Special Teams issues leave Bears searching for answers

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 10 hours ago

CHICAGO - The special teams unit did not play well against the Minnesota Vikings in the season opener. Kicker Cairo Santos missed a 50-yard field goal and failed to kick the ball out of the back of the end zone right before the two-minute warning, costing Chicago valuable time. Punter Tory Taylor also had a punt blocked.

The kickoff at the end of the game was especially brutal. If Santos had kicked it out of the end zone, that would have saved Chicago approximately 40 seconds, which could have given them a real chance to score on the final drive of the game.

The special teams coordinator said there was some consideration of having punter Tory Taylor kick on that play, but they ultimately went with Santos and thought he would be able to execute.

“We wanted the ball to go out the back of the endzone, and that didn’t happen … It’s communication between coaches and players, and we communicate. We thought that we could kick it out the back. The player thought he could kick it out the back. If that doesn’t happen, then we go to the next option,” Hightower said. “That’s discussed. We always work Tory on that stuff, but that was not an option right there.”

Chicago ended up losing the game by three points, making the missed field goal by Santos the difference in the game. Throughout his career, he has struggled at times with field goals that are at least 50 yards, which is probably part of why the Bears had a kicker competition during training camp.

While Santos won the job, this miss raises the question of whether the Bears should consider moving on to a kicker with a stronger leg, especially in an era where kickers are being asked to make 60-plus-yard kicks.

However, Hightower did not put all the blame for that missed kick on Santos. He said the whole execution was not clean enough on that kick, although it appeared to be a good snap and hold, as he watched the game live.

“We never want to league points on the board. My diagnosis (always) starts with the operation - that snap, hold and kick. That wasn’t clean. Protection was good. That wasn’t clean and we didn’t get it done and we need to get that done,” Hightower said. “It’s just the whole operation. Whole operation wasn’t clean enough for us.”

The punt coverage team also struggled. On Chicago’s six punts, four of them were returned. Minnesota averaged 17 yards per return, something the Bears cannot have continue throughout the season. One bright side of the special teams unit was the kickoff coverage team. They played aggressively and with physicality, particularly at the start of the game.

However, he would have liked to see that same energy with the punt coverage unit.

“But the kickoff coverage unit brought energy. They brought juice. Big hits. Rock the stadium. That was outstanding. Early contributions on punt return and kickoff return from multiple returners, some really explosive plays. For example, the first kickoff, tackle (at the) 25 yard line. Excellent. Three and out. Big explosive punt return. Set up the first touchdown. We scored after that. Kicked it off again. Hardy comes down, crushes the kid. Stadium goes nuts. We playing good football at that point, right?” Hightower said. “But I thought it was a tale of two halves and areas where we didn’t play as well and those successes in that first half and those phases didn’t carry over to our other phases like the punt phase. It didn’t carry over. We got to be better there and I got to coach it better and we got to be better. It starts with the snap. The snap has to be on target and then the protection’s got to be good and solid and then Tory’s got to give us a good punt and we got to do a better job covering.”