In a Chicago Bears season full of mistakes, Sunday proved crucial in a 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Chicago’s special teams unit nearly made up for it with a late onside kick recovery, the first in the NFL this season. The recovery allowed Cairo Santos to draw to force extra time. But Minnesota prevailed in the extra session, sending the Bears to a fifth straight loss.
The Vikings initially appeared to take control of the game on a muffed Bears punt in the third quarter. With Minnesota leading, 17-10, Chicago return specialist DeAndre Carter waved a return as the kick landed inside Minnesota’s 15-yard line. But he didn’t get out of the way.
The ball bounced off the turf, hit Carter’s leg and became alive. Vikings linebacker Bo Richter jumped in to regain possession for the Vikings.
Five plays later, Aaron Jones extended the Vikings’ lead to 24-10 with a two-yard touchdown run. Chicago eventually answered with two fourth-quarter touchdowns and the tying field goal as regulation expired.
But Minnesota drove for a game-winning field goal by John Parker Romo with 2:10 remaining. Chicago got the ball first in overtime, but punted after losing six 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 secure Minnesota’s fourth straight victory.
Romo secured the game-winner in his third NFL game since signing with the Vikings in Week 10 to take over for injured kicker Will Reichard.
The loss was the fifth straight for a Bears team that has been spiraling since a 4-2 start. It’s the second straight time since head coach Matt Eberflus fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron amid declines in the offense and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The loss also marked a second consecutive time where a special teams error affected the outcome of the match.
The Bears had a go-ahead chance in the final seconds of the game against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. But Chicago allowed Green Bay to block the field goal to secure a 20-19 Packers victory.
There was more of the same on special teams this Sunday. And it wasn’t just the muffled punt.
Chicago had a chance to take a 10–7 lead in the first half with a 48-yard field goal attempt by Santos. But for the second week in a row, the Bears allowed a blocked field goal, and the game remained tied at 7-7.
Combined with Carter’s muffed punt, the special teams miscues 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 TD) 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 shortcomings on defense and special teams.
The Bears dropped 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.
