Bear Sid Luckman, at home in the championships, threw the opening score to Ken Kavanaugh, his first target in the 1940 Championship Game. Dante Magnani put the Bears on top 14-0 with an interception return 9 minutes into the game.
Giant Frank Filchock, who had been under suspicion for not reporting an attempt to bribe another Giant player to throw the game, quieted some of those who doubted his sportsmanship by firing a 38-yard touchdown pass to End Frank Liebel. A long scoring drought by both teams was ended in the third quarter when Bear Joe Osmanski fumbled on the Bears' 20, and three plays later Filchock threw a touchdown to Quarterback Steve Filipowicz. The game was tied by an extra point by Ken Strong, who had also played in the Bears-Giants championship in 1933.
With the game still tied in the fourth quarter, Luckman called time out on the Giants' 19-yard line and asked Coach George Halas if it was time to use a specially-designed trick play. Halas gave the command, and Luckman faked a handoff to the left, and as the Bears' line shifted, the Giants followed while Luckman ran down the right sideline, breaking a tackle and getting some important blocks to score his only touchdown of the year. A late Bears' field goal closed out the scoring as the Bears won 24-14.
This win was the sixth for the Bears in 15 years and their fourth in the Forties, making this the decade of the Monsters of the Midway.
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Schedule Chi 30 GB 7 Chi 34 Car 17 LA 28 Chi 28 Phi 14 Chi 21 Chi 0 NYG 14 GB 7 Chi 10 Chi 27 LA 21 Was 20 Chi 24 Det 6 Chi 42 Car 35 Chi 28 Chi 45 Det 24 Chi 24 NYG 14 (Championship) |
Roster |