2004 Chicago Bears season
The season was the Chicago Bears's 85th season in the National Football League. The team failed to improve on their 7–9 record as they fell to a 5–11 record, under first-year head coach Lovie Smith. The team was once again in a quarterbacking carousel after the injury of starter Rex Grossman early on in the season. This was the team's eighth losing season in the past nine seasons.
According to statistics site Football Outsiders, the 2004 Bears had the third-worst offense, play-for-play, in their ranking history. Chicago's 231 points and 3,816 offensive yards were dead-last in the league in 2004. Their team quarterback passer rating was 61.7 for the year, also last.
The Bears started four different quarterbacks in 2004 – Chad Hutchinson, Craig Krenzel, Jonathan Quinn, and Rex Grossman. Grossman would eventually establish himself as the starter, and two seasons later, would lead the Bears to their second NFC Championship and an appearance in the Super Bowl.
Offseason
2004 Draft
Roster
Preseason
NOTE: The first and last pre-season games were broadcast on WMAQ-TV channel 5, but due to NBC's coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics, The second and third games were broadcast on WCIU-TV as WMAQ broadcast the Olympics.Schedule
Regular season
Schedule
Week 1: vs Detroit Lions
Scoring Summary
Q1 – CHI – 7:38 – Thomas Jones 2 yd TD runQ2 – DET – 0:16 – Jason Hanson 27 yd FG
Q3 – DET – 12:17 – Bracy Walker 92 yd blocked FG return TD
Q3 – DET – 7:37 – Jason Hanson 21 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 12:40 – Thomas Jones 2 yd TD run
Q4 – DET – 9:54 – 4 yd TD pass from Joey Harrington to Az-Zahir Hakim
Q4 – CHI – 1:53 – Safety, Nick Harris ran out of bounds in own end zone
Week 2 at Packers
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaScoring summary
Q1 – CHI – 8:08 – Paul Edinger 34 yd FGQ2 – CHI – 13:41 – Paul Edinger 23 yd FG
Q2 – MIN – 8:57 – 3 yd TD pass from Daunte Culpepper to Randy Moss
Q2 – MIN – 5:09 – Morten Andersen 42 yd FG
Q3 – MIN – 10:58 – Daunte Culpepper 1 yd TD run
Q4 – CHI – 14:46 – Paul Edinger 32 yd FG
Q4 – MIN – 11:20 – Morten Andersen 24 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 6:20 – Thomas Jones 1 yd TD run
Q4 – MIN – 5:39 – 2 yd TD pass from Daunte Culpepper to Randy Moss
Q4 – CHI – 2:00 – Rex Grossman 6 yd TD run
Week 4: vs Philadelphia Eagles
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q1 – PHI – 5:00 – David Akers 51 yd FGQ2 – PHI – 10:59 – David Akers 42 yd FG
Q2 – PHI – 6:03 – 11 yd TD pass from Donovan McNabb to Terrell Owens
Q2 – PHI – 1:57 – David Akers 42 yd FG
Q2 – CHI – 0:06 – Paul Edinger 25 yd FG
Q3 – PHI – 4:41 – David Akers 40 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 3:57 – 2 yd TD pass from Jonathan Quinn to Bryan Johnson
Week 5: Bye Week
Week 6: vs Washington Redskins
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q1 – WAS – 5:41 – Ola Kimrin 41 yd FGQ2 – WAS – 14:53 – 18 yd TD pass from Mark Brunell to Rod Gardner
Q2 – CHI – 5:36 – Jerry Azumah 70 yd interception return TD
Q4 – WAS – 11:13 – Ola Kimrin 26 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 5:10 – Paul Edinger 46 yd FG
Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FloridaScoring summary
Q2 – TB – 13:25 – Martín Gramática 22 yd FGQ2 – TB – 0:48 – 6 yd TD pass from Brian Griese to Michael Clayton
Q3 – TB – 12:23 – Martín Gramática 22 yd FG
Q3 – CHI – 3:45 – Thomas Jones 1 yd TD run
Q4 – TB – 8:52 – Michael Pittman 3 yd TD run
Week 8: vs San Francisco 49ers
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q1 – CHI – 13:01 – 49 yd TD pass from Craig Krenzel to Bernard BerrianQ1 – SF – 5:26 – Dwaine Carpenter 80 yd fumble return TD
Q1 – SF – 0:40 – Todd Peterson 48 yd FG
Q2 – CHI – 13:27 – Paul Edinger 52 yd FG
Q2 – SF – 6:20 – Todd Peterson 51 yd FG
Q2 – CHI – 4:35 – Paul Edinger 45 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 13:59 – Paul Edinger 27 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 3:52 – Nathan Vasher 71 yd interception return TD
Week 9: at New York Giants
at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New JerseyScoring summary
Q1 – NYG – 8:03 – Tiki Barber 3 yd TD runQ1 – NYG – 3:54 – Tiki Barber 1 yd TD run
Q2 – CHI – 5:13 – 35 yd TD pass from Craig Krenzel to Bernard Berrian
Q2 – CHI – 2:35 – Anthony Thomas 4 yd TD run
Q2 – CHI – 1:09 – Paul Edinger 22 yd FG
Q2 – CHI – 0:00 – Paul Edinger 21 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 7:44 – Anthony Thomas 41 yd TD run
Q4 – NYG – 1:56 – 1 yd TD pass from Kurt Warner to Jeremy Shockey
Week 10: at Tennessee Titans
at The Coliseum in Nashville, TennesseeScoring summary
Q1 – TEN – 2:17 – 29 yd TD pass from Billy Volek to Derrick MasonQ2 – CHI – 0:18 – Michael Haynes 45 yd interception return TD
Q3 – CHI – 11:04 – R. W. McQuarters 75 yd punt return TD
Q4 – TEN – 12:55 – Gary Anderson 33 yd FG
Q4 – TEN – 6:00 – 47 yd TD pass from Billy Volek to Drew Bennett
Q4 – CHI – 0:52 – Paul Edinger 29 yd FG
OT – CHI – 11:43 – Safety, Fred Miller tackled in own end zone by Adewale Ogunleye
Week 11: vs Indianapolis Colts
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q1 – IND – 9:05 – 14 yd TD pass from Peyton Manning to Marcus PollardQ1 – CHI – 2:12 – Paul Edinger 51 yd FG
Q2 – IND – 14:04 – 35 yd TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne
Q2 – IND – 10:56 – Mike Vanderjagt 34 yd FG
Q2 – IND – 5:41 – 10 yd TD pass from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison
Q2 – IND – 0:59 – Mike Vanderjagt 20 yd FG
Q3 – IND – 8:26 – 27 yd TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne
Q3 – IND – 0:42 – Edgerrin James 11 yd TD run
Q4 – CHI – 1:37 – 2 yd TD pass from Craig Krenzel to Dustin Lyman
Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys
at Texas Stadium in Irving, TexasScoring summary
Q1 – DAL – 10:43 – Julius Jones 33 yd TD runQ2 – CHI – 5:57 – R. W. McQuarters 45 yd interception return TD
Q4 – DAL – 11:07 – 5 yd TD pass from Vinny Testaverde to Darian Barnes
Q4 – DAL – 7:00 – Julius Jones 4 yd TD run
Week 13: vs Minnesota Vikings
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q1 – CHI – 4:47 – 6 yd TD pass from Chad Hutchinson to Desmond ClarkQ1 – MIN – 1:19 – 4 yd TD pass from Daunte Culpepper to Nate Burleson
Q2 – CHI – 11:22 – Paul Edinger 53 yd FG
Q2 – MIN – 2:23 – 40 yd TD pass from Daunte Culpepper to Marcus Robinson
Q2 – CHI – 0:22 – 15 yd TD pass from Chad Hutchinson to David Terrell
Q4 – CHI – 10:23 – 5 yd TD pass from Chad Hutchinson to Jason McKie
Week 14: at Jacksonville Jaguars
at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, FloridaScoring summary
Q1 – JAX – 3:18 – 6 yd TD pass from Byron Leftwich to Reggie WilliamsQ2 – CHI – 1:44 – Paul Edinger 42 yd FG
Q2 – JAX – 0:31 – Josh Scobee 30 yd FG
Q3 – JAX – 5:36 – Josh Scobee 25 yd FG
Q4 – JAX – 13:48 – Safety, Chad Hutchinson sacked in own end zone by Daryl Smith
Q4 – JAX – 9:26 – 31 yd TD pass from Byron Leftwich to Jimmy Smith
Week 15: vs Houston Texans
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q2 – HOU – 0:27 – 37 yd TD pass from David Carr to Corey BradfordQ3 – CHI – 4:06 – Safety, intentional grounding by David Carr in own end zone
Q4 – CHI – 14:09 – Paul Edinger 43 yd FG
Q4 – HOU – 11:37 – Kris Brown 20 yd FG
Q4 – HOU – 4:23 – Domanick Davis 11 yd TD run
Q4 – HOU – 2:37 – Charlie Anderson 60 yd fumble return TD
Week 16: at Detroit Lions
at Ford Field in Detroit, MichiganScoring summary
Q1 – DET – 3:06 – Jason Hanson 31 yd FGQ2 – DET – 11:30 – Kevin Jones 1 yd TD run
Q2 – DET – 5:50 – Jason Hanson 39 yd FG
Q2 – DET – 0:00 – Jason Hanson 34 yd FG
Q3 – CHI – 3:40 – Lance Briggs 38 yd interception return TD
Q4 – DET – 11:29 – Jason Hanson 40 yd FG
Q4 – CHI – 7:04 – 15 yd TD pass from Chad Hutchinson to Jason McKie
Week 17: vs Green Bay Packers
at Soldier Field in ChicagoScoring summary
Q1 – CHI – 12:54 – Thomas Jones 2 yd TD runQ1 – GB – 3:22 – 17 yd TD pass from Brett Favre to Bubba Franks
Q2 – GB – 13:16 – 38 yd TD pass from Brett Favre to William Henderson
Q2 – GB – 11:52 – Darren Sharper 43 yd interception return TD
Q2 – GB – 6:14 – 25 yd TD pass from Craig Nall to Javon Walker
Q3 – CHI – 5:48 – Thomas Jones 1 yd TD run
Q3 – GB – 0:41 – Ryan Longwell 20 yd FG