Super Bowl XX: Not On This Given Sunday Comments
The outcome of Super Bowl XX was never really in doubt as Walter Payton and the Bears dominated the Patriots.
Wow, has it really been 24 years? Jan 26, 1986. Super Bowl XX, at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tony Eason and the New England Patriots, against Jim McMahon and the Chicago Bears.
After watching the Super Bowl on TV as a kid, I couldn’t believe I was actually there to cover the big game in person. It was just my second year in television so I was still a little wet behind the ears.
At the time, I was working for Channel 9, WMUR TV in Manchester, N.H. and was in the Big Easy as part of the media contingent covering the Patriots.
That year the Pats were actually a surprise Super Bowl suitor given the teams they had the beat to get there. After finishing the regular season with a record of 11-5 and in third place behind the Dolphins and Jets in the AFC East, New England’s ticket to New Orleans consisted of three wildcard road wins against the Jets (26-14), Raiders (27-20) and Dolphins (31-14).
Ironically, Miami was the only team that season to beat the Bears, who arrived on Bourbon Street with a gaudy record of 18-1, following play-off wins over the Giants (21-0) and the Los Angeles Rams (24-0).
Yep, back to back play-off shutouts, but no surprise really when you consider at the time the Bears where in the record books as one of the best defenses ever in league history.
That year, the Bears, “46 Zone” defense, allowed the fewest points (198), total yards (4,135), and fewest yards rushing (1,319). They also led the league with thirty-four interceptions. Read the rest of this entry →
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