20 Years Ago Yesterday, Dennis Green and The Arizona Cardinals Let The Chicago Bears Off The Hook

Listen. If you want to crown them, then crown their ass.

Truer words have never been spoken. 

Props to Tom Fornelli for posting this tweet, with this great video breaking down the absolute absurdity of that Bears miracle comeback. 

That was one of those games that when you think back on it, you can remember exactly where you were when you were watching it. I was in college at Loyola Chicago, my friends and I went to Mickey's in Lincoln Park (R.I.P.) for the game because the bartenders used to let us basically drink for free there, we were dead broke, and they were smokes. That season was surreal for the Bears. Every week it felt like their defense was bailing out Rex Grossman and the offense in a scenario more preposterous than the week before. 

Mike Brown was a fucking turnover machine, and it felt like anytime the ball wound up in his hands, that he was taking it to the house. Urlacher was a fucking menace- all over the field, sideline to sideline, wreaking fucking havoc, flinging whoever got in his way aside like ragdolls. (No game moreso than this Arizona one. He fucking took over that 4th quarter and dominated.) Peanut Tillman was popping balls out of running backs and receivers hands left and right. There were so many fucking studs and big time, game-changing playmakers on that defense it was insane. 

It's such a fucking shame that Lovie Smith never got the appreciation he deserved in Chicago. 

It was a lot of fun being new to Chicago and getting to witness the buzz that an electric Bears team like the one they had that season brought to the energy of the city. Not knowing any different, I remember thinking "holy shit, this place is a fucking incredible football town." And then shortly after, the team went off a cliff, and besides a couple seasons of Jay Cutler heroicness, they've been pretty fucking God-awful up until this year. 

But there will always be found memories of watching the Cardinals totally outplay the Bears for 44 minutes on a Monday night, and then get their fucking doors blown off in the final 16. And the look of absolute confusion on Dennis Green's face on the sideline while it was all occurring. Followed by his hall of fame worthy post game press conference. All time stuff.