Bears–Giants rivalry
The rivalry was notable for the six NFL championship games between the two teams before the creation of the Super Bowl, and the two subsequent Super Bowl-era playoff meetings that involved two of the NFL's greatest defensive units: the Bears' 46 defense crew helmed by Buddy Ryan, and the Giants' Big Blue Wrecking Crew mentored by Bill Belichick.[2][3][4][5] It was Chicago's second consecutive championship, having previously won in 1932 when the league awarded the title to the team with the best regular season winning percentage.[8][9][10] A fourth meeting took place in the 1946 NFL Championship Game, in which a then-record 58,346 fans witnessed the Bears defeat the Giants 24–14 in New York.The tone of the game was set when a punt attempt by Giants punter Sean Landeta was muffed in the strong winds and Shaun Gayle returned it five yards for a touchdown.The win proved crucial for the Bears as they went on to finish with the NFC's best record at 13–3, en route to a Super Bowl XLI appearance.[19] The Giants, on the other hand, turned a 6–2 start into a 2–6 finish, ending with an 8–8 record and losing in the Wild Card Round to the rival Philadelphia Eagles.