BRAZILIAN KICKER CAIRO Santos made four field goals — the last a game-winner from 30 yards with 10 seconds remaining — as Chicago upset Minnesota 12-10 in an NFL game Monday.
The 32-year-old from Sao Paulo, in his 10th NFL campaign, also connected from 25, 39 and 55 yards as the Bears improved to 4-8 while the stunned Vikings fell to 6-6.
Chicago quarterback Justin Fields fumbled away the ball twice in the fourth quarter, the first time to set up a Minnesota go-ahead touchdown drive and the second to give the Vikings the ball back again.
But the Bears defense forced a punt and Fields drove Chicago into Vikings territory in the dying minutes.
“My teammates and coaches stayed behind me and the defense did a great job of getting the offense the ball back,” Fields said. “I couldn’t really change the past so we were focused on the future moments.”
Fields connected with DJ Moore on a 36-yard pass over the middle to the Minnesota 13-yard line on the game’s longest play with 55 seconds remaining, setting the stage for the winning Santos kick.
“It got a little bit rocky on those two fumbles so I had to bounce back,” Fields said. “Played good enough to get the W but there’s definitely room for improvement.”
The Vikings own the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC but by only a half-game over Atlanta, Green Bay and the Los Angeles Rams.
Santos kicked a 39-yard field goal in the third quarter and added another from 55 yards in fourth to put the Bears ahead 9-3.
Minnesota quarterback Joshua Dobbs had been intercepted by Bears defenders Jaylon Johnson, TJ Edwards, Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker but he finally solved the Chicago defensive unit late in the fourth quarter.
Dobbs marched the Vikings 77 yards in eight plays after the first Fields fumble for the go-ahead points, completing 4-of-5 passes for 65 yards — including a 17-yard touchdown toss to TJ Hockenson as Minnesota grabbed a 10-9 advantage with 5:54 to play, setting the stage for the thrilling final Bears march.
Santos put the Bears ahead 3-0 with a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter but Greg Joseph answered from 34 yards to lift the Vikings level 3-3 at half time.
Meanwhile, Carolina Panthers have sacked head coach Frank Reich after starting the new season with just one win in 11 games.
Reich was appointed in January but made little impact and Saturday’s 17-10 defeat to Tennessee Titans extended the worst current record in the NFL.
The Panthers confirmed that special teams co-ordinator Chris Tabor will take over as interim head coach, with senior assistant Jim Caldwell becoming special adviser to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, who assumes play-calling duties.
Monday NFL result
- Chicago 12 Minnesota 10
Sunday’s results
- New Orleans 15 Atlanta 24
- Pittsburgh 16 Cincinnati 10
- Carolina 10 Tennessee 17
- Tampa Bay 20 Indianapolis 27
- New England 7 New York Giants 10
- Jacksonville 24 Houston 21
- Cleveland 12 Denver 29
- Los Angeles Rams 37 Arizona 14
- Kansas City 31 Las Vegas 17
- Buffalo 34 Philadelphia 37
- Baltimore 20 Los Angeles Chargers 10
Friday’s result
- Miami 34 New York Jets 13
Thursday’s results
- Green Bay 29 Detroit 22
- Washington 10 Dallas 45
- San Francisco 31 Seattle 13
– © AFP 2023, additional reporting from Press Association.
