1979 Chicago Bears season

The 1979 Chicago Bears season was their 60th regular season and 14th postseason completed in the National Football League. The team finished with a 10–6 record under second year coach Neill Armstrong but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 27–17 in the opening round of the playoffs.

1979 Chicago Bears season
Owner	George Halas
General manager	Jim Finks
Head coach	Neill Armstrong
Home field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	10–6
Division place	2nd NFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Eagles) 17–27

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1979 NFL draft

1979 Chicago Bears draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	4	Dan Hampton * †	Defensive end	Arkansas
1	9	Al Harris	Defensive end	Arizona State
2	39	Rickey Watts	Wide receiver	Tulsa
3	66	Willie McClendon	Running back	Georgia
6	147	John Sullivan	Linebacker	Illinois
7	174	Lee Kunz	Linebacker	Nebraska
8	203	Rick Moss	Defensive back	Purdue
9	230	Jerome Heavens	Running back	Notre Dame
10	257	Joe Restic	Defensive back	Notre Dame
11	286	Bob Wright	Offensive tackle	Cincinnati
12	312	Dave Becker	Safety	Iowa
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

1979 Undrafted Free Agents of note

Player	Position	College
Maurice Horton	Wide receiver	No College
Pete Kraker	Quarterback	Northern Illinois
Carl Larson	Center	St. Cloud State
Jim Moore	Center	Wisconsin
Mark Moselle	Guard	Wisconsin–Superior
Phil Olson	Tight end	Dartmouth
Dave Petzke	Wide receiver	Northern Illinois
Pat Wacker	Wide receiver	North Dakota

Roster

1979 Chicago Bears roster

Quarterbacks (QB)  7 Bob Avellini 15 Mike Phipps Running backs (RB) 37 Willie McClendon 34 Walter Payton 25 Lonnie Perrin 22 Dave Williams FB Wide receivers (WR) 84 Brian Baschnagel 83 Kris Haines 85 Steve Schubert 89 James Scott 81 Harry Washington 80 Rickey Watts Tight ends (TE) 87 Mike Cobb 39 Robin Earl 88 Greg Latta

Offensive linemen (OL) 64 Ted Albrecht T 63 Tony Ardizzone C 60 Lynn Boden G 65 Noah Jackson G 62 Dan Jiggetts T 70 Dennis Lick T 52 Dan Neal C 69 Revie Sorey G Defensive linemen (DL) 75 Mike Calhoun DT 99 Dan Hampton DE 53 Tommy Hart DE 90 Al Harris DE 73 Mike Hartenstine DE 68 Jim Osborne DT 82 Alan Page DT 76 Ron Rydalch DT

Linebackers (LB) 55 Doug Buffone 59 Gary Campbell 51 Bruce Herron 54 Tom Hicks 57 Lee Kunz 50 Mark Merrill 58 Jerry Muckensturm Defensive backs (DB) 48 Allan Ellis CB 45 Gary Fencik SS 36 Wentford Gaines CB 24 Virgil Livers CB 46 Doug Plank FS 44 Terry Schmidt CB 47 Mike Spivey CB 23 Len Walterscheid FS Special teams 86 Bob Parsons P 16 Robert R. Thomas K

Reserve 79 Lionel Antoine T (IR)  8 Vince Evans QB (IR) 35 Roland Harper FB (IR) 74 Jerry Meyers DT (IR) 71 Rocco Moore T (IR) -- Golden Richards WR (IR) 72 Brad Shearer DT (IR) 30 John Skibinski RB (IR) Rookies in italics

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 2	Green Bay Packers	W 6–3	1–0	Soldier Field	56,515
2	September 9	Minnesota Vikings	W 26–7	2–0	Soldier Field	53,231
3	September 16	at Dallas Cowboys	L 20–24	2–1	Texas Stadium	64,056
4	September 23	at Miami Dolphins	L 16–31	2–2	Miami Orange Bowl	66,011
5	September 30	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 13–17	2–3	Soldier Field	55,258
6	October 7	at Buffalo Bills	W 7–0	3–3	Rich Stadium	73,383
7	October 14	New England Patriots	L 7–27	3–4	Soldier Field	54,128
8	October 21	at Minnesota Vikings	L 27–30	3–5	Metropolitan Stadium	41,164
9	October 28	at San Francisco 49ers	W 28–27	4–5	Candlestick Park	42,773
10	November 4	Detroit Lions	W 35–7	5–5	Soldier Field	50,108
11	November 11	Los Angeles Rams	W 27–23	6–5	Soldier Field	51,483
12	November 18	New York Jets	W 23–13	7–5	Soldier Field	52,635
13	November 22	at Detroit Lions	L 0–20	7–6	Pontiac Silverdome	66,219
14	December 2	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 14–0	8–6	Tampa Stadium	69,508
15	December 9	at Green Bay Packers	W 15–14	9–6	Lambeau Field	54,207
16	December 16	St. Louis Cardinals	W 42–6	10–6	Soldier Field	42,810
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

• Network: CBS
• Announcers: Dick Stockton and Johnny Morris

Bob Thomas booted a pair of field goals and Walter Payton rushed for 125 yards on 36 carries in 80 degree heat as the Bears won their opener. Thomas who had a field goal attempt blocked by Packers' Mike Hunt in the first quarter converted from 25 and 19 yards in the second quarter and the Bears banked on an aggressive defense which was credited with five sacks for the triumph. Chester Marcol, who had a field goal blocked by Virgil Livers, later connected for Green Bay's only score with a 28 yarder. The Bears defense aided by a pair of excellent punts by Bob Parsons, kept the Packers in tough field condition in the first half when Green Bay was limited to only three first downs.

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 7 7 0 0 14 Buccaneers 0 0 0 0 0 Date: December 2 Location: Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), wind 9 mph (14 km/h) Referee: Fred Silva Television network: CBS

Scoring summary 1 CHI Walter Payton 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 7–0 2 CHI Dave Williams 13 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 14–0

Week 15: at Green Bay Packers

See also: 1979 Green Bay Packers season

Week 15: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	3	3	0	9	15
Packers	0	7	0	7	14

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

• Date: December 9, 1979
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Overcast, 29 °F (−2 °C)
• TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Sonny Jurgensen
• [1]

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers CHI – Mike Phipps – 10/25, 113 yards, 1 INT GB – Lynn Dickey – 20/37, 283 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers CHI – Walter Payton – 25 rushes, 115 yards GB – Ricky Patton – 18 rushes, 35 yards Top receivers CHI – Rickey Watts – 4 receptions, 68 yards GB – James Lofton – 6 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
Wildcard	December 23	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 17–27	0–1	Veterans Stadium	69,397

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Tampa Bay Buccaneers(2)	10	6	0	.625	6–2	8–6	273	237	W1
Chicago Bears(5)	10	6	0	.625	5–3	8–4	306	249	W3
Minnesota Vikings	7	9	0	.438	5–3	6–6	259	337	L1
Green Bay Packers	5	11	0	.313	3–5	4–8	246	316	W1
Detroit Lions	2	14	0	.125	1–7	2–10	219	365	L3

External links

• 1979 Chicago Bears Season at www.bearshistory.com