Greatest Chicago Bears Seasons: Marty Booker 2001

In the long history of the Chicago Bears only one player has hit triple digits in pass receptions, and that was Marty Booker in 2001.  He hit it on the nose with 100 catches for 1,071 yards and 8 touchdowns, and he also threw a TD pass to Marcus Robinson in a week 4, 31-3 win in Atlanta.  That 2001 team went a surprising 13-3, led by coach of the year Dick Jauron.

Booker did his damage with quarterbacks Jim Miller starting 13 games Shane Matthews starting 3 and seeing action in 5 games.

Booker had a good start to the year with 9 receptions in a week 1 loss in Baltimore.  He followed it up with 9 more and a TD in a win over the Vikings.  After 18 catches in two games the bye week was the only thing that would cool off Booker.  In week 4, besides the TD pass, he also had a TD reception of 63 yards.  In a week 5 win against the Cardinals he had a quiet 5 for 48.

Bears bust David Terrell had one of his better games in the week 6 win against the Bengals.  His 7 for 91 was better than Booker's 6 for 76, but Marty had a TD catch.  The next two games will forever be know in Bears lore as the Mike Brown games.  In back to back weeks Mike Brown ended overtime games with touchdown returns, but in those two games Booker helped out with 15 receptions for 152 yards.

He had 8 for 81 in the 1st loss to the Packers in week 9 and in the 2nd Bears defeat by Green Bay in week 13 he was held to 2 catches for 14 yards. 

He had a 3 TD game in Tampa Bay and his scores kept getting better and better and better.  His 1st TD of the day was a 28 yarder, which was followed by a 44 yarder, and finally capped off with a 66 yard score.  He finished the week 10 game with 7 receptions for 165 yards.

He had another 9 catch day in week 12 and 7 more in a week 15 win in Washington, in the game that had the Brad Maynard to Brian Urlacher TD pass.  Tricky!  His last monster game of the year was in week 16 when he had 9 for 115 in a win in Detroit.  In the disappointing playoff loss to the Eagles he was held to 2 grabs for 18 yards.

Booker wasn't the biggest Bears receiver at 6' and 212, but he was a strong player that would fight for the ball and ran crisp routes.  I wonder if any 2011 Bears receivers could approach the 100 reception mark?