Bears’ Cairo Santos Takes Blame for Field Goal Unit’s ‘Stink’ After Vikings Block FG

Taylyn HadleyNovember 25, 2024

Luke Hales/Getty Images

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos took the blame for his blocked field goal in the Bears’ 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

“I take the blame in kind of the stink that we have on our field goal unit right now,” Santos said post-game, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin and Kalyn Kahler. “We’ve gone so many kicks in a row without getting kicks blocked, 16 50-yarders the last two years not getting a kick blocked. And sometimes they happen like that, back-to-back.”

The Bears have now had field goal attempts blocked in back-to-back games, with the first occurring in their 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Minnesota Vikings @Vikings.@JerryTillery BLOCKS IT!!!

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/PcJSMITbhS

The blocked field goal occurred in the second quarter when Santos attempted a 48-yarder, leading to a midfield spot and a seven-point swing for the Vikings.

Santos’ kicks are known to hang lower than usual, a trait opposing teams consistently aim to exploit week-to-week.

“We don’t really cover too many kickers that have this type of low trajectory,” Vikings safety Theo Jackson said, per Cronin and Kahler. “Other weeks you are trying to figure out, like, at what hash is he better on, left or right hash? But I feel like this week we were chomping at the bit to get that.”

Green Bay Packers @packers*screaming intensifies* pic.twitter.com/u6hGic3Wng

Despite Santos’ unorthodox kicking style, he has converted 80 percent of his attempts this season, making 16-of-20, including seven from 50 yards or more.

While his low kick improves his chances on long-distance attempts, it’s ineffective if he can’t get it past the defenders.

“It’s hard for me to go on and change because I just don’t see a mis-hit type of low kick, but I do have more of a piercing, driven ball flight just to help my make my kicks in the windy situations,” Santos said, per Cronin and Kahler. “The wind wasn’t too bad, but it’s always windy here.”

Green Bay Packers @packersTHE FG IS BLOCKED FOR THE WIN!#GBvsCHI pic.twitter.com/zdxGIdJyZI

Despite Santos’ impressive season field goal percentage, he has averaged just 66.7 percent over the past two games.

“You always try to hit the ball the same, but this week I’m always looking for how can I maximize my height with my ball flight so I don’t have to rely on playing the wind as much,” Santos said, according to Cronin and Kahler. “So it’s a learning curve for me too, and I take responsibility for that.”

Santos will look to end the blocked field goal trend as the Bears take on the Detroit Lions on the road Thursday.