On This Date in Sports December 31, 1988: The Fog Bowl
The Chicago Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles 20-12 in the Divisional Playoff Round as a dense fog rolls into Soldier Field. Most of the scoring came in the first half during the fog bowl, as visibility was nearly zero on the field, bogging down offenses on both sides. Like it did the game, the fog overwhelmed the lead story of Buddy Ryan returning to face Mike Ditka.
The 1985 Chicago Bears were one of the greatest defensive teams in the history of the NFL, symbolized by their swagger and toughness. The team had an uneasy alliance between head coach Mike Ditka and Defensive Coordinator Buddy Ryan, who often expressed open hostility toward each other. After winning Super Bowl XX, their players gave both coaches a ride off the field. However, it would be the last time the two worked together as Ryan left Chicago to become head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
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As Buddy Ryan was helping to turn around the Philadelphia Eagles and make them one of the top defensive teams in the NFL, the Chicago Bears were having trouble living up to their 1985 standards. They finished 14-2 in 1986 but were upset by the Washington Redskins in the Divisional Round. In 1987, the Bears again won the division with a record of 11-4 but again were bounced out of the playoffs by the Redskins in the Divisional Round. Despite Walter Payton's retirement, the Bears remained the class of the NFC Central in 1988, winning their fifth straight division title at 12-4. Meanwhile, the Eagles finished 10-6 to win the division on the final day of the regular season. It was their first winning season and playoff appearance since 1981.
The game started with clear conditions and a seasonable 25 degrees in Chicago. The Bears jumped to an early lead as Mike Tomczak hit Dennis McKinnon with a 64-yard touchdown pass. Philadelphia responded by driving down to the Bears 26-yard line, as Luis Zendejas missed a 43-yard field goal. The Eagles quickly got the ball back, as Seth Joyner intercepted Tomczak and got the ball in Chicago territory. The Eagles appeared to have tied the game twice, but on each play, the touchdown was wiped away by a penalty as they settled for a 42-yard field goal by Zendejas as the first quarter ended with the Bears in front 7-3. Looking to answer, Kevin Butler missed a 51-yard field goal for the Bears. The Eagles would drive down to the Bears five but had their drive stall when Randall Cunningham was stopped on fourth down. After a Chicago fumble, the Eagles again had a chance to take their lead but settled for a 29-yard field goal by Luis Zendejas as the second quarter began. The Bears got a big kick return and quickly went down the field to make it 14-6 on a four-yard run by Neal Anderson. As the fog began to roll in, each team hit a field goal before the end of the first half.
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The Bears held a 17-9 lead during halftime as the fog overtook Solider Field, making seeing the field nearly impossible. This forced both teams to rely heavily on their running games. The Bears were significantly slowed as Mike Tomczak was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury, leading to the return of Jim McMahon. The Eagles cut the deficit to 17-12 on a 35-yard field goal by Luis Zendejas in the third quarter, while Kevin Butler hit a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the Bears. The Eagles were able to move the ball despite the fog, as Randall Cunningham passed for 407 yards but threw three costly interceptions. The Bears would win the game 20-12 to reach the NFC Championship. The Bears would lose the following week to the San Francisco 49ers, 28-3, in the NFC Championship Game.