In a league where every point matters, the Chicago Bears find themselves grappling with an unusual problem: back-to-back games with blocked field goals. The man at the center of this special teams storm is veteran kicker Cairo Santos, who is stepping up to shoulder the blame for what he calls the “stink” surrounding the Bears’ field goal unit.
Santos, normally a reliable presence in Chicago’s kicking game, has seen three of his kicks blocked this season, the highest total in the NFL. The most recent rejection came in the second quarter of the Bears’ heartbreaking 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Santos’s 48-yard attempt was swatted away by Vikings defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, in a play eerily similar to the game-winning attempt that was blocked by the Green Bay Packers just a week prior.
Vikings Expose Bears’ Kicking Vulnerabilities
While Santos’s struggles have been perplexing, the Vikings revealed that they had been preparing all week to exploit weaknesses in the Bears’ field goal operation. Minnesota players noted that Santos’s low trajectory on his kicks, combined with protection issues upfront, created the perfect storm for blocked kicks.
We don’t really cover too many kickers that have this type of low trajectory. I feel like this week we were chomping at the bit to get that.
– Vikings safety Theo Jackson
The Vikings’ special teams unit had clearly done their homework, identifying tendencies in Santos’s kicking motion and Chicago’s blocking schemes that they could attack. The result was a momentum-swinging play that helped Minnesota take control of the game.
Santos Searching for Answers
For his part, Santos has been struggling to pinpoint the root cause of his sudden vulnerability to blocked kicks. Known for his strong, piercing ball flight that helps him navigate the windy conditions in Chicago, Santos acknowledged that he may need to make adjustments to his approach.
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.
– Cairo Santos, Bears kicker
Santos, who signed a four-year contract extension last December, understands that his performance is under intense scrutiny. As he works to find a solution, the pressure will only continue to mount.
Special Teams Woes Extend Beyond Kicking Game
The blocked kicks weren’t the only special teams mishaps that plagued the Bears against the Vikings. Veteran return specialist DeAndre Carter muffed a punt in the third quarter, giving Minnesota prime field position and setting up a touchdown that extended their lead.
Gotta get out of the of the ball. That’s on me. I let the team down today.
– DeAndre Carter, Bears return specialist
The accumulation of special teams blunders has caught the attention of Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, who vowed to become more involved with the unit ahead of the team’s upcoming Thursday night clash with the Detroit Lions.
Moving Forward
As the Bears look to rebound from this setback, all eyes will be on Cairo Santos and the special teams unit. Can they clean up the protection issues that have left Santos vulnerable? Will Santos make the necessary adjustments to his kicking motion to avoid future blocks? These are the questions that will define the Bears’ kicking game moving forward.
In a league where the margin between victory and defeat is often razor-thin, the Bears understand that they cannot afford to give away points on special teams. Santos, for his part, is embracing the challenge and the responsibility that comes with being a starting kicker in the NFL.
I take the blame in kind of the stink that we have on our field goal unit right now.
– Cairo Santos
As the Bears turn their attention to the Lions, they know that getting their special teams issues sorted out will be critical to their success. With Santos leading the way, they’ll look to put the “stink” of the past two weeks behind them and prove that they can be a reliable, game-changing unit once again.
