How Sweetness and the Fridge Owned the Packers in '85 (updated on 9/18/22)

Last season, Aaron Rodgers strolled into Soldier Field and announced “I own you” to the home crowd.

He isn’t wrong. Rodgers sports a 23-5 career record against the Bears. The Packers have won 6 straight in the series and 11 of the last 12. Green Bay clobbering the Bears has become as routine as Al Bundy sticking his hand down his pants.

It hasn’t always been this way.

Photo by Bob Langer

In 1985, the Bears were the best team in the league. They were probably the best team of all time. Coach Mike Ditka, as a former Bears player himself, knew all about the bitter rivalry with Green Bay. He didn’t just want to beat the Packers. He wanted to send a message. He wanted to give them something to remember. That’s why he set loose William “Refrigerator” Perry on them.

The idea began in the 1984 NFC Championship Game when the Bears played the San Francisco 49ers. With the Niners leading 23-0 and looking to ice the game, coach Bill Walsh put lineman Guy McIntyre into the backfield to run the ball. It was the cherry on top and the Niners went on to win the Super Bowl the next week.

The Bears got their revenge in the regular season rematch in ‘85. Sitting on a 26-10 lead late in the game, Ditka put defensive lineman William Perry into the backfield. The Fridge ran the ball twice for 4 total yards. The Bears moved to 6-0 on the season.

The Fridge was just getting started. The following Monday night against the Packers at Soldier Field, the Bears were down 7-0 in the 2nd quarter and driving the ball. They had 1st and goal at the 2-yard line. Perry sauntered onto the field and lined up behind quarterback Jim McMahon and to the right of running back Walter Payton (nickname “Sweetness”).

McMahon took the snap and handed off to Payton. Tackle Keith Van Horn started the push on the right side of the line. The Fridge ran through the hole and blasted linebacker George Cumby out of the way. Payton easily scored.

On the next possession, the Bears took the ball to the 1-yard line. Perry came in again. This time, he took the handoff from McMahon and plunged into the end zone for his first career touchdown, putting the Bears ahead 14-7.

Once more that quarter, Chicago drove to the 1-yard line of Green Bay. Perry cleared the way for another Payton touchdown run.

Otis Wilson capped the Bears’ scoring that night with a 4th quarter safety on 3rd-string quarterback Jim Zorn, who was in the game because Lynn Dickey and Randy Wright had already been knocked out with injuries.

Chicago’s defense came up with 4 interceptions and 5 sacks. Walter Payton ran for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns and the still-unbeaten Bears prevailed 23-7.

Photo by Jerry Tomaselli

Mike Ditka and the Bears weren’t finished tormenting the Packers that year. They traveled to Lambeau Field two weeks later for round two. Sweetness and the Fridge would again provide the decisive one-two punch.

The Packers were desperate to settle the score. Six personal foul penalties were called in the first half. Green Bay cornerback Mark Lee shoved Walter Payton so far out of bounds at the end of a play that Payton crashed into the bench. On another play, well after the whistle, safety Ken Stills ran full speed at Bears fullback Matt Suhey and decked him.

While the Packers piled up the penalties, the Bears took a 7-3 lead on a William Perry touchdown catch from 4 yards out.

The Packers came back and led 10-9 in the 4th quarter, but the Bears had the ball and were driving into field goal range. Walter Payton decided to take it all the way to the end zone instead, scoring from 27 yards out after breaking a tackle inside, bouncing it out to the sideline with a stiff-arm, and outracing the Green Bay secondary. (The video is here at the 28:55 mark.) It was the decisive score in a 16-10 Bears victory.

Payton rushed for 192 yards in the game, the third highest single-game total of his career.

The Packers gave the Bears a handful that day at Lambeau. A Wisconsin radio station got into the act as well, leaving a bag of fertilizer in the Bears’ locker room before the game, along with a note which read, “Here’s what you guys are full of.”

Sweetness, the Fridge, and the rest of the ‘85 Bears were not going to be denied, though. They showed that the Packers can be beaten at Lambeau.

Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, and Jim Covert. Photo by Bob Langer

Here’s to the Bears putting together another Paytonian effort tonight and ending their losing streak against the Pack.

Sources:

The ‘85 Bears: Still Chicago’s Team by Triumph Books. Link here.

Pro-football-reference.com