Nashville, TN (My Sportsbook) - Adewale Ogunleye was credited with a safety in overtime to end the game, accounting for two of the
Chicago Bears' 16 points scored on either defense or special teams in a 19-17 victory over Tennessee.
On the final play, Titans quarterback Billy Volek was sacked and stripped of the ball in the end zone by Chicago end Alex Brown. Tennessee tackle Fred Miller fell on the ball and was pancaked by Ogunleye at the 11:43 mark, ending the game.
The only other time an NFL game has ended with an overtime safety was a 23-21 win by the Minnesota Vikings in a November 5, 1989 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
"This one is going to hurt for a while," said Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher, a former Bear. "I don't even know where to start since there were so many unusual things that happened. I never would have thought we would lose the game in overtime on a sack for a safety."
Paul Edinger forced overtime in this one with a 29-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation, the only points scored by Chicago's offense.
"There are three phases, and normally if you play two of them well you have a chance [to win]," Chicago head coach Lovie Smith said. "We realize offensively we need to do some things better."
Defensive lineman Michael Haynes returned an interception for a touchdown and R.W. McQuarters scored on a punt return for the Bears (4-5), who have won all three of rookie quarterback Craig Krenzel's starts.
Krenzel was 10-of-28 for 116 yards with two interceptions in the win.
Volek passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns for the Titans (3-6), who were coming off a bye. Starting again in place of the injured Steve McNair, Volek was intercepted twice.
Tennessee's Drew Bennett led all receivers with 148 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Derrick Mason added seven receptions for 91 yards and a score in the loss.
McQuarters turned on the burners for his 75-yard punt return early in the third quarter, busting loose down the right sideline before turning into the middle of the field and outrunning Tennessee's coverage to give Chicago a 14-7 lead.
McQuarters, who now has three career punt return touchdowns, nearly broke Fisher's Chicago Bears record with an 85-yard punt return TD minutes later, but the score was nullified by an illegal block penalty.
The Titans pulled within 14-10 on Gary Anderson's 33-yard field goal 2:05 into the fourth quarter. They caught a break on the 51-yard drive when what looked to be an interception by Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was ruled incomplete.
Bennett was wide-open on his 47-yard touchdown catch, and Volek put the ball right there. The score, which came with 6:00 remaining in the game, was set up by Andre Dyson's interception at the Tennessee 4 and two 17-yard receptions from Mason.
After a series of punts, Chicago drove 69 yards to set up Edinger's 29-yard field goal, which split the uprights dead center to tie the game at 17 with 52 seconds remaining.
Craig Hentrich lined up for a 52-yard try at the other end, but it was blocked by Bears tackle Marc Colombo as time ran out.
Tennessee took a 7-0 lead with 2:17 left in the first quarter when Volek found Mason in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown. The Titans opened the drive at their own 42 after Chicago was forced to punt from its end zone.
The Bears didn't pick up a first down until 2 1/2 minutes were gone in the second quarter.
But they tied the game at 7-7 with 18 seconds remaining in the first half when defensive end Haynes intercepted Volek at the line of scrimmage and rumbled 45 yards for a touchdown.
"We actually ran that play a couple of times in practice," Haynes said. "The hardest thing was just catching it. In practice, you always try to do acrobatic catches and it never seems to work. It just seemed to work this week."
Haynes' one-handed pick was the last of five turnovers in the final eight minutes of the second quarter. Chris Brown fumbled twice in the eight-minute span, and Chicago's Edinger missed a 39-yard field goal attempt after one of them.
Titans kicker Hentrich missed a 58-yard try at the end of the half.
McNair was active for the game, but did not play. He has missed two straight contests with a bruised sternum.