2001 Chicago Bears season

2001 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	Dick Jauron
General manager	Jerry Angelo
Owner	The McCaskey Family
Home field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	13–3
Division place	1st NFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Eagles) 33–19
← 2000 Bears seasons 2002 →

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 3 0 3 0 6 • Ravens 0 3 7 7 17 Date: September 9 Location: PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total Vikings 3 0 7 0 10 • Bears 0 0 3 14 17 Date: September 23 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois Game start: 12:00 p.m. Game weather: 61°F • Wind 9 Referee: Mike Carey Television network: Fox

Scoring summary 1 MIN Gary Anderson 20-yard field goal Vikings 3–0 3 MIN Andrew Jordan 3-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper (Gary Anderson kick) Vikings 7–3 3 CHI Paul Edinger 45-yard field goal Vikings 10–3 4 CHI Marty Booker 15-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick) Tie 10–10 4 CHI Marcus Robinson 24-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 17–10

Scoring summary
1		MIN	Gary Anderson 20-yard field goal	Vikings 3–0
3		MIN	Andrew Jordan 3-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper (Gary Anderson kick)	Vikings 7–3
3		CHI	Paul Edinger 45-yard field goal	Vikings 10–3
4		CHI	Marty Booker 15-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick)	Tie 10–10
4		CHI	Marcus Robinson 24-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 17–10

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 0 10 0 21 31 Falcons 0 0 0 3 3 Date: October 7 Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: indoors (dome) Referee: Bill Carollo Television network: Fox

Scoring summary 2 CHI Marcus Robinson 34-yard pass from Marty Booker (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 7–0 2 CHI Paul Edinger 42-yard field goal Bears 10–0 4 CHI Marty Booker 63-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 17–0 4 CHI Brian Urlacher 90-yard fumble return (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 24–0 4 ATL Jay Feely 44-yard field goal Bears 24–3 4 CHI Anthony Thomas 32-yard run (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 31–3

Scoring summary
2		CHI	Marcus Robinson 34-yard pass from Marty Booker (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 7–0
2		CHI	Paul Edinger 42-yard field goal	Bears 10–0
4		CHI	Marty Booker 63-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 17–0
4		CHI	Brian Urlacher 90-yard fumble return (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 24–0
4		ATL	Jay Feely 44-yard field goal	Bears 24–3
4		CHI	Anthony Thomas 32-yard run (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 31–3

1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 6 0 7 13 • Bears 3 10 7 0 20 Date: October 14 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois Game start: 12:00 p.m. Game weather: 54°F • Wind 11 Referee: Johnny Grier Television network: Fox

Scoring summary 1 CHI Paul Edinger 46-yard field goal Bears 3–0 2 ARI Bill Gramatica 40-yard field goal Tie 3–3 2 CHI James Allen 1-yard run (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 10–3 2 ARI Bill Gramatica 47-yard field goal Bears 10–6 2 CHI Paul Edinger 43-yard field goal Bears 13–6 3 CHI R.W. McQuarters 69-yard fumble return (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 20–6 4 ARI Frank Sanders 7-yard pass from Jake Plummer (Bill Gramatica kick) Bears 20–13

Scoring summary
1		CHI	Paul Edinger 46-yard field goal	Bears 3–0
2		ARI	Bill Gramatica 40-yard field goal	Tie 3–3
2		CHI	James Allen 1-yard run (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 10–3
2		ARI	Bill Gramatica 47-yard field goal	Bears 10–6
2		CHI	Paul Edinger 43-yard field goal	Bears 13–6
3		CHI	R.W. McQuarters 69-yard fumble return (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 20–6
4		ARI	Frank Sanders 7-yard pass from Jake Plummer (Bill Gramatica kick)	Bears 20–13

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 3 7 7 7 24 Bengals 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 21 Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 60°F • Wind 8 Referee: Bernie Kukar

Scoring summary 1 CHI Paul Edinger 48-yard field goal Bears 3–0 2 CHI Fred Baxter 1-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 10–0 3 CHI Marty Booker 13-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 17–0 4 CHI Anthony Thomas 23-yard run (Paul Edinger kick) Bears 24–0

Scoring summary
1		CHI	Paul Edinger 48-yard field goal	Bears 3–0
2		CHI	Fred Baxter 1-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 10–0
3		CHI	Marty Booker 13-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 17–0
4		CHI	Anthony Thomas 23-yard run (Paul Edinger kick)	Bears 24–0

The 2001 Chicago Bears season was their 82nd regular season and 23rd postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a surprising 13–3 record under head coach Dick Jauron en route to an NFC Central title and the number two seed in the NFC. The Bears, led by Jim Miller, seemed like a team of destiny, with five comeback wins during the season, including two straight improbable wins where safety Mike Brown returned an interception for the game-winning touchdown in overtime. However, it was not to be as the Bears were upset at home by the Philadelphia Eagles 33–19 in the NFC Divisional playoffs.

The Bears surprised most with a breakout campaign in 2001. After losing the opening game of the season to the Super Bowl XXXV Champion Baltimore Ravens 17–6 on the road, the Bears won their next six games, starting with a 17–10 victory against their division rival, the Minnesota Vikings in the Bears' home-opener. They carried their momentum through the Week 3 Bye and won on the road against the Atlanta Falcons (31–3).

The Bears returned home and won against the Arizona Cardinals 20–13. After a road shutout of the Cincinnati Bengals 24–0 the Bears played three home games. The first two games of this stretch were back-to-back overtime wins, first against the San Francisco 49ers (37–31), then against the Cleveland Browns (27–21). Both times safety Mike Brown capped remarkable comebacks (the Bears trailed 28–9 in the third quarter against San Francisco, and 21–7 with seconds remaining against Cleveland) by returning an interception in overtime for a touchdown.

...
Wikipedia