NEW ORLEANS — Bears kicker Cairo Santos’ streak of 14-straight made field goals was snapped when he kicked a 40-yarder off the right upright with less than a minute left in the first half Sunday.
“I feel like I have no answer for it,” said Santos, whose college team, Tulane, called the Caesars Superdome home. “It’s a humbling craft sometimes — you feel like you’re on top of your technique and on top of your confidence. It’s a kick that’s unacceptable for me to miss, especially indoors. I just let it slip away. … There’s no excuses to have that miss.”:
Santos made a 31-yarder in the third quarter.
This and that
• Left tackle Braxton Jones started one day after coming off injured reserve. He split snaps with Larry Borom, who took his place while Jones was out with a neck problem.
“I’m just getting my wind back under me,” he said. “I got kinda tired, but other than that I knew what was going on and how it was going to be laid out.”
• Coach Matt Eberflus threw the red challenge flag for only the fourth time of his career — and won. On third-and-12 about two minutes into the second quarter, Bagent scrambled up the left sideline and was pushed out of bounds at the first-down marker. The original spot left the Bears short; after the review, officials gave the Bears a first down. Kmet caught his second touchdown on the next play.
• Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was replaced by Jaylon Jones in the second half but said it was because of an injury.
“Just rolled my ankle a little bit,” the rookie said. “Didn’t feel a need to push it further than what it was.”
• Bears fullback Khari Blasingame left the game with a concussion in the first half.