Bears’ Cairo Santos sounds off on rebounding from miss to sink Patriots with 58-yard bomb appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson believes in Cairo Santos, and that is probably much easier to do because the longtime kicker strongly believes in himself. Following a potentially costly miss that could have swayed momentum in the New England Patriots’ favor, Santos quickly composed himself and fired a career-long 58-yard field goal that helped clinch a 30-24 win for his squad.
While mental fortitude is mandatory for this position, the 34-year-old Brazilian displayed impressive tenacity by making a milestone kick just minutes after committing a blunder.
“The misses annoy me, but like I can clear it so quick,” Santos said, per Adam Jahns of CHGO Sports. “Like when (it’s) the next opportunity, I just lock into my routine and I trust that I can execute.”
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Execute he did. The Tulane alum bounced the ball off the post on a 53-yard FG attempt with just over eight minutes left on the game clock. The miss enabled the Patriots to take over at their own 43-yard line and potentially capture the lead. Chicago’s defense held strong, however, and forced a three-and-out. A brutal Caleb Williams sack then gave the kicker another opportunity to leave his mark on this Week 7 Thursday Night Football matchup.
Cairo Santos welcomed the chance for redemption, and for the first time in his 13-year NFL career, he connected on a 58-yarder. The Bears secured a 30-21 lead with 1:34 remaining, which meant the Patriots would need to complete a miraculous finish in order to snatch victory. They did not.
Santos’ bomb proved to be the difference, and moreover, it showed just how resilient he can be when the pressure is approaching uncomfortable levels. The Bears (5-2) will vie for their third straight win when they face the Seattle Seahawks (3-3) in Week 8.
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