Editing Super Bowl XX (section)

===Second quarter===
After an incomplete pass and a tackle for a 4-yard loss by Hampton on tight end [[Greg Hawthorne]], the Patriots had to send in punter [[Rich Camarillo]] again, and wide receiver [[Keith Ortego]] returned the ball 12 yards to the 41-yard line. The Bears subsequently drove 59 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 24-yard reception by Suhey, to score on McMahon's 2-yard touchdown run to increase their lead, 20–3. After the ensuing kickoff, New England lost 13 yards in 3 plays and had to punt again, but got the ball back with great field position when linebacker [[Don Blackmon]] stripped the ball from Suhey and cornerback [[Raymond Clayborn]] recovered the fumble at the New England 46. During the punt, Ortego forgot what the play call was for the punt return, and the ensuing chaos resulted in him being penalized for handing off a [[fair catch]] to cornerback [[Leslie Frazier]], who then suffered a career-ending knee injury while being tackled by Hawthorne.

Patriots head coach [[Raymond Berry]] then replaced Eason with [[Steve Grogan]], who had spent the previous week hoping he would have the opportunity to step onto the NFL's biggest stage. "I probably won't get a chance", he had told reporters a few days before the game. "I just hope I can figure out some way to get on the field. I could come in on the punt-block team and stand behind the line and wave my arms, or something."<ref name="SportsIllustrated"/> But on his first drive, Grogan could only lead the Patriots to the Chicago 37-yard line, and they decided to punt rather than risk a long field goal attempt. The Bears then marched 72 yards in 11 plays, which included a 29-yard reception by wide receiver [[Ken Margerum]], moving the ball inside the Patriots' 10-yard line. New England kept Chicago out of the end zone, but Butler kicked a 24-yard field goal on the last play of the half to give the Bears a 23–3 halftime lead.

[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 11 - Jim McMahon.jpg|thumb|right|Bears quarterback Jim McMahon scoring one of his two rushing touchdowns in Super Bowl XX.]]
The end of the first half was controversial. With 21 seconds left, McMahon scrambled to the Patriots' 3-yard line and was stopped inbounds. With the clock ticking down, players from both teams were fighting, and the Bears were forced to snap the ball before the officials formally put it back into play, allowing McMahon to throw the ball out of bounds and stop the clock with three seconds left. The Bears were penalized five yards for delay of game, but according to NFL rules, 10 seconds should have also been run off the clock during such a deliberate clock-stopping attempt in the final two minutes of a half. In addition, a flag should have been thrown for fighting (also according to NFL rules).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/superbowl/20.html |title=History of the Super Bowl – Super Bowl XX |work=The Sporting News |access-date=August 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123134017/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/superbowl/20.html |archive-date=January 23, 2009 }}</ref> This would have likely resulted in offsetting penalties, which would still allow for a field goal attempt. Meanwhile, the non-call on the illegal snap was promptly acknowledged by the officials and reported by NBC sportscasters during halftime, but the resulting field goal was not taken away from the Bears (because of this instance, the NFL instructed officials to strictly enforce the 10-second run-off rule at the start of the 1986 season).{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

The Bears had dominated New England in the first half, holding them to 21 offensive plays (only four of which resulted in positive yardage), −19 total offensive yards, two pass completions, one first down, and 3 points. While Eason was in the game, the totals were six possessions, one play of positive yardage out of 15 plays, no first downs, 3 points, 3 punts, 2 turnovers, no pass completions, and -36 yards of total offense.<ref name="USA Today Super Bowl XX Play by Play">{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/super/superbowl-xx-plays.htm|title=USA Today Super Bowl XX Play by Play}}</ref> Meanwhile, Chicago gained 236 yards and scored 23 points themselves.