The Pittsburgh Steelers have a terrible record against the Chicago Bears. Most of their losses were accumulated in those infant years of the franchise when the Bears were one of the NFL’s powerhouses.
The Bears were an established part of the NFL a decade before the Steelers joined. The early contests between the two teams were lopsided affairs, always in the Bears favor. The Bears have an overall 22-8-1 win record. The Steelers have only won one game in Chicago while losing 14. I wrote about that thrilling 1995 overtime victory previously?
The first two decades of Steelers football would produce just two winning seasons. Apart from the hiring of Dr. John Sutherland, who they lost too soon, Art Rooney struggled to find a successful formula with his coaches.
In 1957 he signed a coach with a winning background. Buddy Parker won two titles in Detroit but had become disgruntled with his players, so he walked away from the team.
The Steelers coach at the time, Walt Kiesling, played a major role in bringing Parker to Pittsburgh. Without his go ahead, Parker would have gone to another team. Kiesling remained with the team and is listed as an “advisory coach” in their media guide for that first year.
Parker’s first season in Pittsburgh was encouraging with the team improving to 6-6.
After losing the first two games of the 1958 season, Parker traded for his former Lions quarterback, Bobby Layne. The coach had become disillusioned with Earl Morrall, who the team had paid a high trade price for the previous year.
Layne’s first game was a sweet victory 24-3 victory against the Eagles, but it was followed by two losses. After those defeats, the Steelers won their next four games before facing the Bears. The Steelers had played the Bears thirteen times and had lost thirteen times.
The Bears were favored by three and the Pittsburgh Press warned the fans:
“The Bears unorthodox defensive tactics bode ill for Bobby Layne. Like a horde of stampeding cattle, the Bears line charges into opponents’ backfields so quickly that the quarterback frequently is forced to desert his pocket of blockers and strike out on his own.
The Bears have the forwards to make such strategy work. The visitors have one of the most difficult teams in the leagues to move the ball against.”
The (5-4) Steelers vs (6-3) the Bears; November 30th, 1958
On a snow- and ice-covered Pitt Stadium field, the Steelers kept their fans warm with some spectacular play. Tom Tracey ran his heart out and showed there was more to this Steelers team than Bobby Layne.
In the first quarter, it was Tracey who struck first. After Joe Lewis recovered his forced fumble, it set the Steelers up in Chicago territory. Helped by some heavy blocks from his teammates, Tracey swept 30 yards around end for a touchdown. Tim Milner added the extra point.
After the Bears had intercepted a Tracey pass, George Blanda missed a field goal attempt from 33 yards. The Steelers failed to add to their score when Milner also missed a field goal attempt from 41 yards.
In the second quarter, a run of 64 yards by Tracey set up a 22-yard field goal from Milner. The Steelers went into the locker room at the half with a 10-point lead that had been preserved by an outstanding goal line stand by the defense.
The Bears pressed hard in the third quarter, gaining a first down and goal to go from the five. The Steelers defense repelled three Bears runs. Before Coach Halas could get George Blanda into the game for a field goal attempt, Ed Brown lobbed a pass harmlessly out of the end zone.
Following the scoreless quarter, the Bears scored a touchdown early in the final period. Brown found Bob Jewett on the goal line with a 9-yard pass and all the Bears player needed to do was fall into the end zone for the score.
After the Bears recovered a Tracey fumble, Blanda kicked a 34-yard field goal to tie the game 10-10 with ten minutes remaining.
Layne and the Steelers then rose to the occasion. Layne flipped a high ball downfield to Jimmy Orr. With the Bears defensive end Erich Barnes joining Orr in an attempt to catch the ball, they succeeded in tipping it into the air. Orr reacted instantly, catching the ball over his shoulder before racing downfield for a 48-yard touchdown.
Layne and Orr connected again on the Steelers next possession with a 57-yard catch that placed the ball on the Bears 16. Tracey finished the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run to confirm the Steelers first victory over the Bears.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 24 vs the Chicago Bears 10
“This was our best game,” said Coach Parker. “It was the game where everyone, offense and defense, lines and backfields, worked most closely together.”
Bears Coach Halas suggested, “They have the best defensive line we’ve played all year.”
A tie the following week brought an end to their winning streak of five games. They would tie the Redskins 14-14 before knocking off the Chicago Cardinals 38-21. The season finished 7-4-1 for their best in a decade. It placed them third in the Eastern Conference, but only the top teams made it to a Championship game which saw the Colts beat the Giants.
Before the game, the Lions honored their former player, Bobby Layne. Presenting him with a large gold football trophy, they cited him as “the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL.” Layne would spend two more seasons with the team before retiring.
Buddy Parker would stay with the Steelers until 1965 when he resigned. He enjoyed two more winning seasons, 1962 being the franchise’s best at 9-5 until the arrival of Coach Noll.
