1965 Chicago Bears season Owner George Halas Head coach George Halas General manager George Halas Home field Wrigley Field Results 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] [2] [3]
The 1965 Bears draft class was named No. 8 on NFL Top 10 [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 L 24–520–1 Kezar Stadium N/A 2 September 26 Los Angeles Rams L L 28–300–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum N/A 3 October 3 Green Bay Packers L L 14–230–3 Lambeau Field N/A 4 October 10 Los Angeles Rams W W 31–61–3 Wrigley Field N/A 5 October 17 Minnesota Vikings W W 45–372–3 Metropolitan Stadium N/A 6 October 24 Detroit Lions W W 38–103–3 Wrigley Field N/A 7 October 31 Green Bay Packers W W 31–104–3 Wrigley Field N/A 8 November 7 Baltimore Colts L L 21–264–4 Wrigley Field N/A 9 November 14 St. Louis Cardinals W W 34–135–4 Wrigley Field N/A 10 November 21 Detroit Lions W W 17–106–4 Tiger Stadium N/A 11 November 28 New York Giants W W 35–147–4 Yankee Stadium N/A 12 December 5 Baltimore Colts W W 13–08–4 Memorial Stadium N/A 13 December 12 San Francisco 49ers W W 61–209–4 Wrigley Field N/A 14 December 19 Minnesota Vikings L L 17–249–5 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
[6]
Week 3 1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 7 7 14 • Packers 14 6 3 0 23
[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, ILGame 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
[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, IllinoisGame 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 goal Packers 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
[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 NFL Western Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK Green Bay Packers 10 3 1 .769 8–3–1 316 224 T1 Baltimore Colts 10 3 1 .769 8–3–1 389 284 W1 Chicago Bears 9 5 0 .643 7–5 409 275 L1 San Francisco 49ers 7 6 1 .538 6–5–1 421 402 T1 Minnesota Vikings 7 7 0 .500 5–7 383 403 W2 Detroit Lions 6 7 1 .462 4–7–1 257 295 W1 Los Angeles Rams 4 10 0 .286 2–10 269 328 L1
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, ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ^ "NFLs top 10 draft classes in league history" . National Football League 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.