In Week 12 of the NFL season, the Chicago Bears would lose to the Minnesota Vikings, 30-27, in overtime on Sunday, November 24, at Soldier Field.
According to the Bears, the team overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, scoring 17 points in the final quarter of regulation, to take the Week 12 divisional matchup into overtime. Chicago also recovered an onside kick for the first time since 2021 (Week 14) and registered just the third successful onside kick recovery in the NFL this season on 31 attempts through the early window of Sunday’s games.
The Bears said defensive back Kevin Byard III led the defense with a season-high 13 tackles (10 plus solo), matching his own single-game career best. Chicago’s defense totaled three sacks on Sunday, securing takedowns from DL Montez Sweat, DL Jacob Martin and DL DeMarcus Walker.
On the opening defensive drive, DB Jonathan Owens forced a fumble of Vikings RB Aaron Jones Sr., then subsequently recovered the fumble to become the first Bears player this season to force a fumble and recover their own forced fumble on the same defensive play. The occurrence marked the first of Owens’ career, taking his career total to three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. With the takeaway in the red-zone on the defense’s opening drive, the Bears now own four red-zone takeaways this season, tied for third-most in the NFL, said the Bears.
The Bears said Kicker C. Santos capped a two-minute drive at the end of the first half with a 49-yard field goal as time expired. With the successful field goal, Santos tied Bob Thomas for the third-most made field goals by any kicker in franchise history (127). Santos then brok the tie with a 48-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to force OT.
(Information courtesy of the Chicago Bears).
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
