Bears drop 5th straight game in OT heartbreaker to Vikings as special teams mistakes loom large again

In a Chicago Bears season filled with mistakes, more proved pivotal Sunday in a 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Chicago’s special teams unit almost made up for it with a late onside kick recovery, the first in the NFL this season. The recovery set up a game-tying field goal by Cairo Santos to force overtime. But Minnesota prevailed in the extra session to send the Bears to a fifth straight loss.

Vikings linebacker Bo Richter celebrates with his teammates after recovering a muffed Bears punt. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

The Vikings appeared to initially take control of the game on a muffed Bears punt in the third quarter. With Minnesota leading, 17-10, Chicago return specialist DeAndre Carter waved off a return as the punt landed inside the Minnesota 15-yard line. But he didn’t get out of the way.

The ball bounced off the turf and hit Carter’s leg, becoming live. Vikings linebacker Bo Richter jumped on it to regain possession for the Vikings.

Five plays later, Aaron Jones extended the Vikings lead to 24-10 with a 2-yard touchdown run. Chicago eventually answered with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the game-tying field goal as regulation expired.

But Minnesota drove for a game-winning field goal by John Parker Romo with 2:10 remaining. Chicago got the ball first in overtime, but punted after losing 6 yards on three plays. The Vikings then drove 68 yards to set up Romo’s heroics.

Romo’s kick was true from 29 yards to secure Minnesota’s fourth straight win.

Romo secured the game-winner in his third NFL game since he signed with the Vikings in Week 10 to take over for injured kicker Will Reichard.

The loss was a fifth straight for a Bears team that’s spiraled since a 4-2 start. It’s the second straight since head coach Matt Eberflus dismissed offensive coordinator Shane Waldron amid regression from the offense and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

The loss also marked a second straight where a special teams miscue impacted the outcome of the game.

The Bears had a chance last Sunday for a go-ahead field goal in the game’s final seconds against the Green Bay Packers. But Chicago allowed Green Bay to block the field goal to secure a 20-19 Packers win.

This Sunday, there was more of the same on special teams. And it wasn’t just the muffed punt.

Chicago had a chance to take a 10-7 lead in the first half with a 48-yard field-goal attempt by Santos. But for a second consecutive week, the Bears allowed a blocked field goal, and the game remained tied at 7-7.

Combined with Carter’s muffed punt, the special teams miscues were too much for Chicago to overcome.

Sam Darnold led a Vikings offense that racked up 452 yards against a beleaguered Bears defense. Darnold completed 22 of 34 passes for 330 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers. Jordan Addison (8 catches, 162 yards, 1 touchdown) and T.J. Hockenson (7 catches, 114 yards) each eclipsed 100 yards receiving. Jones added 106 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Williams completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers in one of the best games of his rookie campaign. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Chicago’s shortcomings on defense and special teams.

The Bears dropped to 4-7 with the loss, while the Vikings improved to 9-2. And Eberflus is set up for another week of tough questions in Chicago.