Bears improve to 7-3 to beat Vikings with game-ending FG set up by Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return in the final minute for Chicago set up Cairo Santos for his fourth field goal of the game, a 48-yarder as time expired, to push the Bears past Minnesota 19-17 after the Vikings scored the go-ahead touchdown with 50 seconds left.

After J.J. McCarthy ended another erratic performance with five straight completions that culminated with a 15-yard scoring strike to Jordan Addison, Duvernay delivered the clutch response for the Bears (7-3) after nearly blowing a 13-point lead they took into the fourth quarter.

Santos made up for his 45-yard miss with 8:08 remaining by drilling the winner after a critical 7-yard rush by D’Andre Swift, who had 21 carries for 90 yards, pushed the ball into a safer range.

McCarthy, who played with a wrap on his throwing hand after hurting it on a helmet after a follow-through in the previous game, ended consecutive second-quarter possessions with interceptions and had an alarming amount of off-target passes. He finished 16 for 32 for 150 yards and a 47.7 passer rating in his fifth career start.

Caleb Williams, who was drafted by the Bears nine picks ahead of McCarthy last year and is much further down the development road under new coach Ben Johnson, had one of his least effective games this season while going 16 for 32 for 193 yards and scrambling four times for 26 yards.

But Williams logged yet another turnover-free start, letting the defense handle the more meaningful work. Veteran safety Kevin Byard drifted back in his zone with nose tackle Grady Jarrett applying the pressure and picked off McCarthy’s forced throw without set feet for Justin Jefferson to give the Bears the ball at the Minnesota 25 and set up the first kick for Santos.

Then on first down from the Chicago 30, McCarthy threw a fade to the back corner of the end zone for Addison that Nahshon Wright, the former Vikings practice squad player who had an interception return for a touchdown off McCarthy in the season opener, secured with a leaping grab before landing on his back with 35 seconds left before halftime.

After a third-down sack by Andrew Van Ginkel and Myles Price’s 42-yard punt return provided the necessary sparks, the Vikings took over at the 24 early in the fourth quarter and reached the end zone in just two plays without McCarthy doing anything but hand off to Jordan Mason.

The defense kept the Vikings (4-6) in the game the whole way, limiting the Bears to seven of 18 third-down conversions, but the final possession started too deep in their territory to prevent a score.

Rookie Kyle Monangai scored his third rushing touchdown in five games to cap a 15-play, 74-yard drive that put the Bears in front late in the second quarter after three straight punts to start.

Injury report

Bears: LB T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring) was inactive. Standout CB Jaylon Johnson (groin), who returned to practice this week, missed his eighth straight game.

Vikings: CB Isaiah Rodgers took a big blow from a head-to-head hit in the second quarter. He was checked out for a head injury before returning for the next drive. … OLB Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) missed his first game in two seasons.

Up next

The Bears host Pittsburgh next Sunday.

The Vikings play at Green Bay on Sunday.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL