1983 Chicago Bears season
1983 Chicago Bears season | |
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Owner | George Halas (until October 31) The McCaskey Family (Family control since 1921; Virginia McCaskey since 1983) |
General manager | Jim Finks |
Head coach | Mike Ditka (2nd season) |
Home field | Soldier Field |
Results | |
Record | 8–8 |
Division place | 3rd NFC Central |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | 2[1]
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AP All-Pros | 2[2]
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The 1983 season was the Chicago Bears' 64th in the National Football League, and their second under head coach Mike Ditka. The team improved from their 3–6 record from 1982 to finish at 8–8, but to failed to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Jim McMahon was the quarterback, who completed 175 of 295 pass attempts. The Bears 1983 NFL draft class was ranked #3 in NFL Top 10's greatest draft classes.[3]
Offseason
[edit]1983 NFL Draft
[edit]1983 Chicago Bears draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | Jim Covert * † | Offensive tackle | Pittsburgh | |
1 | 18 | Willie Gault | Wide receiver | Tennessee | |
2 | 33 | Mike Richardson | Cornerback | Arizona State | |
3 | 64 | Dave Duerson * | Safety | Notre Dame | |
4 | 91 | Tom Thayer | Center | Notre Dame | |
4 | 107 | Pat Dunsmore | Tight end | Drake | |
8 | 203 | Richard Dent † | Defensive end | Tennessee State | |
8 | 219 | Mark Bortz * | Guard | Iowa | |
9 | 230 | Rob Fada | Guard | Pittsburgh | |
9 | 235 | Mark Zavagnin | Linebacker | Notre Dame | |
10 | 256 | Anthony Hutchison | Running back | Texas Tech | |
11 | 286 | Gary Worthy | Running back | Wilmington (OH) | |
12 | 313 | Oliver Williams | Wide receiver | Illinois | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Undrafted free agents
[edit]Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|
Dave McCarrell | Quarterback | Wheaton |
Dan Ruzich | Linebacker | Kansas State |
Roster and staff
[edit]Staff
[edit]Coaching Staff of 1983 season | ||||||
Front office
Coaches
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Position coaches
Trainers
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Scouts
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Roster
[edit]Preseason
[edit]The Bears were predicted to finish 7–9 and fourth in the division by Paul Zimmerman. Their prized new weapon would be Willie Gault. Dennis McKinnon (signed as an undrafted free agent by the Bears in 1983) would also play a key role in the receiving corps and Jimbo Covert would help open bigger holes for Walter Payton but it was felt they were a few offensive lineman and a tight end away from being effective. The defense would be led by All-Pro Dan Hampton and new defensive backs Mike Richardson and Dave Duerson.[4] The Bears started 1983 by losing 7 of their first 10, but won 5 of their last 6 to finish 8–8. The Bears would go 71–18 in regular season games from November 13, 1983, through October 2, 1989.
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 6 | Buffalo Bills | W 27–17 | 1–0 | Soldier Field |
2 | August 13 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 24–27 | 1–1 | Busch Stadium |
3 | August 20 | at Los Angeles Raiders | W 27–21 | 2–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
4 | August 27 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 20–17 | 3–1 | Soldier Field |
Regular season
[edit]Schedule
[edit]Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 4 | Atlanta Falcons | L 17–20 | 0–1 | Soldier Field | 60,165 | |
2 | September 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 17–10 | 1–1 | Soldier Field | 58,186 | |
3 | September 18 | at New Orleans Saints | L 31–34 | 1–2 | Louisiana Superdome | 64,692 | |
4 | September 25 | at Baltimore Colts | L 19–22 | 1–3 | Memorial Stadium | 34,350 | |
5 | October 2 | Denver Broncos | W 31–14 | 2–3 | Soldier Field | 58,210 | |
6 | October 9 | Minnesota Vikings | L 14–23 | 2–4 | Soldier Field | 59,632 | |
7 | October 16 | at Detroit Lions | L 17–31 | 2–5 | Pontiac Silverdome | 66,709 | |
8 | October 23 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 7–6 | 3–5 | Veterans Stadium | 45,263 | |
9 | October 30 | Detroit Lions | L 17–38 | 3–6 | Soldier Field | 58,764 | |
10 | November 6 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 14–21 | 3–7 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 53,010 | |
11 | November 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 17–14 | 4–7 | Soldier Field | 47,524 | |
12 | November 20 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 27–0 | 5–7 | Tampa Stadium | 36,816 | |
13 | November 27 | San Francisco 49ers | W 13–3 | 6–7 | Soldier Field | 40,483 | |
14 | December 4 | at Green Bay Packers | L 28–31 | 6–8 | Lambeau Field | 51,147 | |
15 | December 11 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 19–13 | 7–8 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 57,880 | |
16 | December 18 | Green Bay Packers | W 23–21 | 8–8 | Soldier Field | 35,807 | |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Game summaries
[edit]Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
Bears | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago
- Date: Sunday, September 4
- Game time: 12:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan, Johnny Morris
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 2 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Buccaneers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
Bears | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: September 11
- Game time: 12:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), wind 11 mph (18 km/h)
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan, Johnny Morris
- Box Score
CHI: Mike Hartenstine 2.0 sacks, Terry Schmidt INT
Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Week 3: at New Orleans Saints
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
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Bears | 7 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
Saints | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Date: Sunday, September 18
- Game time: 12:00 p.m.
- Game weather: Indoors, dome
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan, Johnny Morris
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 4: at Baltimore Colts
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
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Bears | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 19 |
Colts | 0 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 22 |
at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Date: Sunday, September 25
- Game time: 2:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 5: vs. Denver Broncos
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Bears | 14 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: Sunday, October 2
- Game time: 12:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), wind 13 mph (21 km/h)
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Bob Griese
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 6: vs. Minnesota Vikings
[edit]Week 8: at Philadelphia Eagles
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bears | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Eagles | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
- Date: Sunday, October 23
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C), wind 9 mph (14 km/h)
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Lions | 14 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
Bears | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: Sunday, October 30
- Game time: 12:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C), wind 10 mph (16 km/h)
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 11: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Eagles | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Bears | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: Sunday, November 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 33 °F (1 °C), wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 12: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bears | 0 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 27 |
Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida
- Date: Sunday, November 20
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
- Referee: Red Cashion
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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49ers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Bears | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: Sunday, November 27
- Game time: 12:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C), wind 18 mph (29 km/h)
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 14: at Green Bay Packers
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bears | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
Packers | 14 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: Sunday, December 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 25 °F (−4 °C), wind 6 mph (9.7 km/h)
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 15: at Minnesota Vikings
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Week 16 vs. Green Bay Packers
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Packers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Bears | 7 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: December 18
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 1 °F (−17 °C)
- Game attendance: 35,807
- Referee: Red Cashion
- Pro-Football-Reference.com, The Football Database
Game information | ||
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Standings
[edit]NFC Central | |||||||||
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W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Detroit Lions(3) | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 7–1 | 8–4 | 347 | 286 | W1 |
Green Bay Packers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–4 | 6–6 | 429 | 439 | L1 |
Chicago Bears | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–4 | 7–7 | 311 | 301 | W2 |
Minnesota Vikings | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–4 | 4–8 | 316 | 348 | W1 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 1–7 | 1–11 | 241 | 380 | L3 |
References
[edit]- ^ "1983 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "1983 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "NFLs top 10 draft classes in league history". National Football League. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- ^ Sports Illustrated. 1 Sept 1983
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Mar-02.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)