The Chicago Bears gave their fans a thrilling playoff victory at Soldier Field on Saturday night, as they outscored the Green Bay Packers 25-6 in the fourth quarter en route to an incredible 31-27 win.
For most Bears fans, rookie tight end Colston Loveland and quarterback Caleb Williams were the stars of the show as those two were locked in throughout the game. The defense also had its moments in the second half, as it held the Packers to six points after giving up 21 in the first two quarters.
Additionally, the Bears’ special teams unit also came up in the clutch. Devin Duvernay had a key 37-yard return at the end of the third quarter, giving the offense great field position. Meanwhile, kicker Cairo Santos was automatic on field goals and extra points, which is a good sign for the Bears as they head into the divisional round.
Unlike his counterpart, Brandon McManus, who struggled and cost Green Bay points. Santos was a perfect 3-for-3 on his field goals (longest made from 51 yards out) and 2-for-2 on extra points. The last time the 34-year-old kicker made at least three field goals in a game was in Week 16 vs. Green Bay, where he made a 51-yard field goal.
Bears' Path Forward with Cairo Santos Now Clear After Packers Game
Bears fans must be excited to see Santos play well, as he could make a difference in Chicago winning or losing in the postseason. There were questions about the veteran kicker and his future earlier this season because of Jake Moody's emergence. Moody was called up from the practice squad to kick in place of the veteran, who was banged up.
Moody looked good in his brief three-game stint with the Bears, making 8-of-9 field goals and going 3-for-3 on extra points. However, he was eventually poached off the Bears’ taxi squad, which gave Santos some leeway.
But Santos again gave the Bears some pause after his Week 15 performance, as he missed a 35-yard field goal. It also didn’t help that the veteran also struggled with putting the ball in the landing zone the previous week, giving the opposing team good field position.
If the Bears were to cut Santos before June 1, they would get tagged with a $1.1 million dead cap vs. a $3.7 million cap hit, according to Spotrac. The dead money lowers to $560,000 if the split happens after that date. That would also force Chicago to look for another option in free agency or the NFL draft.
However, after Saturday night’s win, Santos should be confident that he’ll be back in the Windy City in 2026. Barring a postseason collapse or struggles in training camp, it's obvious that the Bears' No. 1 kicker job will be his for the foreseeable future.