For the second week in a row, the Chicago Bears did something that hasn’t happened before in the Super Bowl era. This time they were on the right side of history, however.
According to OptaSTATS, the Bears are the first team since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970 to win a game on the road despite losing two fumbles, being penalized for 75+ yards and scoring zero touchdowns. Previously, teams were 0-46 when they put together that trifecta of ineptitude.
The key to the Bears' win was an incredible defensive effort, a nearly perfect night from Cairo Santos and one particularly clutch throw from Justin Fields.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The defense intercepted Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs four times in the 12-10 win. Although the Bears only managed to score three points off those turnovers, they kept Vikings points off the board and stymied opportunities for Minnesota to take a commanding lead.
Santos missed his first field goal attempt of the day but shook it off to go 4-for-4 for the rest of the night. Santos scored all 12 of the Bears’ points, including a career-high 55-yarder and the game-winner with under 15 seconds to go in the game.
Finally, Fields made a big-time play to set up a comeback win for the first time this season. His 36-yard strike to DJ Moore on the team’s final offensive drive of the game was the longest play of the day by either side and set the Bears up to kneel three times before Santos’ game-winning kick. It was a rare fourth-quarter drive to seal a game for Fields.
Too many times, the Bears have let wins slip away over the past two seasons. For a moment, it looked like Monday was going to be the same. The Bears failed to capitalize on many opportunities to score points and open up a big lead over the Vikings. Then, they gave up the game’s lone touchdown – and the lead – with just under six minutes to play. If any of those things hadn't happened, the Bears would've likely become the 47th team to lose under the circumstances listed above.
NFL
Last week the Bears became the first team in NFL history to lose in regulation after possessing the ball for 40 minutes with a plus-three turnover margin, per ESPN 1000.