Ben Johnson sent Cairo Santos onto the field for a kick he had never made in an NFL game. The Bears led New England by six points. Only 1:34 would remain after the attempt. Santos had already hit the upright from 53 yards earlier in the fourth quarter, and now Chicago needed him to connect from 58.
A miss would give Drake Maye excellent field position with a chance to drive for the winning touchdown.
Johnson trusted his kicker anyway. Santos drilled it through the middle, extending Chicago’s lead to nine and helping secure a 30-24 victory. It looked like an enormous leap of faith. Johnson’s explanation afterward revealed the preparation behind it.
The Bears had already established Santos’ range
The decision became necessary after Caleb Williams took a 10-yard sack on third down, pushing Chicago back to New England’s 40-yard line. Johnson could punt and ask his defense to protect the lead. Attempting the field goal offered a chance to make it a two-possession game, but it also carried the risk of handing the Patriots a short field.
The distance was unfamiliar territory for Santos in a game. He’s known for his dependability on kicks under 50 yards, but also range limitations. Yet, it wasn’t beyond what the Bears believed he could reach that night.
“Our process pregame tells us a lot about how he’s feeling and what we feel like those maximum distance lines are,” Johnson said.
The Bears considered the attempt to be inside that established range. Before making the call, they also checked with the player who would have to deliver. Santos wanted it.
“You ask him, and he’s like, absolutely, I need redemption because I missed one earlier,” Johnson said.
That confidence mattered. So did what Santos had learned from the miss.
Santos changed his approach after hitting the upright
His earlier 53-yard attempt had struck the right upright, leaving Chicago’s advantage at 27-21. Santos explained afterward that he had anticipated a slight draw on that kick. Instead, the ball traveled straight along the hash.
When the longer opportunity arrived, he adjusted his aim.
“On the 58-yarder, the ball didn’t move. I’m just going to go right down the middle,” Santos said.
He also described the conversation on the sideline with special teams coordinator Richard Hightower.
“Ben asked, ‘Does he want it?’ And I told HT, ‘I want it.’”
Santos had assessed the conditions, identified what went wrong and asked for another opportunity. Johnson gave it to him.
The kick changed what New England needed
The difference between a six-point lead and a nine-point lead was substantial. Before the attempt, New England could win with a touchdown and extra point. After Santos connected, one scoring possession wouldn’t be enough.
Maye still moved the Patriots into field-goal range, and Andy Borregales cut the deficit to 30-24 with 37 seconds remaining. But New England then needed an onside-kick recovery to keep its chances alive.
Rome Odunze secured the ball, finishing the job.
Santos’ career-long kick had forced the Patriots into that desperate sequence. It also earned him one of Johnson’s postgame game balls.
Johnson’s trust had a foundation
The call carried real risk. Pregame work couldn’t guarantee the result, particularly after Santos had missed from a shorter distance.
But Johnson had more to consider than the kicker’s career-long. He had the range established before kickoff, Santos’ assessment of the conditions and a player who wanted the responsibility after an earlier disappointment.
“Thankful that Ben trusts me on that,” Santos said, “and I delivered a great kick right down the middle.”
The distance made the decision look extraordinary. The preparation helped Johnson believe it was a kick Santos could make.
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