd Merlin McMillon is a former American football cornerback, formerly of the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was signed originally as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Arizona University... 21 R.W. McQuarters 37 Damon Moore Damon Moore Damon Moore is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.... 33 Larry Whigham Larry Whigham Larry Whigham is a former professional American football player who played safety for nine seasons for the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears.... 20 Roosevelt Williams Special Teams  2 Paul Edinger Paul Edinger Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...  K  4 Brad Maynard Brad Maynard Bradley "Brad" Alan Maynard is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft... P Rookies in italics

External links

• Chicago Bears Official Website