Brees, Saints pull away late for 21-9 playoff win over Bears
Brees completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards, connecting with Michael Thomas and Latavius Murray for touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Chicago Bears 21-9 in an NFC wild-card game Sunday. Brees' first touchdown pass in the opening quarter was 11-yards over the middle to Thomas, back from a three-game absence to help heal a nagging ankle injury. The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year missed nine games this season and had not caught a touchdown pass since December 2019. That marked the second time this season a Bears player was thrown out for action taken against Gardner-Johnson after the whistle. The Bears have reached the playoffs twice since Pace took over in 2015, both times under Nagy, who was hired in 2018.
Bears beat Vikings 33-27 to stay in stride in playoff race
Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson (39) celebrates at the end of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Minneapolis. Cairo Santos, who converted all four of his kicks, stretched his streak to 22 straight field goals made. The Bears then intercepted a last-snap heave by Cousins into the end zone to drop the Vikings to 3-5 at home this year. When the Vikings beat them 19-13 five weeks ago in Chicago, the Bears managed two first-half field goals and needed a kickoff return touchdown by Cordarrelle Patterson to stay competitive. Vikings: play at New Orleans on Friday.
Will Lutz makes field goal in OT, Saints beat Bears 26-23
The Bears’ Cairo Santos made a 51-yard field goal at the end of regulation to force the extra period. He came through with his fourth field goal on a windy day, sending the Bears (5-3) to their second straight loss. “My gut, we’re on the field and I feel like we can kick a field goal at that distance without risking any ball-security issues,” Payton said. Marshon Lattimore then intercepted Nick Foles, leading to a tiebreaking field goal by Lutz. After the Saints went three-and-out, Chicago tied it with 13 seconds left on Santos’ field goal into the wind.
Foles beat Brady again as Bears squeeze by Tampa Bay 20-19
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO – Tom Brady fell to Nick Foles again and appeared to lose count of downs on his final play, and the Chicago Bears beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-19 on Thursday night after Cairo Santos kicked a 38-year field goal with 1:17 remaining. The three-time MVP was seen screaming on the sideline late in the third quarter after an ugly drive for Tampa Bay. Ryan Succop kicked four field goals, including a 25-yarder to give Tampa Bay a 19-17 lead with 4:49 remaining. Kyle Fuller then put a big hit on Ke'Shawn Vaughn as he caught a short pass, and Robert Quinn recovered the fumble, giving the Bears possession on the Tampa Bay 27.