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Opening night was supposed to be different. New coach, new quarterback confidence, new vibe. Instead, the Chicago Bears coughed up a 17-6 fourth-quarter lead and face-planted in primetime, losing 27-24 to the Minnesota Vikings. Ben Johnson’s debut as head coach started like a dream but ended like every Bears fan’s recurring nightmare.

If you want to know why this meltdown happened, it’s not just one thing — it’s a cocktail of the same bad habits that have haunted this franchise for years. And yes, I’m going to drag Cairo Santos, Caleb Williams, and Ben Johnson all in the same breath, because they each deserve it.

Here are the five major reasons why Chicago blew this game:

1. The Defense Turned Into a Pumpkin in the Fourth Quarter

For three quarters, Dennis Allen’s defense looked like it came straight out of 1985. They bullied J.J. McCarthy into irrelevance, holding him to scraps. Justin Jefferson? Just one measly catch for four yards in the first half. The Vikings had 85 total yards and five first downs after three quarters. That’s straight-up domination.

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And then the fourth quarter hit.

The Bears gave up 169 yards and nine first downs in just 15 minutes. Minnesota scored on three straight touchdown drives, and Jefferson got loose for a 13-yard dagger of a TD. McCarthy suddenly had time to throw, missed tackles started piling up like beer cans in the Soldier Field parking lot, and Chicago’s pass rush just… disappeared.

Defensive Splits

Yes, the Bears were banged up — no Jaylon Johnson, no T.J. Edwards, no Kyler Gordon. But this wasn’t about bodies. This was about collapsing when it mattered most. Elite defenses close games. This one folded like a lawn chair.

2. Penalties That Belonged in a Pop Warner Game

Twelve penalties. One hundred twenty-seven yards. That’s how you beat yourself.

Four false starts in the first half alone, including two from new right guard Jonah Jackson. That’s not jitters — that’s sloppy football. And it didn’t stop there. Nahshon Wright got hit with a 42-yard pass interference in the first quarter that basically handed Minnesota three points.

But the backbreaker came in the fourth quarter: Tyrique Stevenson’s defensive pass interference on Jalen Nailor. The Vikings went from sputtering to sitting on Chicago’s 27-yard line, and of course, they punched it in.

This wasn’t just bad timing — this was a team that looked unprepared and undisciplined. You can’t claim to be a contender and give away that many yards for free.

3. Cairo Santos: The Silent Killer

Look, I’ve defended Cairo Santos in the past. But Monday night, he screwed the Bears.

First, he missed a 50-yard field goal late in the third quarter that would’ve stretched the lead to 20-6. Instead, Minnesota immediately flipped momentum with their first touchdown drive of the game. That kick was the hinge moment — hit it, and the Vikings are gasping for air. Miss it, and you give them life.

Then came the special teams blunder from hell. After Chicago scored late to cut the lead to 27-24, Santos kicked it five yards deep instead of out the back of the end zone. Minnesota’s Ty Chandler returned it, burning precious seconds before the two-minute warning. That mistake cost the Bears around 40 seconds of game clock. When they finally got the ball back? Nine seconds remained. Game over.

Special teams screwups like this don’t make the highlight reel, but they kill you just the same.

4. Caleb Williams Regressed When It Mattered

For a while, it looked like Caleb Williams was ready to arrive. He completed his first 10 passes, marched the Bears down the field on the opening drive, and looked every bit like the No. 1 pick who was supposed to save this franchise. His first half? 13-of-16 for 112 yards. Smooth, confident, in control.

The second half? A horror show.

Williams went 8-of-19 for 98 yards. He held the ball too long, missed open receivers, and even picked up an intentional grounding penalty that sabotaged a scoring drive. Most painful of all: he flat-out missed a wide-open D.J. Moore on what should’ve been a touchdown.

Caleb Williams’ Passing Splits

That’s not just regression — that’s falling off a cliff.

This is exactly the kind of regression Bears fans feared. It wasn’t just about stats — it was about composure. When Minnesota punched back, Williams didn’t. He shrank. And if he’s supposed to be the difference-maker, that can’t happen.

5. Ben Johnson’s Debut Was a Coaching Clinic… for the Wrong Team

The Ben Johnson hype train pulled into Soldier Field, and fans were ready for fireworks. Instead, they got a master class in how not to manage a game.

Let’s count the sins:

• Wasted timeout: Challenged a Hockenson “fumble” that was clearly not a fumble.
• Left points on the board: Went for it on 4th-and-3 from the Vikings’ 24 instead of taking a field goal. Williams overthrew D.J. Moore, and Chicago got nothing.
• Conservative play-calling: After going up 17-6, Johnson’s offense produced just one field goal across eight drives.
• Discipline failures: The penalty mess reflects on the head coach, period.

If you wanted to see the difference between a rookie head coach learning on the job and a team that knows how to close games, Monday night gave you the perfect example.

Final Verdict

Here’s the brutal truth: this isn’t just one game. This is a trend. Per ESPN Stats & Info, the Bears have now blown four games since 2023 where they led by 10+ in the fourth quarter — the most in the NFL. That’s not bad luck. That’s their DNA.

Bears Blown Leads Since 2023

Ben Johnson was supposed to change that. Caleb Williams was supposed to change that. But when the lights were brightest, the Bears defaulted to the same old script: collapse, undiscipline, excuses.

Until this team proves it can finish, they’ll just be another franchise with hype in September and heartbreak by December.