50. Brown and out — times two

Bears safety Mike Brown returns an interception for a touchdown and a 37-31 overtime win over the 49ers on Oct. 28, 2001. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

The Bears made a lot of their good fortune during their 13-3 season in 2001, and they also got some tips, deflections and breaks that went their way. Safety Mike Brown ended consecutive overtime games in the middle of the season with interception returns for touchdowns, and on the second one against the Browns on Nov. 4, he didn't break stride after reaching the end zone, running straight through the tunnel in the northwest corner of Soldier Field. It was a wild set of circumstances as the Bears were being blown out of both games. The week before, they trailed the 49ers 31-16 before rallying to force overtime. The 49ers won the coin toss, but Terrell Owens short-armed a throw from Jeff Garcia over the middle as linebacker Brian Urlacher closed in. The ball fluttered into the air and Brown picked it off, scoring easily. The Bears needed even more heroics the next week against the Browns as they trailed 21-7 late in the fourth quarter before a Shane Matthews touchdown pass and an onside kick. Running back James Allen caught a deflected Hail Mary pass in the end zone with no time remaining to force overtime. Defensive end Bryan Robinson deflected a Tim Couch pass, and Brown was in the right place at the right time again, catching the ball and scoring.

"It's just weird, real weird," Brown said after the second pick-six, which gave the Bears their sixth straight victory. "If a book was written, I don't think they'd believe it. It just came right to me and fell right into my hands. I don't know what to say. A higher power, luck, destiny, whatever you call it."