By now most Chicago fans have heard all the stories and seen all the documentaries. There is pretty much a unanimous agreement. The 85 Bears defense was the greatest in franchise history. It was also the greatest in NFL history and people will argue that point for ages. If nothing else no other defensive unit can say they have a more mythical reputation than that cast of characters Buddy Ryan built.
So what else can possibly be said to help illustrate exactly what opponents saw and feared on Sundays that season? It wasn’t easy but Bleacher Report and former New York Times columnist Mike Tanier somehow pulled it off. He wrote a power rankings of the greatest defenses in NFL history. There were some fierce contenders including the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, Tanier couldn’t deny that the ’85 Bears reigned supreme. That alone was a fun discovery. It was his description of their playing style that became the true joy though.
The 85 Bears defense were akin to an ancient Viking raid
“The 46 Defense, orchestrated by Buddy Ryan with the blessing of Mike Ditka, was distilled mayhem: a Viking raid on a coastal village, an onslaught that could sometimes be almost counterproductive. The Bears blitzed when there was no logical reason to blitz. Dent, McMichael and Hampton combined for 31.5 sacks by themselves. Wilson and Marshall’s blitzing for 16.5 more was overkill. But Ryan sent Singletary and safeties, too, the attacks coming in waves.
Quarterbacks who survived the blitz threw 34 interceptions: Safeties Gary Fencik and Dave Duerson and corners Leslie Frazier and Mike Richardson were capable, but they weren’t required to do much more than fetch the cherries as they fell from the tree.
By the playoffs, the madness peaked. The Bears shut out two opponents before beating the Patriots, 46-10, recording 16 playoff sacks to go with 64 from the regular season.
The defense would reign for years afterward, but later opponents adapted, found weaknesses, attacked the Bears quarterbacks and waited for the Bears’ aggression to turn on itself. Norse berserkers, after all, proved to be much better raiders than rulers. But even though they left devastation in their wake, they still made their mark all over the map. The Bears defense tore down the NFL’s fortress in 1985. Thirty years later, we still marvel at the ruins.”
The facts speak for themselves
Several defenses since then have come out saying they’re the best ever but just don’t have the stats to back it up. Critics of the ’85 Bears say that modern quarterbacks would shred that unit. Well sure they would because the game has evolved from where it was at that period. They’ve learned how to adapt. That’s why such an argument is erroneous. Put Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers under 1985 rules with 1985 offensive knowledge? High chance they get blistered just like everybody else did.
