The Chicago Bears don't want to overreact to the first game of the season, as painful as it was. There are 16 more to go. A lot can happen in that time. Still, head coach Ben Johnson doesn't seem like the type with extensive patience. He isn't going to bench quarterback Caleb Williams for one uneven performance. The same goes for others on the offense. However, there might be one particular player who should be very careful about erasing his mistakes in the next couple of weeks.
That is kicker Cairo Santos.
It was a rough evening for the veteran. He made life harder for the team by missing a 50-yard field goal, which proved the difference in the game. Then, in the final moments, the Bears needed a touchback to preserve the two-minute warning. Santos insisted he could get the ball through the back of the end zone. He didn't get enough. Minnesota returned it and erased the time before the two-minute warning. That robbed the Bears of a precious time stoppage that killed their last opportunity. Johnson clearly wasn't happy about it.
Ben Johnson is a pragmatic man.
Here's the hard truth. The Bears have accommodated Santos for years because he's one of the most accurate kickers in the league inside 45 yards. However, his lack of leg strength has put them at a disadvantage since field goal range is much further away on offensive drives and offers return opportunities on kickoffs. Meanwhile, other teams have guys who can routinely hit bombs from 60 yards now. Santos has to prove he has more value somehow. Ben Johnson won't continue letting mistakes like that cost the team victories. Kickers are much easier to replace than quarterbacks. As good as Santos has been, there must be a time when the Bears stop handicapping themselves. It may come sooner than we think.
