Ben Johnson throws Cairo Santos under the bus after Bears Week 1 loss

The Ben Johnson era for the Chicago Bears didn’t get off to the start the team hoped it would, losing on Monday Night Football 27-24 to the Minnesota Vikings. After entering the fourth quarter up 17-6, it looked like Chicago would secure a season-opening win. Instead, the Bears found themselves trying to stage a late-game comeback after the Vikings quickly scored 21 unanswered points.

Chicago eventually responded, scoring a touchdown seconds before the two-minute warning, and the team was hoping to get the ball back with enough time to put together one last drive. In order to do that, the Bears needed to prevent Minnesota from returning the kickoff. If the Vikings put the ball in play, time would run off the clock, and Chicago would essentially lose the de facto timeout that is the two-minute warning.

However, Bears kicker Cairo Santos kicked a ball that was caught in the end zone, and returned for 33 yards. By losing those seconds, and the two-minute warning, Chicago got the ball back with only 16 seconds after a three-and-out.

Followimg the game, head coach Ben Johnson made it clear that he instructed Santos to put the ball through the end zone, eliminating the possibility of a return. The Bears had considered going for an onside kick, but figured if the ball was kicked through the end zone and the defense got a three-and-out, the offense would get the ball with roughly 56 seconds left. That would be more than enough time to drive down the field and either win the game with a touchdown or force overtime with a field goal.

Ben Johnson confirms he told Cairo Santos to kick the ball through the end zone

Johnson didn’t sugarcoat things; his answer placed blame on Santos for not getting the ball out of the end zone. That means it was a really rough night for the kicker, who also missed a 50-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter.

While not having a kicker that can get the ball through the end zone when you need it is a bit problematic, Johnson isn’t entirely blameless in the situation. Many have questioned why he and the Bears wouldn’t just instruct Santos to kick the ball out of bounds if there were questions about the kicker’s leg.

A touchback would’ve placed the ball at Minnesota’s 35-yard line, and the ball going out of bounds would have placed it at the Vikings’ 40-yard line. While Chicago would’ve sacrificed five yards, it would’ve ensured that no time ran off the clock, and it would’ve been easier to execute for Santos.

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Ultimately, it’s a bad loss for the Bears, but one this Ben Johnson-led team needs to learn from.