When the Bears opened their season against the Vikings in Week 1, they built a strong lead highlighted by a solid defensive performance, only for Minnesota to inch their way back into the game and win. The Week 11 game was eerily similar, even down to the Vikings’ last-minute lead. This time, however, the Bears took the field to respond with a last-second field goal, winning 19-17 to improve to 7-3.
Chicago took a 16-3 lead entering the fourth quarter, but two touchdown drives led by JJ McCarthy put the Vikings back in front. A stellar kick return from Devin Duvernay put the Bears in excellent field position to begin their final drive. In the end, the game came down to the leg of Cairo Santos, who fired in from 48 yards. These are some of the conclusions of the game.
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Settling for field goals
Cairo Santos attempted four field goals on Sunday, making three of them. Being able to score points helps, but as made evident by the fact that the game was close in the fourth quarter, settling for a field goal is not always the decision. Santos’ last two field goals came in 4th and 3 situations, and he missed the second of the two. It’s good to get points, but one can only wonder what would have happened if they had been a little more aggressive on fourth down. Maybe they could have converted and put the game away.
Turnovers galore by the defense
The Bears defense took advantage of JJ McCarthy’s tough play, intercepting him twice on Sunday and deflecting three of his passes. Kevin Byard and Nahshon Wright had their fifth and fourth interceptions of the season, respectively, which speaks to how well Chicago has created turnover opportunities in 2025. In a game where the offense couldn’t always get the job done, the defense’s ability to get the ball back kept them in control for much of the afternoon.
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Can’t we just have a normal one for once?
I write these post-game recaps throughout the game and, in an ideal world, I’ll delve into a few more topics as a team gains the lead (preferably the Bears). But as all of these games come to a close, I have nothing to say until we see how the ending plays out. Let’s just say I’m incredibly happy that Chicago won this game, and even though it put Chicago’s entire heart rate in jeopardy, the Bears are now 7-3. That’s something to feel good about, even in an ugly victory.