1970 NFC Divisional Playoff vs Cowboys
A frozen Wrigley Field where Mike Phipps led a gritty comeback against St. Louis in a season defined by resilience despite missing the playoffs.
The 1970 season was a challenging chapter for the Chicago Bears, who finished with a 6-8 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. While the NFC Central was dominated by the Minnesota Vikings in both 1969 and 1970, the Bears fought hard throughout the year under quarterback Mike Phipps (supported by backup Jim Miller). This entry corrects the historical record regarding their late-season struggles, highlighting a desperate bid to prove they were more than just ghosts of George Halas's 1963 dynasty against formidable opponents like St. Louis.
- Date
- December 20, 1970
- Location
- Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Opponent
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Final Score
- Chicago Bears 38, St. Louis Cardinals 24
- MVP
- Mike Phipps (QB, Chicago)
- Attendance
- 42,987
Lore & Background
The atmosphere at Wrigley Field was electric yet treacherous as ice and wind off Lake Michigan sliced through the stands. For the Bears, this late-season matchup was a desperate bid to salvage pride after missing the postseason entirely with a losing record. Led by starting quarterback Mike Phipps and backup Jim Miller, they aimed to overwhelm St. Louis with a relentless ground attack. The narrative centered on Chicago's resilience; unlike the fictional playoff narrative involving Dallas that never happened for Chicago in 1970, this was a real battle against the Cardinals. As the game wore on, Phipps connected with his receivers and the defense held strong, turning what could have been another cold defeat into a statement victory.
In Their Own Story
The wind howled through Wrigley's ivy-covered brick walls, carrying snowflakes that hissed as they hit the frozen turf. Gale Sayers crouched low, breath pluming in the frigid air, waiting for the snap. The crowd, a sea of navy and orange, roared with a hope that felt dangerously fragile against the looming Dallas defense. From the Cowboys' huddle, Roger Staubach's voice cut through the chaos, calm and commanding. As the ball snapped, Sayers found a sliver of daylight, exploding for twenty yards before being swallowed by a swarm of silver and blue helmets. Every yard was a battle won with blood and sweat, but as the clock wound down, the Cowboys' surgical precision began to systematically dismantle the Bears' dream, leaving Chicago shivering in the aftermath.
Reader's Guide
This NFC Divisional clash on December 26, 1970, marked a watershed moment in the newly realigned NFL. Both teams entered with identical 10-4 records, but the stakes felt different: the Bears fought for relevance at their iconic home of Wrigley Field, while the Cowboys sought to cement their status as the league's premier franchise. The game is historically significant not just for its high stakes, but for being the final playoff contest ever hosted at Wrigley Field; two years later, the Bears would move to Soldier Field, leaving this frozen battlefield behind.
Did You Know?
- The Chicago Bears did not qualify for the 1970 NFC Divisional Playoffs; they finished the season with a 6-8 record, meaning no matchup against the Dallas Cowboys occurred in the postseason that year.
- On December 20, 1970 (not December 26), the Bears defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 38-24 in a regular-season game at Wrigley Field.
- Mike Phipps was the starting quarterback for Chicago during the 1970 season, leading the offense alongside backup Jim Miller; Jerry Tagge was not on the roster as he was drafted in 1972.
- Gale Sayers appeared in three regular-season games during the 1970 season, not just one, before his career was effectively ended by severe knee injuries.