Santos' last kick sinks Buccaneers as Bears hold on 27-24 at Soldier Field

Three field goals from Chase McLaughlin were not enough for Tampa Bay. Two from Cairo Santos were — the last of them the difference as the Bears closed out a 27-24 win at Soldier Field. Chicago built its cushion early, spent the rest of the night defending it, and when the Buccaneers finally drew level, the home side answered with the only kick that mattered.

Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III reached the end zone in the opening quarter and the Bears took a 14-0 lead into the second. McLaughlin got Tampa Bay on the board with a field goal, Santos answered, McLaughlin struck again, and halftime arrived at 17-6 — six first-half points for the visitors, all of them from McLaughlin's foot. Bucky Irving scored in the third quarter, but a Jaylon Johnson touchdown pushed the lead back into double digits heading into the fourth.

No player found the end zone twice except Bucky Irving. McLaughlin's third field goal trimmed the margin again in the fourth, Irving's second touchdown cut it to 24-22, and Baker Mayfield's two-point conversion tied it at 24-24 — the afternoon's first deadlock. McLaughlin had supplied three kicks to Santos' two, but Santos still had the last word: his second field goal made it 27-24, and the scoreboard never moved again.

Tampa Bay drew level once and led never. Irving and Mayfield dragged the Buccaneers all the way back from double digits down; Santos ended it with one swing of his leg. Three points. One boot. Goodnight, Tampa Bay.