After conceding a 17-16 lead to the Minnesota Vikings with 50 seconds left in the game, the Bears were backed against the wall once again. It looked like Caleb Williams had to lead the team again to victory, just like he had done against Cincinnati and the New York Giants in the last minute of the previous two weeks.
Instead, special teams showed up and helped the Bears in a big way. Kick returner Devin Duvernay returned the kickoff off 56 yards, and helped set up Cairo Santos' game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired to win 19-17.
It was nice to see Santos, who had missed a 45-yard field goal attempt previously, redeem himself. The Bears find themselves at the top of the NFC North at the moment. But their playoff hope now rests on his legs as the schedule gets more difficult.
The leg of Cairo Santos could make or break the Bears' playoff hopes.
The Chicago Bears’ kicking game just got a lot more complicated after Jake Moody was signed off the practice squad by the Washington Commanders on Monday. Santos now stands alone as the Bears’ trusted leg — and the pressure on him couldn’t be higher.
Moody’s departure removes the safety net Chicago had quietly kept in place. Moody filled in for Santos when he was out with a quad injury and kicked in two of the wins. Ironically, one of them was against the Washington Commanders. While Santos has been steady for much of his tenure, the Bears now have no fallback option after Moody's departure. That reality magnifies every kick, especially with the team chasing a playoff berth in a tightly packed NFC race.
Adding more challenge for Santos and the Bears is that no more indoor games remain after Minnesota. When Santos missed a 45-yarder indoors, how many fans were confident in him making his game-winning kick? Now, he has to go to Philadelphia on Black Friday, a place where 15-25 mph winds impacted the game between the Eagles and the Lions in Week 11.
He also has to deal with Soldier Field’s notorious gusts when kicking at home, and a trip to San Francisco next to the last game of the season will also be a challenge, considering their notorious windy conditions, dating back to Candlestick Park days.
With Santos, the fans are not just concerned about him making PATs and field goals. They should be worried about his kickoffs, too. He is ranked 14th with eight touchbacks, far fewer than strong kickers like Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys (15) and Cam Little of the Jacksonville Jaguars (14). The special teams have been a weak spot because the coverage team has given up huge returns on multiple occasions, and Santos is equally culpable.
Read more: Bears avoided another meltdown against Vikings despite multiple blunders
For the Bears, the margin between a playoff berth and another disappointing season could come down to his kicks. That means the fans are guaranteed to have more heart-attack-inducing games down the stretch. With Moody gone and no indoor games left on the schedule, Santos must conquer the elements and silence his doubters.