NFL team season
1965 Chicago Bears season Owner George Halas Head coach George Halas General manager George Halas Home field Wrigley Field Record 9–5 Division place 3rd Western Playoff finish Did not qualify
The 1965 Chicago Bears season was their 46th regular season completed in the National Football League . The team finished with a 9–5 record, earning them a third-place finish in the NFL Western Conference. The club improved over the dismal 5–9 record of the previous season.
They started the season 0–3, but thanks to rookies Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus , the team won 9 of the last 11 games. Sayers had a magnificent rookie season, and in one game against the San Francisco 49ers at Chicago 's Wrigley Field on December 12, he scored six touchdowns in a 61–20 Bears win, the first time the Bears scored 61 points in a regular-season game.[1] Sayers would set an NFL rookie record with 22 touchdowns in one season.[2] The six-touchdown performance tied an NFL record and set a new Bears record.[3]
The 1965 Bears draft class was named No. 8 on NFL Top 10 draft classes.[4]
Roster [ ]
1965 Chicago Bears final roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists
Practice squad
Rookies in italics
, 5 practice squad
Regular season [ ]
Schedule [ ]
Week
Date
Kickoff
Opponent
Result
Record
Game Site
TV
NFL.com Recap
1
September 19
San Francisco 49ers
L 24–52
0–1
Kezar Stadium
N/A
2
September 26
Los Angeles Rams
L 28–30
0–2
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
N/A
3
October 3
Green Bay Packers
L 14–23
0–3
Lambeau Field
N/A
4
October 10
Los Angeles Rams
W 31–6
1–3
Wrigley Field
N/A
5
October 17
Minnesota Vikings
W 45–37
2–3
Metropolitan Stadium
N/A
6
October 24
Detroit Lions
W 38–10
3–3
Wrigley Field
N/A
7
October 31
Green Bay Packers
W 31–10
4–3
Wrigley Field
N/A
8
November 7
Baltimore Colts
L 21–26
4–4
Wrigley Field
N/A
9
November 14
St. Louis Cardinals
W 34–13
5–4
Wrigley Field
N/A
10
November 21
Detroit Lions
W 17–10
6–4
Tiger Stadium
N/A
11
November 28
New York Giants
W 35–14
7–4
Yankee Stadium
N/A
12
December 5
Baltimore Colts
W 13–0
8–4
Memorial Stadium
N/A
13
December 12
San Francisco 49ers
W 61–20
9–4
Wrigley Field
N/A
14
December 19
Minnesota Vikings
L 17–24
9–5
Wrigley Field
N/A
* = Divisional Games • All times are in Eastern time zone
Game summaries [ ]
Week 1 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bears
3
0 0 21
24
• 49ers
0
24 21 7
52
[5]
Week 2 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bears
0
14 14 0
28
• Rams
0
6 3 21
30
Date: September 26Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
[6]
Week 3 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bears
0
0 7 7
14
• Packers
14
6 3 0
23
Date: October 3Location: Lambeau Field
[7]
Week 4 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Rams
0
3 3 0
6
• Bears
0
10 7 14
31
Date: October 10Location: Wrigley Field , Chicago, IL Game weather: 55°F; wind 8
Scoring summary Q2 CHI Livingston 3-yard run (LeClerc kick)CHI 7–0
Q2 CHI LeClerc 26-yard field goal CHI 10–0
Q2 LA Gossett 16-yard field goalCHI 10–3
Q3 LA Gossett 13-yard field goal CHI 10–6
Q3 CHI Sayers 80-yard pass from Bukich (LeClerc kick)CHI 17–6
Q4 CHI Bukich 1-yard run (LeClerc kick) CHI 24–6
Q4 CHI Gordon 26-yard pass from Bukich (LeClerc kick)CHI 31–6
[8]
Week 5 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bears
14
3 7 21
45
Vikings
0
13 10 14
37
Scoring summary Q1 CHI Bull 33-yard run (LeClerc kick)CHI 7–0
Q1 CHI Morris 14-yard pass from Bukich (LeClerc kick)CHI 14–0
Q2 MIN Cox 38-yard field goalCHI 14–3
Q2 MIN Mason 4-yard run (Cox kick)CHI 14–10
Q2 CHI LeClerc 12-yard field goal CHI 17–10
Q2 MIN Cox 40-yard field goal CHI 17–13
Q3 MIN Cox 28-yard field goal CHI 17–16
Q3 MIN Brown 40-yard run (Cox kick)MIN 23–17
Q3 CHI Sayers 18-yard pass from Bukich (LeClerc kick)CHI 24–23
Q4 MIN Tarkenton 2-yard run (Cox kick)MIN 30–24
Q4 CHI Sayers 25-yard pass from Bukich (LeClerc kick) CHI 31–30
Q4 MIN Mason 4-yard run (Cox kick) MIN 37–31
Q4 CHI Sayers 96-yard kickoff return (LeClerc kick) CHI 38–37
Q4 CHI Sayers 10-yard run (LeClerc kick) CHI 45–37
Gale Sayers 297 all-purpose Yds
[9]
Week 6 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Lions
0
3 0 7
10
• Bears
10
14 7 7
38
Date: October 24Location: Wrigley Field
[10]
Week 7 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Packers
7
3 0 0
10
• Bears
0
17 7 7
31
Date: October 31Location: Wrigley Field , Chicago, Illinois Game weather: 57°F • Wind 14
Scoring summary 1 GB Jim Taylor 1-yard run (Don Chandler kick)Packers 7–0
2 CHI Roger LeClerc 24-yard field goalPackers 7–3
2 CHI Jimmy Jones 13-yard pass from Rudy Bukich (Roger LeClerc kick)Bears 10–7
2 CHI Gale Sayers 10-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick)Bears 17–7
2 GB Don Chandler 43-yard field goal Bears 17–10
3 CHI Jon Arnett 2-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick)Bears 24–10
4 CHI Ronnie Bull 4-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick)Bears 31–10
[11]
Week 8 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Colts
0
10 14 2
26
Bears
0
0 7 14
21
Date: November 7Location: Wrigley Field
[12]
Week 9 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Cardinals
7
6 0 0
13
• Bears
10
0 7 17
34
Date: November 14Location: Wrigley Field
[13]
Week 10 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bears
0
10 7 0
17
Lions
7
3 0 0
10
[14]
Week 11 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bears
7
14 0 14
35
Giants
0
0 7 7
14
Date: November 28Location: Yankee Stadium
[15]
Week 12 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bears
7
3 3 0
13
Colts
0
0 0 0
0
Date: December 5Location: Memorial Stadium
[16]
Week 13 [ ]
Week Thirteen: San Francisco 49ers (7–5) at Chicago Bears (8–4)
1
2
3 4 Total
49ers
0
13
0 7 20
Bears
13
14
13 21 61
at Wrigley Field • Chicago, Illinois
Gale Sayers Six Touchdown Game
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
SF
CHI
1
Bears
Gale Sayers 80-yard touchdown reception from Rudy Bukich , 2-point pass failed
0
6
1
Bears
Mike Ditka 29-yard touchdown reception from Rudy Bukich, Roger LeClerc kick good
0
13
2
49ers
Dave Parks 9-yard touchdown reception from John Brodie , Tommy Davis kick good
7
13
2
Bears
Gale Sayers 21-yard touchdown run, Roger LeClerc kick good
7
20
2
49ers
John David Crow 15-yard touchdown reception from John Brodie, Tommy Davis kick no good
13
20
2
Bears
Gale Sayers 7-yard touchdown run, Roger LeClerc kick good
13
27
3
Bears
Gale Sayers 50-yard touchdown run, Roger LeClerc kick good
13
34
3
Bears
Gale Sayers 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point run failed
13
40
4
49ers
Dave Kopay 2-yard touchdown run, Tommy Davis kick good
20
40
4
Bears
Jimmy Jones 8-yard touchdown reception from Rudy Bukich, Roger LeClerc kick good
20
47
4
Bears
Punt returned 85 yards for touchdown by Gale Sayers, Roger LeClerc kick good
20
54
4
Bears
Jon Arnett 2-yard touchdown run, Roger LeClerc kick good
20
61
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
20
61
Week 14 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Vikings
0
0 3 21
24
Bears
0
0 7 10
17
Date: December 19Location: Wrigley Field
[17]
Standings [ ]
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Awards and records [ ]
Gale Sayers, NFL rookie record, most touchdowns in one season (22)
Gale Sayers, NFL record (tied), most touchdowns in one game (6)
Gale Sayers, club record, most touchdowns in one game (6)
References [ ]
^ Mayer, Larry (2013-03-06). "Which players were part of trade that landed Cutler?" . Chicago Bears . Archived from the original on 2013-03-10. Retrieved 2013-03-09 .
^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 408
^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 106
^ "NFLs top 10 draft classes in league history" . National Football League . Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2012-07-09 .
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2014-Sep-05.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2014-Sep-05.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-October-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-06.
Chicago Bears
Franchise Records Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Minor league affiliates
Newark Bears (AA , 1939–1941)
Akron Bears (AFL , 1946)
Bloomfield Cardinals (AFL , 1947)
Richmond Rebels (AFL , 1948–1950)
Retired numbers
3
5
7
28
34
40
41
42
51
56
61
66
77
89
Key personnel Division championships (21) Conference championships (4) League championships (9) Media
Broadcasters
Radio:
WBBM (AM)
WCFS-FM (FM simulcast of WBBM)
Personnel:
Jeff Joniak (play-by-play)
Tom Thayer (analyst)
Zach Zaidman (sideline reporter and radio coach's show host)
Television:
WFLD (pre-season and most regular season games through Fox , official pre-game and post-game alternate)
WPWR (official post-game)
NBC Sports Chicago (in-season team programming)
Personnel:
Lou Canellis (gameday television host, pre-season sideline reporter)
Sam Rosen (pre-season play-by-play)
Jim Miller (pre-season analyst)
Current league affiliations
:Category:Chicago Bears
WikiProject Chicago Bears
Formerly the Decatur Staleys (1920) and the Chicago Staleys (1921)
Bold indicates
NFL Championship (1920–69) or
Super Bowl (1966–present) victory
Italics indicates
NFL Championship (1920–69) or
Super Bowl (1966–present) appearance