Super Bowl XX

Background

Coming into the game, the 1985 Chicago Bears had already became national stars. Their strong defense, "46 Zone", stopped any and all opponents, except for the Miami Dolphins, in their tracks. On the strength of the "46" and a good running game, they went 15-1 in the regular season, becoming the second NFL team ever to win 15 regular season games (after the 1984 San Francisco 49ers), and shutout both of their opponents in the playoffs. It was a team full of characters, such as the rebellious quarterback Jim McMahon, the silky smooth running back Walter Payton, the aggressive linebacker Mike Singletary, and a lovably large rookie defensive tackle simply known as the Fridge, William "Refrigerator" Perry, who also often played at the fullback position when the Bears were inside their opponent's 5-yard line. The players brought these characterizations to the national stage with the "Super Bowl Shuffle", a rap song the Bears recorded during the season. Even though it was in essence a novelty song, it actually peaked at #41 on the Billboard charts and got a Grammy nomination for best R&B song by a group.

Related Topics:
Miami Dolphins - San Francisco 49ers - Jim McMahon - Walter Payton - Mike Singletary - William "Refrigerator" Perry - Super Bowl Shuffle - Billboard - Grammy

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While the Bears were national stars, the New England Patriots was thought to be lucky to have made it to the Super Bowl at all. The Patriots narrowly made the playoffs as the second wild card, the last playoff seed under the rules of that time, and were forced to spend all of the postseason on the road if they were to get to New Orleans, which was hardly likely in the eyes of most. Yet the Patriots shocked everybody, beating the New York Jets, Los Angeles Raiders, and the Dolphins on the road to make it to the Super Bowl.

Related Topics:
New York Jets - Los Angeles Raiders

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