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 D.J. 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, T.J. 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 T.J. 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 halftime.
