Worth a Thousand Words: The 1985 Bears Defense

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the greatest defense in pro football history. 

     Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan named his defense "46" after the uniform number of his favorite player, safety Doug Plank, who played for the team from 1975 to 1982. 

     It all came together for Ryan's defense in 1985. After dominating throughout the regular season and posting shutouts in the two NFC playoff games, the Bears took it up another notch in the Super Bowl, playing with a ferocity that was truly frightening. "It was like trying to beat back the tide with a broom," said New England Patriots guard Ron Wooten after his team was routed 46-10. 

     "It will be many years," Paul Zimmerman wrote in Sports Illustrated, "before we see anything approaching the vision of hell that Chicago inflicted on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. It was near perfect, an exquisite mesh of talent and system, defensive football carried to its highest degree."

     And now it has been many years, and we still haven't seen anything to compare with this group. It will be a cold day you know where before we ever do. 

Secondary:
Leslie Frazier (21)
Gary Fencik (45)
Dave Duerson (22)
Mike Richardson (27)

Linebackers:
Wilber Marshall (58)
Mike Singletary (50)
Otis Wilson (55)

Front four:
Richard Dent (95)
William Perry (72)
Steve McMichael (76)
Dan Hampton (99)

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