Chicago Bears: Bears-Patriots trip down misery lane

This time the Patriots were the defending Super Bowl champs. The Bears were all too welcoming.

The season in Champaign and this might have been the worst loss of it. Then again, there were 12 to choose from that season as whatever magic potion they had the year before not only ran out but kicked the Bears in the ass on the way to the door.

They had lost six straight after a 2-0 start to the season coming into this one. Bears fans expected the worst. But even when you’re down, the Bears always found a way to put you in a place where they could make it worse. Lifting you up off the floor, and just at the moment where you think they might provide a little light — they’d rip out your intestines and then slip on them and break their neck.

The Bears were up 27-16 after three quarters. Jim Miller got hurt, because of course he did, forcing Chris Chandler to finish this one out.

The Patriots put up 15 points in the last three minutes of the game. That would have been bad enough, but on the Patriots last drive, it appeared Bryan Robinson had intercepted a Brady pass to end proceedings. The refs called it as such. But after an interminable review, it was determined Robinson was juggling the ball as he fell to the ground, and it was ruled incomplete.

You didn’t have to tell Bears fans what would come next. We didn’t even have to watch. Brady marched the Pats down the field while barely breathing hard and found David Patten to win it. There is a curse upon Champaign, Illinois. One that apparently still hasn’t been lifted.