CHICAGO (AP) — Cairo Santos had a field goal blocked — again. DeAndre Carter muffed a punt in the second half. And those were just the special teams mistakes for the struggling Chicago Bears.
Santos' blocked field goal and Carter's turnover were part of another sloppy performance for Chicago in its fifth consecutive loss. The pair of miscues helped set up two of Minnesota's three touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime victory.
The Bears (4-7) closed out a miserable three-game homestand after they won their first three games of the season at Soldier Field. They were in position to beat Green Bay last weekend before Santos' 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked on the final play of the Packers' 20-19 win.
“It’s tough. ... When things just aren’t going your way, you gotta put your head down and just keep going to work,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “It’s not easy to do but that’s kind of where we’re at.”
Chicago and Minnesota were tied at 7 when Caleb Williams threw incomplete on third-and-4 at the Vikings 30 early in the second quarter. Bears coach Matt Eberflus sent Santos out for a 48-yard attempt, but it was knocked down by defensive lineman Jerry Tillery.
“I think it was the penetration with the trajectory of the ball,” Santos said. “Had the ball started 3 or 4 inches to the right of both those guys' hands, I think it still goes in through the uprights.”
Brian Asamoah returned the blocked kick 22 yards to set the Vikings up with good field position. Sam Darnold then capped a six-play, 53-yard drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Jalen Nailor for a 14-7 lead with 6:29 left in the first half.
It was the third blocked field goal for Santos this year, the most for Chicago in a single season since it also had three blocked in 2012. Santos also had a 43-yard try blocked in the fourth quarter of a 35-16 victory over Jacksonville on Oct. 13.
The Bears became the first NFL team to allow three blocked field goals in a season since the Browns and Ravens each had three blocked in 2022.
“Whenever that happens two games in a row we’ve got to make sure we take a hard look in terms of the protection, the technique and who we have in there,” Eberflus said. “So it's going to be a big thing to look at.”
Chicago trailed 17-10 when it forced a Minnesota punt midway through the third quarter. Carter warned his teammates to get out of the way, but it hit the ground and bounced off the inside of his right leg before it was recovered by Bo Richter at the Bears 15.
The Vikings turned the mental error into Aaron Jones' 2-yard touchdown run and a 24-10 lead.
“Gotta get out of the way of the ball. That’s on me,” Carter said. “I let the team down today. Game shouldn’t have been in the situation it was in. I felt bad for the guys.”
Santos and Carter both played a role in a late rally for Chicago. Carter had a 55-yard kickoff return, and Santos got an onside kick to work before making a tying 48-yarder on the final play of regulation.
But the Bears stalled on the first possession of overtime, and Darnold drove the Vikings downfield to set up Parker Romo's winning 29-yard field goal.
“We're losing in the most unreal situations,” Bears receiver DJ Moore said. “Now it's like the luck's got to go in our favor at some point.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus looks on from he sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (99) blocks a field goal attempt by Chicago Bears place kicker Cairo Santos during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, top center, blocks a field goal attempt by Chicago Bears place kicker Cairo Santos during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Kylian Mbappé scored and Real Madrid moved within four points of Spanish league leader Barcelona with a 3-0 win at Leganes on Sunday ahead of its eagerly awaited Champions League match against Liverpool.
Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham also scored to close the gap on Barcelona, which conceded two late goals in a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Madrid has played one game less than Barcelona after its match at Valencia was postponed because of the deadly floods in October.
Madrid will make the trip to England to face Premier League leader Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League, and is hoping to recover from a demoralizing 3-1 home loss against AC Milan in the previous round of matches.
Madrid's attack worked well against Leganes with Vinícius Júnior playing inside and Mbappé more on the flank. The France striker scored after going four straight games without finding the net for the Spanish powerhouse.
“We switched their positions and the team was able to stay in control during the whole match,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Mbappé said he is fine playing wherever Ancelotti puts him.
“I've said it on the first day that I can play in several different positions,” Mbappé said. “All I want is to keep playing well and scoring goals.”
Oihan Sancet scored a 26th-minute winner as Athletic Bilbao defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Basque Country derby.
It was Athletic's fourth straight home win against Sociedad in the derby.
The victory moved Athletic to fifth place and left Sociedad in 10th position.
Fourth-place Villarreal scored an equalizer in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw at sixth-place Osasuna.
Ante Budimir scored twice in the first 20 minutes for Osasuna. Villarreal, which was coming off three straight victories in all competitions, scored through Álex Baena in the 67th and a penalty kick converted by Gerard Moreno three minutes into injury time.
Osasuna, sitting three points behind Villarreal, was coming off a 4-0 loss at Madrid.
Also Sunday, Sevilla ended a two-game losing streak in the league with a 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano, which played the entire second half with 10 men after Unai López was sent off for a hard foul.
Djibril Sow scored Sevilla's goal in the 27th.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior gestures at Leganes' Sergio Gonzalez, foreground, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid players celebrate after Federico Valverde, 3rd right, scored their second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga, left, jumps for the ball with Leganes' Julian Chicco during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe attempts a shot at goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe avoids Leganes' Adria Altimira to score the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scores a goal disallowed for offside during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
