In a mistake-filled season for the Chicago Bears, more proved crucial in Sunday’s 30-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Chicago’s special teams unit nearly made up for it with a late fumble recovery, the first of the NFL season. The recovery set up the tying goal by Cairo Santos to force overtime. But Minnesota prevailed in overtime, sending the Bears to their fifth straight loss.
The Vikings initially appeared to take control of the game on a subdued Bears hand in the third quarter. With Minnesota leading 17-10, Chicago return specialist DeAndre Carter fumbled the return when the punt landed at the Minnesota 15-yard line. But he didn’t go astray.
The ball bounced off the turf and hit Carter’s leg, making it live. Vikings linebacker Bo Richter pounced on it to regain the ball for the Vikings.
Five plays later, Aaron Jones extended the Vikings’ lead to 24-10 with a 2-yard touchdown run. Chicago eventually responded with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the game-tying field goal as regulation expired.
But Minnesota struggled on a game-winning field goal by John Parker Romo with 2:10 left. Chicago got the ball first in overtime, but punted after losing 6 yards on three plays. The Vikings then drove 68 yards to set up Romo’s heroics.
Romo’s kick was true from 29 yards out to give Minnesota its fourth straight win.
Romo delivered the game-winner in his third NFL game since signing with the Vikings in Week 10 to fill in for the injured Will Reichard..
The loss was the fifth straight for a Bears team that has reeled from a 4-2 start. It’s the second straight since head coach Matt Eberflus fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron following the departure of offensive tackle and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The loss also marked the second straight where a special teams error affected the outcome of the game.
The Bears had a field goal chance in the closing seconds of last Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. However, Chicago allowed Green Bay to block the field goal to give the Packers a 20-19 victory.
There was more of the same on special teams this Sunday. And it wasn’t just a muted polka dot.
Chicago had a chance to take a 10-7 lead in the first half on Santos’ 48-yard field goal attempt. But for the second week in a row, the Bears allowed a blocked field goal to tie the game at 7-7.
Combined with Carter’s muffed punt, the special teams mistakes were too much for Chicago to overcome.
Sam Darnold led a Vikings offense that racked up 452 yards against a beleaguered Bears defense. Darnold completed 22 of 34 passes for 330 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers. Jordan Addison (8 catches, 162 yards, 1 touchdown) and TJ Hockenson (7 catches, 114 yards) each eclipsed 100 yards receiving. Jones added 106 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Williams completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers in one of the best games of his rookie campaign. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Chicago’s deficiencies on defense and special teams.
The Bears fell to 4-7 with the loss, while the Vikings improved to 9-2. And Eberflus is ready for another week of tough questions in Chicago.