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1961 Chicago Bears

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Record: 8-6-0, Finished 3rd in NFL West Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 326 points (23.3/g), 5th of 14 in the NFL.
 Allowed 302 points (21.6/g), 9th.
 Differential of 24 points (1.7/g), 6th.
 Expected W-L: 7.6-6.4.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -1 (-0.1/g), 8th.

Coached by George Halas (8-6-0)

1961 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees

Team Games & Schedule

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Score Offense Defense
Week Day Date Rec Opp Tm Opp 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO
1 Sun September 17 box L 0-1 @ Minnesota Vikings 13 37 20 270 136 134 5 17 336 257 79 1
2 Sat September 23 box W 1-1 @ Los Angeles Rams 21 17 15 328 194 134 2 13 299 219 80 3
3 Sun October 1 box L 1-2 @ Green Bay Packers 0 24 16 255 131 124 4 18 281 83 198 3
4 Sun October 8 box W 2-2 @ Detroit Lions 31 17 15 454 281 173 2 13 339 174 165 4
5 Sun October 15 box W 3-2 Baltimore Colts 24 10 14 284 194 90 1 20 362 256 106 1
6 Sun October 22 box W 4-2 San Francisco 49ers 31 0 17 305 156 149 1 6 132 40 92 6
7 Sun October 29 box W 5-2 @ Baltimore Colts 21 20 17 341 199 142 3 19 372 292 80 2
8 Sun November 5 box L 5-3 @ Philadelphia Eagles 14 16 9 215 89 126 19 342 237 105 3
9 Sun November 12 box L 5-4 Green Bay Packers 28 31 15 242 169 73 2 20 322 160 162 1
10 Sun November 19 box L 5-5 @ San Francisco 49ers 31 41 21 428 295 133 4 15 536 318 218
11 Sun November 26 box W 6-5 Los Angeles Rams 28 24 24 371 199 172 3 19 357 287 70 4
12 Sun December 3 box L 6-6 Detroit Lions 15 16 12 193 66 127 3 17 245 172 73 4
13 Sun December 10 box W 7-6 Cleveland Browns 17 14 19 324 216 108 4 15 320 245 75 2
14 Sun December 17 box W 8-6 Minnesota Vikings 52 35 25 552 347 205 4 12 206 57 149 3

Team Stats and Rankings

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Passing Rushing
Pts Yds Ply Y/P 1stD Cmp Att Yds TD Int NY/A 1stD Att Yds TD Y/A 1stD TO FL 1stPy
Team Offense 326 4562 827 5.5 239 186 349 2672 26 24 6.8 113 436 1890 16 4.3 103 38 14 23
Team Defense 302 4449 845 5.3 223 209 398 2797 27 24 6.3 124 401 1652 10 4.1 80 37 13 19
Lg Rank Offense 5 6 7 10 5 3 8 5 8 7 5 8 5 5
Lg Rank Defense 9 9 5 11 11 13 7 8 2 5 3 8 11 11

Passing

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
No. Age Pos G GS QBrec Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk%
9 Billy Wade 31 QB 13 9 5-4-0 139 250 55.6 2258 22 8.8 13 5.2 98 9.0 8.5 16.2 173.7 93.7
15 Ed Brown 33 qb 14 5 3-2-0 46 98 46.9 742 4 4.1 11 11.2 84 7.6 3.3 16.1 53.0 46.8
39 John Adams 24 13 0 1 1 100.0 11 0 0.0 0 0.0 11 11.0 11.0 11.0 0.8 112.5
Team Total 26.3 14 8-6-0 186 349 53.3 3011 26 7.4 24 6.9 98 8.6 7.0 16.2 215.1 78.6
Opp Total 14 209 398 52.5 3164 27 6.8 24 6.0 7.9 6.6 15.1 226.0 76.5 46 367 6.3 5.1

Rushing & Receiving

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Rushing Receiving
No. Age Pos G GS Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G YScm RRTD Fmb
28 Willie Galimore 26 HB 14 0 153 707 4 60 4.6 50.5 10.9 33 502 15.2 3 84 2.4 35.9 1209 7 8
35 Rick Casares 30 FB 13 0 135 588 8 23 4.4 45.2 10.4 8 69 8.6 0 31 0.6 5.3 657 8 1
9 Billy Wade 31 QB 13 9 45 255 2 29 5.7 19.6 3.5 255 2 3
49 Charlie Bivins 23 RET 14 0 43 188 1 24 4.4 13.4 3.1 4 -9 -2.3 0 4 0.3 -0.6 179 1 1
38 Bill Brown 23 14 0 22 81 0 20 3.7 5.8 1.6 2 6 3.0 0 13 0.1 0.4 87 0 2
39 John Adams 24 13 0 14 -2 1 10 -0.1 -0.2 1.1 5 80 16.0 0 36 0.4 6.2 78 1 1
15 Ed Brown 33 qb 14 5 13 18 0 13 1.4 1.3 0.9 18 0 1
47 Johnny Morris 26 FL 14 0 8 49 0 21 6.1 3.5 0.6 36 548 15.2 4 80 2.6 39.1 597 4 2
36 J.D. Smith 25 3 0 3 6 0 5 2.0 2.0 1.0 6 0 0
89 Mike Ditka* 22 TE 14 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 56 1076 19.2 12 76 4.0 76.9 1076 12 2
84 Bo Farrington 25 SE 11 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 21 349 16.6 4 98 1.9 31.7 349 4 1
46 Angelo Coia 23 11 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 12 249 20.8 3 64 1.1 22.6 249 3 0
43 Jim Dooley 31 6 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 6 90 15.0 0 25 1.0 15.0 90 0 0
87 Harlon Hill 29 14 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 3 51 17.0 0 23 0.2 3.6 51 0 0
Team Total 26.3 14 436 1890 16 60 4.3 135.0 31.1 186 3011 16.2 26 98 13.3 215.1 4901 42 23
Opp Total 14 401 1652 10 4.1 118.0 28.6 209 2797 13.4 27 14.9 199.8 4449 37 22

Kick & Punt Returns

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Punt Returns Kick Returns
No. Age Pos G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
49 Charlie Bivins 23 RET 14 0 25 668 0 78 26.7 847
47 Johnny Morris 26 FL 14 0 23 155 0 16 6.7 2 46 0 25 23.0 798
24 Rosey Taylor 24 RS 14 0 1 4 0 4 4.0 14 379 0 60 27.1 383
28 Willie Galimore 26 HB 14 0 5 82 0 25 16.4 1291
38 Bill Brown 23 14 0 4 54 0 19 13.5 141
17 Richie Petitbon 23 LS 14 0 2 9 0 7 4.5 9
33 Larry Morris 28 RLB 14 0 1 2 0 2 2.0 2
36 J.D. Smith 25 3 0 1 18 0 18 18.0 24
Team Total 26.3 14 27 170 0 16 6.3 51 1247 0 78 24.5 6318
Opp Total 14 24 1 55 1219 1 22.2

Kicking & Punting

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Tot PAT Punting
No. Age Pos G GS FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FG% XPA XPM XP% Pnt Yds Lng Blck Y/P
54 Roger LeClerc 25 K 14 0 24 10 41.7% 41 40 97.6%
15 Ed Brown 33 qb 14 5 2 1 50.0% 1 1 100.0% 58 2448 69 0 42.2
39 John Adams 24 13 0 2 56 43 0 28.0
61 Bill George*+ 32 MLB 14 0 1 0.0%
Team Total 26.3 14 27 11 40.7% 42 41 97.6% 60 2504 69 0 41.7
Opp Total 14 27 10 37.0% 39 36 92.3% 66 2818 42.7

Defense & Fumbles

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
No. Age Pos G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty
39 John Adams 24 13 0 1 2 36 0
81 Doug Atkins* 31 RDE 14 0 0 2 0 0
49 Charlie Bivins 23 RET 14 0 1 0 0 0
38 Bill Brown 23 14 0 2 1 0 0
15 Ed Brown 33 qb 14 5 1 2 0 0
25 J.C. Caroline 28 LCB 14 0 3 48 0 28
35 Rick Casares 30 FB 13 0 1 0 0 0
89 Mike Ditka* 22 TE 14 0 2 0 0 0
65 Stan Fanning 24 14 0 0 1 0 0
84 Bo Farrington 25 SE 11 0 1 0 0 0
31 Joe Fortunato 31 LLB 14 0 3 34 0 16 0 1 0 0
28 Willie Galimore 26 HB 14 0 8 2 0 0
61 Bill George*+ 32 MLB 14 0 3 18 0 13 0 2 0 0
87 Harlon Hill 29 14 0 3 52 0 24 0 1 0 0
54 Roger LeClerc 25 K 14 0 0 3 0 0
76 John Mellekas 28 14 0 0 1 0 0
47 Johnny Morris 26 FL 14 0 2 1 3 0
33 Larry Morris 28 RLB 14 0 1 25 0 25 0 1 0 0
17 Richie Petitbon 23 LS 14 0 5 71 0 43
24 Rosey Taylor 24 RS 14 0 1 1 0 0
9 Billy Wade 31 QB 13 9 3 0 0 0
23 Dave Whitsell 25 RCB 14 0 6 123 0 52
75 Fred Williams 32 RDT 14 0 0 1 0 0
Team Total 26.3 14 24 371 0 52 23 22 39 0
Opp Total 14 42 22 9 1

Scoring Summary

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
No. Age Pos G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD AllTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
89 Mike Ditka* 22 TE 14 0 12 12 72
54 Roger LeClerc 25 K 14 0 40 10 70
35 Rick Casares 30 FB 13 0 8 8 48
28 Willie Galimore 26 HB 14 0 4 3 7 42
84 Bo Farrington 25 SE 11 0 4 4 24
47 Johnny Morris 26 FL 14 0 4 4 24
46 Angelo Coia 23 11 0 3 3 18
9 Billy Wade 31 QB 13 9 2 2 12
39 John Adams 24 13 0 1 1 6
49 Charlie Bivins 23 RET 14 0 1 1 6
15 Ed Brown 33 qb 14 5 1 1 4
Team Total 26.3 14 16 26 42 41 11 326
Opp Total 14 10 27 1 1 36 10 1 302