Bears highly criticized player was rewarded for delivering on another big stage and can truly become a real weapon in the playoffs for this team
Cairo Santos was fantastic in Week 16 and properly acknowledged for it.
Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos has received a lot of criticism over the past two seasons and I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t fully confident in his ability to be a difference-making player for this team compared to other kickers around the league.
Santos has his obvious limitations as a kicker when it comes to distance but he also continues to show up in big moments for his team over the course of this season. Saturday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers was no different.
In a game in which Chicago’s offense struggled to move the ball for 3.5 quarters, Santos nailed three field goals from 46, 51 and 43-yards in some brutal wind conditions at Soldier Field, not to mention kicking a successful onside kick late in the fourth-quarter. It was impressive stuff, and he was rightfully rewarded for his performance.
Cairo Santos named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 16 performance
On Wednesday, the NFL announced the players of the week for the NFC and AFC. Santos was named as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, his third career honor and became the fifth Bears player to win player of the week honors this season.
“He did a phenomenal job,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson explained. “That’s a big asset for us. He’s been here. He understands that wind. He does a great job in practice. He gets a lot of time on task with it. I thought he handled it really well. Huge reason why he got a game ball.”
It’s been a difficult past few months for Santos but he continues to receive nothing but support from his coaches and teammates. That support turns into belief, which then turns into confidence. And confidence in big moments leads to wins. And as long as Santos keeps that support, belief, and confidence, he can be a true weapon for this team in the playoffs.
Cairo Santos can be a playoff X-factor if the Bears can lock up home field advantage
Over the final two weeks in the regular season, the Bears are hunting for two things: win the NFC North and secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Both options are still very much on the table saying the Bears win out and get a little help along the way.
By doing so, Chicago can secure at least one home game in the postseason at Soldier Field. With the home crowd and weather conditions on their side, few teams will want to come play in Chicago. And when it comes to Santos, he’s well versed in the Chicago elements as we’ve seen this season.
“For Cairo to have the mental fortitude to withstand that wind and go out there and play that wind and those conditions, I mean, it doesn’t surprise me because that’s who he is,” special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said, via ChicagoBears.com. “He’s consistent, he’s clutch. But that was an unbelievable performance by Cairo to be able to play those conditions.”
I’ll be the first to issue my apologies for not believing in Santos. He’s proved me wrong and he will have the opportunity to prove even more people wrong in the weeks ahead if he continues delivering in this way into the playoffs.
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