Bears’ Wild Finish Can’t Mask Special Teams Struggles in OT Loss to Vikings
CHICAGO — If you thought the Chicago Bears’ season couldn’t get any more chaotic, Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings proved otherwise. In a jaw-dropping sequence of events, the Bears managed to score a touchdown, convert a 2-point attempt, recover an onside kick, and nail a 48-yard field goal—all in just 22 seconds—to force overtime. But even that miraculous effort wasn’t enough, as the Bears fell 30-27 in overtime to the Vikings. And while the ending was thrilling, the game also highlighted a glaring issue for Chicago: their special teams.
After two straight games with blocked field goal attempts—and an NFL-high three this season—Bears kicker Cairo Santos didn’t shy away from taking responsibility for the unit’s struggles. “I take the blame in kind of the stink that we have on our field goal unit right now,” Santos said. “We’ve gone so many kicks in a row without getting kicks blocked, 16 50-yarders the last two years not getting a kick blocked. And sometimes they happen like that, back-to-back.”
Blocked Kicks Becoming a Trend
Santos’ 48-yard attempt in the second quarter was blocked by Vikings defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, marking the second consecutive week the Bears had a potential game-changing kick swatted away. Just like the Green Bay Packers did in Week 11, the Vikings had clearly done their homework. Minnesota’s special teams players revealed they had been preparing all week to exploit Santos’ low trajectory kicks and Chicago’s shaky protection.
“I feel like this week we were chomping at the bit to get that,” said Vikings safety Theo Jackson. “We don’t really cover too many kickers that have this type of low trajectory.”
And it’s not just the Vikings who have noticed. Two executives from other NFL teams confirmed that Chicago’s protection issues and Santos’ kicking style have been on scouting reports for a while. “They give up a lot of penetration in that area,” Jackson added. “So once you see that on film, that they constantly give up a rush there, that’s what we are going to attack.”
Special Teams Woes Pile Up
It wasn’t just the blocked field goal that hurt the Bears. Veteran return specialist DeAndre Carter muffed a punt in the third quarter, allowing the ball to bounce off his leg and into the hands of Minnesota’s Bo Richter. The Vikings capitalized on the mistake, with running back Aaron Jones scoring a 2-yard touchdown five plays later to extend Minnesota’s lead to 14 points.
“Gotta get out of the way of the ball. That’s on me,” Carter admitted. “I let the team down today. Game shouldn’t have been in the situation it was in. I felt bad for the guys.”
To his credit, Carter redeemed himself later with a 55-yard kickoff return that set up the Bears’ final touchdown drive in regulation. Santos also had his moment of redemption, successfully executing an onside kick and nailing the game-tying 48-yard field goal to force overtime. But the damage had already been done.
What’s Next for the Bears?
With their special teams unit under a microscope, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus acknowledged the need for immediate changes. “When you have issues on any part of the team, you got to get involved,” Eberflus said. “We have to make sure we clean up those things.”
Here’s a quick breakdown of the Bears’ special teams struggles this season:
- Three blocked field goal attempts, the most in the NFL this year.
- First time since 2012 the Bears have had three blocked kicks in a single season.
- Multiple muffed punts, including Carter’s costly mistake against the Vikings.
Despite the loss, the Bears showed resilience in their late-game heroics. But if they want to turn their season around, fixing their special teams issues will be critical. With a short week ahead, Chicago faces the Detroit Lions on Thursday, and all eyes will be on whether Eberflus and his staff can address these glaring problems in time.
For Santos, the focus is on improving his trajectory to avoid future blocks. “It’s hard for me to go on and change because I just don’t see a mis-hit type of low kick,” Santos explained. “But this week I’m always looking for how can I maximize my height with my ball flight so I don’t have to rely on playing the wind as much. So it’s a learning curve for me too, and I take responsibility for that.”
As for the Vikings, their special teams coordinator Matt Daniels deserves credit for his game plan. “His coaching point was simple: Get an inside push,” said linebacker Jihad Ward. And it worked to perfection.
For now, the Bears are left to pick up the pieces after another frustrating loss. Can they clean up their special teams in time to salvage their season? Thursday’s game against Detroit might just provide the answer.
Originally Written by: Courtney Cronin
