Buffalo Bills vs. Chicago Bears, 1969

Buffalo Bills

Vs.

Chicago Bears

August 30, 1969

Mac, Bears Beat Bills, 23-16

By George Strickler

(Chicago Tribune Press Service)

Cleveland, Aug. 30- The talent modern science took away from Mac Percival on the ersatz turf of the Houston Astrodome a week ago returned to the Texas school teacher tonight on the closely cropped surface of Municipal stadium here where he kicked the Chicago Bears to a 23 to 16 triumph over the Buffalo Bills before the largest crowd in Cleveland professional football history- 85,531.

Percival, who missed five of six attempts in Houston, made five of six tonight to bring the Bears their third triumph in five pre-season starts.

Percival might have matched Buffalo's total production if the Bears had not elected to pass for two points after their only touchdown. The touchdown climaxed a 72-yard advance from a kickoff in the second period and was scored by Gale Sayers on a one-yard plunge after two interference penalties had provided 45 of the 78 yards and given the Chicagoans a first down on the one-yard line.

The Bears were on the one-yard line on one other occasion, but an offside penalty and losses totaling 13 yards by Jack Concannon on two pass attempts canceled the threat and enabled Percival to begin his unusual string of successes. This one was 25 yards. Percival had other field goals of 16, 31, 33, and 37 yards before he missed from the 45-yard line on the last play of the game. The widely publicized confrontation of O. J. Simpson, Buffalo's No. 1 draft choice, and Sayers, football's most dangerous breakaway runner, was something of a disappointment. Simpson gained only eight yards in three attempts against a Bear defense that again dominated almost all of the action. He caught two passes for 23 yards.

His best efforts were an important block on a 97 yard kickoff touchdown return by Bubba Thornton, a stringy, long-striding speedster from Texas Christian, and two kickoff returns that netted 60 yards. Thornton, who was Buffalo's 14th draft choice, returned another kickoff 63 yards to the Bears' 25.

Sayers fumbled the opening kickoff, and dropped a ball later after catching a pass from Concannon that should have netted a good gain. He had the best of Simpson as a receiver, statistically, catching four for 23 yards against a pair for Simpson. But the Trojan was used mostly as a decoy.

In addition to the ball game, the Bears won every important statistical duel. Concannon and rookie Bob Douglass from Kansas completed 19 of 25 passes. The Bills were limited to 26 yards rushing and the Bears outpassed them 193 to 156 yards

Statistically, the Bears looked like a ball team that should not lave had to depend on five field goals.

Douglass, getting his first real opportunity, was not exactly remarkable statistically, but the rookie did a commendable job of stringing together first downs to keep the ball away from the Bills in the fourth quarter. Buffalo had only five plays from scrimmage in the final period.

Buffalo was impressive only in the second quarter. Thornton's touchdown after Percival's second field goal gave it a 7 to 6 lead. It surrendered the slim advantage five minutes later when George Saimes, the gorgeous Greek from Michigan state twice fouled Gordon, a fellow Spartan, on passes, setting up Sayers' touchdown. It never led again, although it bounced right back from that jolt to score its second touchdown.

Simpson took the kickoff three yards in the end zone and came out 36 yards to the 33-yard line. When Ray Ogdon grabbed him by the face mask in making the tackle, 15 yards was added to the return.

Simpson then took an 11 yard pass from Quarterback Tom Flores, a product of the College of Pacific, and the Bears were assessed another 15-yard penalty. This one, too, was signaled as a face mask violation.

Flores followed with a 12-yard pass to Simpson, then rifled a 25-yard shot by Gary McDermott, an end from Tulsa, for the touchdown. McDermott took the pass in the corner of the field with Dick Butkus and George Donnelly, a pair of former Illini, in hot pursuit.

Buffalo's other points came on a 37-yard field goal by Bruce Alford of Texas Christian, whose father, Bruce. Sr. was the line judge in the game