Bears' Santos gets redemption with game-sealing FG vs. Pats - ESPN

CHICAGO — Bears kicker Cairo Santos walked away from Chicago's 30-24 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday night a savior after booting a career-long 58-yard field goal to seal the victory. But it was the miss he had one drive prior that dampened his demeanor postgame.

«The misses annoy me,» Santos said.

On the Bears' first drive of the fourth quarter, Santos' 53-yard attempt hit the right upright and prevented Chicago from taking a two-score lead to cap off a 13-play drive that spanned 6 minutes, 56 seconds.

He got redemption on the Bears' next possession and essentially iced the game by extending Chicago's lead to nine. Santos struggled to express much joy postgame, focusing more on the opportunity he squandered versus the one that led Chicago to its fifth win of the season.

«I'm having a hard time celebrating these moments and I shouldn't act this way, but I just feel like I'm hitting the ball way too good to have these misses happen,» Santos said. «Even though they're from 50-plus, I've been making them all the time.»

The 34-year-old kicker went 3-for-4 on field goals and made all three of his extra points against the Patriots. Santos gave the Bears their first points when he made a 43-yard field goal on the game's opening drive and added a 31-yarder in the second quarter.

Despite Santos' miss, coach Ben Johnson didn't lose confidence in his kicker. On the following drive in the fourth quarter, the Bears' offense stalled when Caleb Williams took a 10-yard sack on third down at the Patriots' 30-yard line.

Santos said that Johnson had initially planned to send the punt team out on fourth down but changed course during an injury timeout for Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who got hurt while sacking