The Bears weren't an awful team, they were average during Payton's early career but certainly not awful.
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1975 Chicago 4-10 Payton 679 yards
1976 Chicago 7-7 Payton 1390 yards
1977 Chicago 9-5 Payton 1852 yards (Bears make the playoffs)
1978 Chicago 7-9 Payton 1395 yards
1979 Chicago 10-6 Payton 1610 yards (Bears make the playoffs)
1980 Chicago 7-9 Payton 1460 yards
1981 Chicago 6-10 Payton 1222 yards
1982 Chicago 3-6 148 Payton 596 yards (strike shortened year)
1983 Chicago 8-8 314 Payton 1421 yards
1984 Chicago 10-6 381 Payton 1684 yards (Bears make the playoffs)
1985 Chicago 15-1 324 Payton 1551 yards (Bears make the playoffs)
1986 Chicago 14-2 321 Payton 1333 yards (Bears make the playoffs)
1987 Chicago 11-4 146 Payton 533 yards (Bears make the playoffs)
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