NFL's Top 10 Teams

NFL's Top 10 Teams — page 3
10 Jubilant Chicago Bears players celebrate their second straight NFL title after throttling the New York Giants in 1941 1941 Chicago Bears George George Halas played and coached for the Chicago Bears for a decade before retiring after the 1929 season But his retirement did not last long The Bears lured Halas back in 1933 to serve as head coach a move that ranks as one of the smartest in NFL history By 1940 the Bears were among the league's best thanks in part to the play of star quarterback Sid Luckman But Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall wasn't a fan He called the Bears crybabies after his team edged Chicago 7 3 late in the 1940 regular season When the teams played in the NFL Championship Game a few weeks later Halas reminded his players of Marshall's comments The result was a 73 0 Bears victory that remains the most lopsided score in any NFL game That triumph served as a launching pad for an even more dominant season in 1941 The Bears went 10 1 during the regular season Their only defeat came in a 16 14 loss to Green Bay in early November Luckman led all NFL quarterbacks in passer rating and the Bears had the top rushing and passing attack in the league The Bears and Packers tied for the Western Division title forcing a playoff game at Chicago's Soldier Field George McAfee rushed for 119 yards and Norm Standlee scored two touchdowns as Chicago won easily 33 14 The next week the Bears smashed the New York Giants 37 9