1961 Chicago Bears season

1961 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	George Halas
General manager	George Halas
Owner	George Halas
Home field	Wrigley Field
Results
Record	8–6
Division place	3rd NFL Western
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1961 Chicago Bears season was their 42nd regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted an 8–6 record under George Halas, which was an improvement over the 5–6–1 record of the previous season.

Offseason

On January 14, Chicago Bears End Willard Dewveall played out his option and joined the Houston Oilers of the American Football League. He became the first player to move deliberately from one league to another.

The Bears were notable for taking part in an exhibition game in their first ever game outside of the United States, taking on the CFL's Montreal Alouettes (the original team), winning 34–16.

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 17, 1961	at Minnesota Vikings	L 37–13	32,236
2	September 23, 1961	at Los Angeles Rams	W 21–17	53,315
3	October 1, 1961	at Green Bay Packers	L 24–0	38,669
4	October 8, 1961	at Detroit Lions	W 31–17	53,854
5	October 15, 1961	Baltimore Colts	W 24–10	48,719
6	October 22, 1961	San Francisco 49ers	W 31–0	49,070
7	October 29, 1961	at Baltimore Colts	W 21–20	57,641
8	November 5, 1961	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 16–14	60,671
9	November 12, 1961	Green Bay Packers	L 31–28	49,711
10	November 19, 1961	at San Francisco 49ers	L 41–31	52,972
11	November 26, 1961	Los Angeles Rams	W 28–24	45,965
12	December 3, 1961	Detroit Lions	L 16–15	51,017
13	December 10, 1961	Cleveland Browns	W 17–14	38,717
14	December 17, 1961	Minnesota Vikings	W 52–35	34,539

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 6 0 7 13 • Vikings 3 7 14 13 37 Date: September 17 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game attendance: 32,236 Game weather: 61°F; wind 13

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 7 0 7 7 21 Rams 3 7 0 7 17 Date: September 23 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Game attendance: 53,315 Game weather: 65°F; wind 10

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 0 0 0 • Packers 7 3 7 7 24 Date: October 1 Location: City Stadium Game attendance: 38,669 Game weather: 46°F; wind 19

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 0 7 3 21 31 Lions 10 0 7 0 17 Date: October 8 Location: Tiger Stadium Game attendance: 53,854 Game weather: 60°F; wind 7

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total Colts 0 7 0 3 10 • Bears 3 7 0 14 24 Date: October 15 Location: Wrigley Field • Chicago, Illinois Game attendance: 48,719 Game weather: 50°F • Wind 13

Scoring summary 1 CHI Roger LeClerc 14-yard field goal Bears 3–0 2 BAL Johnny Unitas 7-yard run (Steve Myhra kick) Colts 7–3 2 CHI Johnny Morris 8-yard pass from Ed Brown (Roger LeClerc kick) Bears 10–7 4 BAL Steve Myhra 32-yard field goal Tie 10–10 4 CHI Willie Galimore 84-yard pass from Ed Brown (Roger LeClerc kick) Bears 17–10 4 CHI Rick Casares 1-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) Bears 24–10

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total 49ers 0 0 0 0 0 • Bears 0 14 7 10 31 Date: October 22 Location: Wrigley Field Game attendance: 49,070 Game weather: 49°F; wind 8

Week 7

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 0 7 7 7 21 Colts 7 7 6 0 20 Date: October 29 Location: Memorial Stadium • Baltimore, Maryland Game attendance: 57,641 Game weather: 52°F • Wind 8

Scoring summary 1 BAL Joe Perry 21 -yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick) Colts 7–0 2 BAL Lenny Moore 68-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick) Colts 14–0 2 CHI Mike Ditka 19-yard pass from Bill Wade (Roger LeClerc kick) Colts 14–7 3 BAL Alex Hawkins 1-yard run (kick failed) Colts 20–7 3 CHI Johnny Morris 41-yard pass from Bill Wade (Roger LeClerc kick) Colts 20–14 4 CHI Rick Casares 5-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) Bears 21–20

Week 8

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 7 7 0 0 14 • Eagles 3 7 6 0 16 Date: November 5 Location: Franklin Field Game attendance: 60,671 Game weather: 68°F; wind 9

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total • Packers 7 21 3 0 31 Bears 7 0 7 14 28 Date: November 12 Location: Wrigley Field Game attendance: 49,711 Game weather: 52°F; wind 13

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 7 3 7 14 31 • 49ers 17 3 21 0 41 Date: November 19 Location: Kezar Stadium Game attendance: 52,972 Game weather: 48°F; wind 7

Week 11

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 7 0 3 14 24 • Bears 7 14 0 7 28 Date: November 26 Location: Wrigley Field Game attendance: 45,965 Game weather: 49°F; wind 12

Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total • Lions 0 9 0 7 16 Bears 3 3 6 3 15 Date: December 3 Location: Wrigley Field Game attendance: 51,017 Game weather: 44°F; wind 10

Week 13

1 2 3 4 Total Browns 14 0 0 0 14 • Bears 0 0 0 17 17 Date: December 10 Location: Wrigley Field Game attendance: 38,717 Game weather: 30°F; wind 15

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total Vikings 14 7 7 7 35 • Bears 7 14 24 7 52 Date: December 17 Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois Game attendance: 34,539 Game weather: 33°F; wind 13

Scoring summary 1 MIN Hugh McElhenny 81 yard punt return (Mike Mercer kick) MIN 7–0 1 MIN Jerry Reichow 30 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Mike Mercer kick) MIN 14–0 1 CHI Angelo Coia 62 yard pass from Bill Wade (Roger LeClerc kick) MIN 14–7 2 CHI Willie Galimore 8 yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) Tie 14–14 2 CHI Mike Ditka 2 yard pass from Bill Wade (Roger LeClerc kick) CHI 21–14 2 MIN Jerry Reichow 11 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Mike Mercer kick) Tie 21–21 3 CHI Angelo Coia 16 yard pass from Bill Wade (Roger LeClerc kick) CHI 28–21 3 CHI Roger LeClerc 17 yard field goal CHI 31–21 3 CHI Mike Ditka 30 yard pass from Bill Wade (Roger LeClerc kick) CHI 38–21 3 MIN Gordie Smith 10 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Mike Mercer kick) CHI 38–28 3 CHI Charlie Bivins 30 yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) CHI 45–28 4 MIN Jerry Reichow 24 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Mike Mercer kick) CHI 45–35 4 CHI Willie Galimore 60 yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) CHI 52–35

Standings

NFL Western Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	11	3	0	.786	9–3	391	223	W1
Detroit Lions	8	5	1	.615	7–4–1	270	258	L1
Chicago Bears	8	6	0	.571	7–5	326	302	W2
Baltimore Colts	8	6	0	.571	6–6	302	307	W1
San Francisco 49ers	7	6	1	.538	6–5–1	346	272	L1
Los Angeles Rams	4	10	0	.286	3–9	263	333	L1
Minnesota Vikings	3	11	0	.214	3–9	285	407	L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.