NightLink: Lovie's Top 5 Regular Season Victories

by Dane Noble on Sep 24, 2009 4:00 PM CDT

Lovie Smith has been the head coach of the Chicago Bears since the 2004 season, with (including this season) 82 regular season games under his belt. Of those 82, he has won 47. It would be quite an undertaking to try and rank the top 5 wins during this span, but David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune gave it a shot.

Maybe the win over Pittsburgh last week inspired him, because that game showed up as #5.

5 Bears 17, Steelers 14

Sept. 20, 2009

Soldier Field

It may not lead to anything if the Bears don't take advantage. But if the team gets to the playoffs, this could be the Sunday they point to as the reason why. At 0-2, the Bears would have faced long odds. In finding a way to rally, they showed character every head coach likes to see.

Defining play: Johnny Knox's TD reception from Jay Cutler for the game-tying score -- a connection between a quarterback eager to prove and an unproven wide receiver that renewed hope in a football city.

Without looking, can you guess Haugh's remaining 4 games? Would his top 5 be your top 5?

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Comments

Wow!!!

Mr. smith won’t have a job next season if he does not get about 9 more number #5’s this season.

Don't let your schoolin interfere with your education.

by gaingrene on Sep 24, 2009 4:20 PM CDT reply actions

I thought it was a good list

I’d make a case for the Sunday night game in 2005 against Atlanta or the Vikings game that started that 8 game win streak in 2005. Both were pretty important games.

by Sam Householder on Sep 24, 2009 4:58 PM CDT reply actions

i would have put

the 2006 nfc championship up there in that list somewhere. that was a great game to watch at the bar, lots of hootin and hollerin. even good rex showed up in the 2nd half and d line was wearing people out.

i don’t think it might qualify for top 5 but another old gem was beating the packers in week 2 2004. a great upset win over the cheeseheads. unfortunately that game also started mike brown’s long and painful injury-riddled road out of town.

by reefermadness3 on Sep 24, 2009 4:59 PM CDT reply actions

Even though I love the Cardinals

When the Bears beat them in 2006 deserves to be #1 on there because of how they did it, and I’m glad it is #1 on that list.

by JoeCB1991 on Sep 24, 2009 5:17 PM CDT reply actions

TV Blackouts

Does anyone else find it ridiculous to have tv blackouts??? Lions and Raiders are expected to be blackouts this weekend (not that I care to watch either team). It bothers me that they blackout the best sport for certain cities due to the lack of attendence. The economy is down (especially in Detroit) and the frickin tickets are overpriced due to ticket brokers buying all the seats and selling them for twice as much as their face value. I’m just saying…

by Stellarpete22 on Sep 24, 2009 5:24 PM CDT reply actions

not so much

if the ticket brokers bought all the tickets…there would be no blackout.

Unreasonable people make life difficult...

by WisBearsFan34 on Sep 24, 2009 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Yup

by Fridge72 on Sep 25, 2009 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Cards game

They were arguably the best on defense, and unquestionably the most dominant specials teams in the NFL. The Bears had no business winning that game with only 3 points from the offense. It’s incredible how they came back from a nearly improbable deficit caused by Sex Cannon’s 10.2 rating.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 24, 2009 8:18 PM CDT reply actions

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP?!?!?!

No way that doesnt make the list, the saints were prohibitive favorites.

Phil: " Whose baby is that?
Alan: "Check his collar or something." - The Hangover

by ANYTIME09 on Sep 24, 2009 8:51 PM CDT reply actions

Top 5

Regular season victories.
That game against the Saints was a playoff game, therefore it doesn’t qualify.

by CutlerDabears on Sep 24, 2009 8:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Not one to pay attention to detail.

Phil: " Whose baby is that?
Alan: "Check his collar or something." - The Hangover

by ANYTIME09 on Sep 25, 2009 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions

That Cardinal game was such a defining moment of the '06 season.

Not just the comeback, not just Hester, but everything went our way down to just knowing they would miss that final field goal attempt.

BSG Girls = Cubs Win! So say we all.

by neverAcquiesce on Sep 25, 2009 10:03 AM CDT reply actions

Ever since then

up to and including this weekend with the Steelers’, i really feel like we’re either going to block the Field Goal, or they are gonna miss it… wonder if anyone has stats on that

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 25, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm totally with you on that.

Watching the Week 16 game against the Packers last year with my dad I said the same thing. “Well, they’re gonna miss it. They have to.” And lo and behold they do!

BSG Girls = Cubs Win! So say we all.

by neverAcquiesce on Sep 25, 2009 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions

I always liked

…the win over the Seawhawks in 2006 in the regular season. That was the game that really solidified for me that the Bears were going to dominate that year. They took on a good (well, we still thought they were good at the time) team and pantsed them.

The NFC championship game is a good one, too.

by TCBullfrog on Sep 25, 2009 10:29 AM CDT reply actions