Game Recap

1st Quarter:
3 - 0 Bears lead
The Broncos kicked off the game but the first points weren't put up until 8 minutes into the quarter with the Bears 2nd possession. Bears K Robbie Gould scored on a 24 yd FG after starting their drive at the Denver 47.
3 - 3 Tie game
The Broncos went only 5 yds to their own 33 and punted but Bears WR Devin Hester muffed the catch and it was recovered by Broncos DB Nick Ferguson for another shot. Broncos RB Andre Hall ran the ball 20 yds on 4 carries but 2 incomplete passes forced Denver to even the score with a 23 yd FG off the foot of K Jason Elam.

2nd Quarter:
10 - 3 Broncos lead
On the 1st play of the Bears' ensuing drive, Broncos CB Karl Paymah intercepted Bears QB Rex Grossman and ran out of bounds at the 41. With the help of 15 and 12 yd receptions by WRs Brandon Stokley and Brandon Marshall (respectively) Denver was set up with a 1st down at the Chicago 16. Hall ran in the ball to put the Broncos on top with the 1st TD of the game.
10 - 6 Broncos lead
The Bears marched 37 yds to the Denver 35 but chose to punt into the endzone for a touchback. Broncos QB Jay Cutler's second pass was intercepted by Bears FS Danieal Manning who returned it 17 yds to the 27. An illegal contact penalty on the Bears nullified the turnover but on the ensuing play, Broncos RB Mike Bell fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Bears DE Adewale Ogunleye who ran it 16 yds to the Denver 14. The Denver defense stood, and 6 plays later, the Bears put up 3 with a 44 yd FG. Key Plays: 25 yd TD catch by TE Greg Olsen nullified by an offensive holding penalty, Grossman was sacked for an 8 yd loss by Broncos DL Kenny Peterson, Bears RB Adrian Peterson 17 yd catch to set up the FG.
13 - 6 Broncos lead
The next 5 minutes of play were a soccer match with both teams punting back and forth. Finally, Denver got to the Bears 4 yd line but were stalled with a no gain run and 2 incomplete passes. On 4th down, Elam put a 22 yarder through the uprights to tack on another 3 with 13 seconds left in the half.

3rd Quarter:
13 - 13 Tie game
The Broncos opened the 2nd half with possession but went 3 and out and punted from their own 29. Hester ran the punt back 75 yds for a TD to tie the score.
20 - 13 Broncos lead
Broncos WR Glenn Martinez returned the kickoff 19 yds but fumbled and the ball was recovered by Ferguson at the Denver 25. An offensive holding penalty took 8 yds off the play setting the Broncos up at their own 8. The next play, Cutler's pass intended for Marshall was intercepted by Bears CB Charles Tillman who returned it 4 yds to the Denver 14. The Bears went nowhere and on 3rd down, Grossman was tackled by Broncos S Hamza Abdullah who forced a fumble. Abdullah recovered at the 10. Denver went 9 yds and punted back to the Bears, who went 3 and out and punted back. This time, Broncos FB Cecil Sapp ran in a 5 yd TD to reclaim the lead. Key Plays: Hall 11, 16 and 23 yd runs, Stokley 11 yd reception, TE Tony Scheffler 17 yd reception.
20 - 20 Tie game
The Bears answered immediately with another Hester runback, this time an 88 yd TD.
27 - 20 Broncos lead
Following an 18 yd return by Martinez, Cutler threw 68 yds to Marshall for the TD on 1st down to put the Broncos back on top. It was the 3rd score in 28 seconds.

4th Quarter:
34 - 20 Broncos lead
The Broncos built up a 14 pt lead with a 14 yd TD catch by Scheffler. A previous 41 yd reception by Scheffler helped set up the score.
34 - 27 Broncos lead
The Bears drove to their own 39 where Grossman was sacked by Broncos DE Tim Crowder for a 4 yd loss and fumbled again, recovered by Broncos LB Ian Gold at the 36. The Broncos punted from the Bears 41 but an illegal formation penalty nullified the kick and they were forced to punt again. The kick was blocked by Tillman and recovered by Bears S Brandon McGowan at the Denver 18. Peterson ran it in from the 4 to narrow the score to 7.
34 - 34 Tie game
The Broncos went nowhere and the Bears were set up to go for it on 4th and 9 at their own 36. The pass fell incomplete but drew an illegal contact penalty from Denver CB Dre Bly and the Bears got a free 1st down. Two minutes later, the Bears tied up the score again with a 3 yd TD run by WR Bernard Berrian. Key Plays: WR Rashied Davis 21 yd reception, WR Muhsin Muhammad 13 yd reception, Peterson 11 yd run.

Overtime:
37 - 34 Bears win
A false start penalty on the Broncos ran off the remaining seconds of regulation following a 12 yd gain and overtime was forced. The Bears got the ball 1st and sealed the win with a 39 yd FG. Key Play: TE Desmond Clark 39 yd reception.

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