Thursday night's win over the Miami Dolphins was the 700th for the Bears organization, and it happened to come during a signature game.
The Bears engineered a 16-0 shutout that featured punishing defense, a hard-nosed running game and a so-so performance from the quarterback. The only way it could have been more apropos of the Bears was if it was -34 degrees and during a blizzard.
It was a signature game for Brian Urlacher, the face of the Bears for the past 10 years. He became the Bears all-time leading tackler, and did it on a game where he also laid out Dolphins QB Tyler Thigpen with a beautiful sack.
Beyond the franchise implications of this win, this was a signature win that the 2010 Bears desperately needed. The defense led the way, with six sacks, an interception and big hits. They kept the Dolphins from moving down the field, only letting them convert one third down on 11 chances. The offense lent a hand, with Matt Forte picking up 97 yards on the ground, and special teams didn't disappoint as Robbie Gould nailed three field goals, including a 50-yarder. But it was the defense's win. It's the kind of win that fans will remember when discussing the 2010 season.
And there's something poetic about this win coming in Miami, a place that has demonized the Bears for as long as the Dolphins have been around. The Bears are only 3-7 against the Fish, and some the organization's worst losses have come in Miami. The Dolphins played highlights of the 12-0 Bears losing in 1985, then of the 7-0 Bears losing in 2006. Then the Bears shut them out.
Now that's poetic.
