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Bears' Cairo Santos Takes Blame for Field Goal Unit's 'Stink' After Vikings Block FG

Nov 25, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 24: Cairo Santos #8 of the Chicago Bears kicks a field goal to force overtime against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 24: Cairo Santos #8 of the Chicago Bears kicks a field goal to force overtime against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos took the blame for his blocked field goal in the Bears' 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

"I take the blame in kind of the stink that we have on our field goal unit right now," Santos said post-game, according to ESPN's Courtney Cronin and Kalyn Kahler. "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."

The Bears have now had field goal attempts blocked in back-to-back games, with the first occurring in their 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

The blocked field goal occurred in the second quarter when Santos attempted a 48-yarder, leading to a midfield spot and a seven-point swing for the Vikings.

Santos' kicks are known to hang lower than usual, a trait opposing teams consistently aim to exploit week-to-week.

"We don't really cover too many kickers that have this type of low trajectory," Vikings safety Theo Jackson said, per Cronin and Kahler. "Other weeks you are trying to figure out, like, at what hash is he better on, left or right hash? But I feel like this week we were chomping at the bit to get that."

Despite Santos' unorthodox kicking style, he has converted 80 percent of his attempts this season, making 16-of-20, including seven from 50 yards or more.

While his low kick improves his chances on long-distance attempts, it's ineffective if he can't get it past the defenders.

"It's hard for me to go on and change because I just don't see a mis-hit type of low kick, but I do have more of a piercing, driven ball flight just to help my make my kicks in the windy situations," Santos said, per Cronin and Kahler. "The wind wasn't too bad, but it's always windy here."

Despite Santos' impressive season field goal percentage, he has averaged just 66.7 percent over the past two games.

"You always try to hit the ball the same, 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," Santos said, according to Cronin and Kahler. "So it's a learning curve for me too, and I take responsibility for that."

Santos will look to end the blocked field goal trend as the Bears take on the Detroit Lions on the road Thursday.

Caleb Williams Says Bears OC Told Him to 'Go Be Superman' Near End of Vikings Game

Nov 24, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 24: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears scrambles during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 24: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears scrambles during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears nearly pulled off an improbable comeback against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter behind a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Caleb Williams.

The team ultimately lost in overtime, 30-27, but it was a glimpse of what Williams could become. After the game, he credited new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown for allowing him to play freely in crunch time:

"He has a certain aura to him that he just allows you to play free," Williams told reporters. " ... When it's time to be Superman, that is what he tells me in the headset. 'Go be Superman at the end of the day.'"

Williams finished the game 32-of-47 for 340 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, taking three sacks. It was one of the best performances of his young career, but the Bears—who have made losing close games an art form this season—fell to 4-7, losing their fifth straight game.

Chicago is now 2-5 in one-score games this season, which includes an overtime loss, a loss due a Hail Mary on the final play of the game against Washington and a loss due to a blocked field goal on the final play against the Green Bay Packers.

"We're losing in the most unreal situations," wideout D.J. Moore told reporters after Sunday's contest. "Now it's like luck has gotta go in our favor at some point. So hopefully it's starting on Thanksgiving and we'll have a nice meal coming back."

He also praised Williams.

"His confidence is through the roof," he told reporters regarding Williams' development over the past two weeks. "He's understanding all the game plans, through and through, so to see him go out there and just be able to play quarterback like he wants to is amazing to see."

Those two games have corresponded with a change in offensive coordinators from Shane Waldron to Brown. That doesn't feel like a coincidence.

The question for the struggling Bears is whether there will eventually be a replacement at head coach as well, with Matt Eberflus currently resting on the hottest of seats.

Caleb Williams Excites NFL Fans with Rally Despite Bears' OT Loss to Darnold, Vikings

Nov 24, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 24: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears is forced out of bounds during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 24: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears is forced out of bounds during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

The only thing that matters for the Chicago Bears for the rest of the season is developing rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, but he and the rest of the team would surely like to scrape together a few more wins.

And a victory eluded them once again Sunday.

Chicago's losing streak extended to five with a 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. The 9-2 Vikings won with a John Parker Romo field goal and are trending in the opposite direction with four victories in a row as they attempt to remain within striking distance of the dominant Detroit Lions in the NFC North.

But it wasn't all bad from the Bears' perspective. Williams looked excellent for most of the game and finished 32-of-47 for 340 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also led his team back from an 11-point deficit in the final 30 seconds with a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen and deep throw to DJ Moore to set up a field goal after Chicago recovered an onside kick.

It was an incredible individual effort that deserved to be rewarded with more than yet another loss, but that is life for a Bears quarterback.

Social media at least had plenty of praise for the rookie:

Despite the losing streak, there is reason for optimism in Chicago.

That Williams' performance came on the heels of another impressive showing last time out against the Green Bay Packers is notable because those are the two games since the Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

Chicago outgained Green Bay, didn't turn it over and saw Williams move the ball into game-winning field goal territory just for Cairo Santos' kick to be blocked in that game.

Yet that offensive momentum continued in the early going Sunday, as Williams picked apart Minnesota's secondary throughout the first half. He showed more chemistry with Keenan Allen than he has all year and also unleashed a beautiful pass to D'Andre Swift while running to his right that helped set up a Roschon Johnson touchdown.

Yet the Bears are still the Bears, and the optimism faded as it so often does.

Santos had another kick blocked in the first half, and the defense had no answers for Jordan Addison (eight catches for 162 yards and one touchdown) or T.J. Hockenson (seven catches for 114 yards).

Elsewhere, drops from Swift, Cole Kmet and others undercut the work Williams was doing, and DeAndre Carter let a punt hit his leg in the red zone for a turnover that set up an Aaron Jones touchdown.

That sequence came after the Bears had to rush a failed fourth-down attempt because Matt Eberflus sent the field goal unit out and then changed his mind after the angry Soldier Field crowd greeted him with the boos that should be overwhelmingly familiar for the head coach.

It all led to a rookie quarterback getting no help as he fought against the organizational incompetence that has largely defined the Bears for the last three decades.

And fight he did with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and the incredible sequence at the end of regulation. It was a sign of things that may be to come in the Windy City, especially if the front office makes a necessary coaching change during the upcoming offseason.

Yet the Bears dropped a game in excruciating fashion for the third time during this losing streak as the winning field goal went through the uprights. It was more of the same for a team that lost on the final play against the Packers and Washington Commanders as well, but at least the quarterback of the future is in place.

Bears Will Send NFL Video of Packers' Blocked FG Due to Possible Missed Penalty

Nov 18, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 17: Cairo Santos #8 of the Chicago Bears watches as Karl Brooks #94 of the Green Bay Packers blocks a potential game winning field goal at the end of the fourth quarter of a game at Soldier Field on November 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 17: Cairo Santos #8 of the Chicago Bears watches as Karl Brooks #94 of the Green Bay Packers blocks a potential game winning field goal at the end of the fourth quarter of a game at Soldier Field on November 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Green Bay Packers stunned the Chicago Bears on Sunday, winning 20-19 after blocking a field goal as time expired to secure the victory.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus wasn't happy with the officials on the play and said the organization will submit a video to the NFL to show that a penalty should have been called on the Packers, noting they "were on our long snapper," according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network:

It remains to be seen whether the NFL will agree with Chicago's grievance. That's out of the organization's hands now, but what was in Chicago's control was the handling of the final drive.

With 35 seconds and one timeout remaining, the Bears called a run play for Roschon Johnson, who gained two yards. That put the team in range for a 46-yard field-goal attempt. Rather than run another play to possibly get closer for kicker Cairo Santos, the Bears let the clock run down to three seconds before calling the timeout.

That approach surprised the Packers in particular:

"I will say this: [Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia] said to our team last night, 'I will not understand if we come out of this game without a block, whether field goal or PAT,'" Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters. "So, great job from our special teams coaches."

However, Eberflus defended his late-game approach.

"They were loading the box there," he told reporters. "You could say you could do that for sure, maybe get a couple more yards, but you're also going to risk fumbling and different things there. We felt where we were, if we're at the 36 or 35, you definitely want to do that because you want to get it inside there. I felt very confident where we were at that time with the wind and where we were on the field."

It was the second time this season that Santos had a field goal blocked. And it was the second time this year the Bears have snatched a loss from the jaws of victory on the final play of the game, as the Washington Commanders beat them in Week 8 on a Hail Mary touchdown pass.

Had both of those games gone Chicago's way, the team would be sitting at 6-4 and right in the mix for a wild-card berth. Instead, the Bears are 4-6, mired in a four-game losing streak and currently sit at 12th in the NFC.

"It's almost comical," Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson told reporters of the team's close calls during that run. "The luck of the damn draw at this point. We've got to figure it out, how to be better."

Caleb Williams Impresses NFL Fans Despite Bears' Loss to Love, Packers on Blocked FG

Nov 17, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 17: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears scrambles during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on November 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 17: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears scrambles during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on November 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The first game with Thomas Brown as offensive coordinator provided a much-needed boost for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, but it wasn't enough in a 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.

One week after the Kansas City Chiefs won a game by blocking a field goal as time expired, Cairo Santos' 46-yard attempt for the Bears with three seconds remaining was blocked by Karl Brooks.

Williams did a great job setting up what would have been his first career game-winning drive. After being sacked on consecutive plays to set up a third-and-19 from his own 21-yard line, Williams hit Rome Odunze on back-to-back throws for 37 yards.

Chicago snapped its streak of 26 consecutive drives without a touchdown on Roschon Johnson's one-yard score late in the first half.

That was the first of three straight scoring drives for the Bears. They got a field goal on their first possession of the third quarter, followed by D'Andre Swift's 39-yard score on the next drive.

It turns out that when Williams isn't being sacked on every other dropback, he's capable of being an effective player. The rookie quarterback had one of his best games of the season, finishing 23-of-31 for 231 yards through the air and 70 rushing yards on nine carries.

The running element was something that had been missing from Williams' game in the past two weeks. He had a total of six rushing attempts in losses to the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots.

Despite the loss, fans and analysts came away impressed with Williams' rebound performance after a recent rough stretch.

There are still some things that Williams and the offense need to clean up. Even though he was only sacked three times in the game, two of them coming on the final drive really put them behind the eight ball.

Ultimately, though, this is yet another missed opportunity for head coach Matt Eberflus. The Bears got into field goal position on Keenan Allen's 12-yard reception to get the ball to the Packers' 30-yard line with 35 seconds remaining.

The Packers also used a timeout at that point to get the replay official to review the catch, which was confirmed. Even though the clock was stopped with time to run multiple plays that could set up an easier kick, Johnson ran for two yards on the next play before Chicago used its final timeout after letting the clock tick down to three seconds.

Given how the offense was moving the ball against Green Bay's defense at that point, the Bears could have tried to throw it a couple of times. It may not have made a difference since the field goal was blocked instead of just missed, but these are the little differences that often seem to go wrong in Chicago.

Chicago dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for more than 36 minutes. Jordan Love only attempted 17 passes, but still threw for 261 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard run with 2:59 remaining.

The Bears will look to end their three-game losing streak next week against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.

NFL Rumors: Caleb Williams Apologized to Bears for Struggles After Waldron Firing

Nov 17, 2024
Chicago, IL - November 10: Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams looks to throw in the second quarter. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Chicago, IL - November 10: Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams looks to throw in the second quarter. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams reportedly apologized to his teammates in a team meeting for his part in the offense's struggles after offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

Per that report, "Teammates were very impressed by the accountability and his decision to do that."

The 22-year-old rookie has had his ups and downs this season, throwing for 1,785 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 60.5 percent of his passes and taking 38 sacks. His 38.4 QBR ranks 29th among qualified quarterbacks, ahead of only Gardner Minshew (37.7), Will Levis (31.7) and Deshaun Watson (22.4).

The Bears, in the process, are 4-5.

Few people have laid the blame solely on Williams, of course. Waldon's scheme had significant issues, offensive line play has been spotty and head coach Matt Eberflus is undoubtedly on the hot seat.

"Third playcaller, and I take full accountability for that," Eberflus told reporters Wednesday after firing Waldron and appointing Thomas Brown to offensive coordinator, the third OC the team has had this calendar year. "I take full responsibility for that, and it's got to get better. The details of creativity have to improve, and it's got to improve this week."

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Sunday that under Brown, the "goal will be to get back to basics for Williams, as his transition from college to professional football has been a bit steeper than anticipated."

He added that "the focus, sources say, is to simplify, and going back to basics is how Brown put it in a team meeting earlier this week."

Williams has to own his part of the team's struggles, and he reportedly has. But the entire Bears offense clearly needed a new direction as well.

Fantasy NFL Rumors: Bears to Simplify Offense for Caleb Williams amid Benching Buzz

Nov 17, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 3: Quarterback Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 3, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 3: Quarterback Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 3, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears intend to get rookie quarterback Caleb Williams "back to basics" under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

"The focus, sources say, is to simplify, and going back to basics is how Brown put it in a team meeting earlier this week," Rapoport reported.

The NFL insider added that elevating Tyson Bagent to the starting role was discussed "in a broader context" within the organization. The idea "was never truly considered," however, and only one piece of a "thorough evaluation."

The Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers demoted Anthony Richardson and Bryce Young respectively earlier this year with both falling short of expectations. Both have reclaimed the starting job.

That benching Williams was a possibility at any level speaks to how his season is unfolding. Through nine games, the No. 1 overall pick has 1,785 passing yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions with his team sitting at 4-5. Williams has gone three straight games without a passing touchdown.

Amid the unit's wider struggles, head coach Matt Eberflus fired Shane Waldron as the offensive coordinator less than a full year after bringing him onto the staff. For Brown, no objective is bigger than getting Williams' development back on track.

Even if the Bears go on to miss the playoffs, the campaign can be chalked up as a success somewhat if the 22-year-old begins to look more like a true franchise QB.

Fans will get their first opportunity to see Chicago's new-look and more simplified offense in Sunday's highly anticipated clash with the Green Bay Packers.

Bears' Jaylon Johnson Shades Jayson Tatum's Olympic Playing Time in IG Photo Caption

Nov 15, 2024
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 27: Jaylon Johnson #1 of the Chicago Bears gets set during an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on October 27, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. The Commanders defeated the Bears 18-15. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 27: Jaylon Johnson #1 of the Chicago Bears gets set during an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on October 27, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. The Commanders defeated the Bears 18-15. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson might've just created some beef with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum.

In an Instagram caption, Johnson wrote Friday, "I'm Like Jayson Tatum in the Olympics im not playing."

Tatum's playing time—and lack thereof—in some of Team USA's games was a running subplot of the men's basketball tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

It's unclear what prompted Johnson's joke at Tatum's expense. Sometimes, dropping a clever burn is reason enough on its own.

Little did U.S. head coach Steve Kerr understand the Pandora's box he was opening by doing what he believed was in the best interests of the team in Paris.

Despite the fact Tatum was coming off a 2024 NBA Finals win with the Boston Celtics, the Team USA coaching staff determined a rotation marginalizing the five-time All-Star a bit was the right course forward. As a result, he played the second-fewest minutes, ahead of only Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.

While Tatum didn't openly express his dissatisfaction with what went down in Paris, those around him have offered enough insight into his mindset.

The 26-year-old will probably love to discover the situation has broken containment and is now the source of jokes outside of the NBA.

NFL Rumors: Caleb Williams Benching Was Discussed by Bears amid Rookie-Year Struggles

Nov 14, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 10: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears looks to pass the ball against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Soldier Field on November 10, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 10: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears looks to pass the ball against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Soldier Field on November 10, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears reportedly discussed benching rookie quarterback Caleb Williams amid the team's three-game losing streak.

"There were conversations. I don't know how close they got, but yes, there were conversations about whether one of the solutions was to bench the quarterback," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday during Get Up. "But to bench him to give him a break, to try and save him."

Williams, 22, has thrown for 1,785 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions across nine games, completing 60.5 percent of his passes while taking an NFL-worst 38 sacks.

Chicago's offense, in turn, ranks 24th in points, 30th in total yards and 31st in third downs.

Some of Williams' struggles have come down to holding onto the ball for too long. Some could be attributed to the offensive line. Others have been schematic in nature, to the point that former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired this week, with passing game coordinator Thomas Brown taking over the gig.

"After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offense," head coach Matt Eberflus said in a statement. "This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully. I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best moving forward."

As for the rookie quarterback, there have been reports that some veterans with the Bears requested the coaching staff give backup Tyson Bagent a chance to start at quarterback. Williams said this week that he feels supported by his teammates, however.

"I think those guys are good, easy. We talk about it," he told reporters. "I think I got full support from them. I've gotten texts or calls or people coming up to me, with this situation that just happened, and saying, 'We got your back, we're with you.' You know, things like that and 'Let's go.' That kind of mindset and attitude has been what it's been this past couple days. And that's kind of what it's only been."

The Bears have a brutal stretch to close the season, facing the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Vikings, Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Packers in the final eight games of the season. All five of those teams are potential playoff qualifiers this season, so if Chicago's changes on offense don't inspire a turnaround, a once promising 4-2 start to the season is going to get ugly in a hurry.

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