Bears quarterback Caleb Williams reaches for extra yardage during Sunday’s overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Mark Busch/Shaw Local News Network
Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams broke the team’s rookie passing record and led a rally to force overtime. But their comeback fell short in a 30-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Soldier Field, their fifth in a row. Here’s what you need to know.
Three moments that mattered
1. Game: Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed a key pass to set his team up for a game-winning field goal late in overtime. Darnold found T.J. Hockenson for a 29-yard pass that drove the Vikings to the Bears’ 9-yard line. Kicker Parker Romo made a 29-yard field goal to seal the win and cap a 68-yard drive.
2. Redemption: After Bears kicker Cairo Santos had his game-winning kick against the Packers blocked last week and had another kick blocked earlier in Sunday’s game, Santos sent his team into overtime as time expired in regulation. Williams and the offense got the ball to the Vikings’ 30-yard line after the Bears recovered an onside kick. Santos made a 48-yard field goal as time expired.
3. Poison: Another special teams blunder turned the trajectory for the Bears. The defense forced the Vikings to punt from the Bears’ 49-yard line. But the ball bounced and hit returner DeAndre Carter’s right thigh and the Vikings recovered the ball at the Bears’ 15. The Vikings took a 24-10 lead five plays later on a touchdown run from Aaron Jones with 1:22 left in the third quarter.
Three things that worked
1. Glimmers of hope: Williams continued to showcase his growth on Sunday by making impressive throws throughout the game, including two in the first quarter. He threaded the needle on a 40-yard pass to Allen and then dropped a perfectly thrown ball to D’Andre Swift for 30 yards while scrambling. Williams threw for 340 yards and broke the franchise’s rookie quarterback passing yards record.
2. Ball!: The Bears’ defense continued its streak of forcing a turnover. Safety Jonathan Owens forced Vikings running back Aaron Jones to fumble the ball at the Bears’ 1 yard line and recovered it with 9:47 left in the first quarter. The defense has now forced a turnover in every game except one. It was the Bears’ second forced turnover in the red zone in the last two games.
3. Hey, Keenan: Allen had his strongest game of the season and was a mostly reliable target for Williams on Sunday. He finished with a season-best 86 receiving yards on nine catches and was targeted 15 times. Sunday’s receiving yards was the most Allen had in a game since Week 11 of last season when he was with the Chargers and had 106.
Three things that didn’t
1. Giving up big plays: Despite the defense getting some red zone stops, the Bears allowed plenty of yardage. Darnold completed two 40-plus yard passes to Jordan Addison and Aaron Jones had a 41-yard run. Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson was also called for pass interference in the second quarter that netted the Vikings 35 yards and allowed them to score on the following play.
2. Questionable decisions: For a coach who could be trying to save his job, the Bears’ Matt Eberflus made some questionable calls once again. With the Vikings leading 24-16 and 7:22 left in the game, Eberflus decided to go for the 2-point conversion and didn’t convert. He also decided to attempt a field goal from the Minnesota 30 on fourth and 4 that was blocked in the second quarter.
3. Not again: Santos’ tough kicking luck continued for a second straight game after his game-winning attempt was blocked by the Packers last week. This time, Santos attempted a 48-yard kick midway through the second quarter. Once again, the interior of the Bears’ offensive line couldn’t stop pressure up the middle and Jerry Tillery got a hand on the ball to block the Bears’ third field goal attempt of the season.
What’s next?
The Bears will have a quick turnaround and hit the road Thursday to play the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus walks off the field after Sunday’s 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Mark Busch/Shaw Local News Network
