Play of the game: How D’Andre Swift helped save the day for the Bears against Minnesota

Cairo Santos will get all the flowers for nailing the game-winning 48-yard field goal to stun the Vikings 19-17 on Sunday. But Santos might not have come through with the heroics without a clutch run by veteran running back D’Andre Swift—and a gutsy call from head coach Ben Johnson.

Swift’s seven-yard carry on 3rd-and-8 was critical for shortening the attempt for Santos, who would’ve been looking at a 56-yard try if the Bears had failed to gain any additional yardage. (He’d also just missed from 45 yards out earlier in the quarter.) On a day where Swift gained 90 yards on the ground, none were bigger than these.

The choice to put the game in his hands was both a matter of riding the hot hand and thinking ahead.

The Bears’ offense got set up with magnificent field position thanks to Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard kick return to Minnesota’s 40, which marched them to the threshold of field goal range without an offensive snap. But the Vikings still had two timeouts, and Johnson didn’t want to give McCarthy another chance to play hero. So Swift got two carries on first and second down for a net of two yards, which forced Minnesota to burn their final two timeouts.

After that, Chicago had the whole playbook open to it. They could’ve taken their chances with Caleb Williams’s arm on 3rd-and-8, though it would’ve surely meant another Brian Flores blitz. But they ran it instead. Because that reflects the real Ben Johnson: downhill, hat-on-a-hat, I’m-better-than-you football.

last run to put the Bears in FG range. “ Lead iso “ watch the combo blocks!! Jonah jackson’s Finsh !!! pic.twitter.com/uGuLKsputR
— Olin kreutz (@olin_kreutz) November 16, 2025

The key things to watch here are the combo blocks.

Drew Dalman and Joe Thuney double on the interior defender to the left, who’s playing either a 1-technique or a 2i, while Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright initially double-team Jalen Redmond. All the single blocks do their job well, including Durham Smythe’s iso block in the hole from the fullback position, but Dalman stumbles before he can get to the second level, leaving a linebacker unblocked. Fortunately, Wright thinks quickly on his feet and takes the guy Dalman should’ve had, allowing Swift to get a full head of steam. His finish on the play is indicative of what he did all game, and the extra yard or so he bought made Santos's kick that much easier.

If the play had been blocked up the way it should’ve been, it would’ve gone for even more yardage and made the field goal even closer. Who knows, it might’ve even popped all the way for a touchdown. But it just as easily could’ve backfired had Wright not picked Dalman up in a critical spot.

But in that sense, this play was a perfect microcosm of what the Chicago Bears are. It might be messy sometimes, but it got the job done because these players lift one another up. You know…like a team.

Swift has gotten plenty of backlash this season for not being explosive enough as a runner, but the Bears quite literally wouldn’t have won without him (and his rookie understudy Kyle Monangai) in this one. Between their hard running and the improved offensive line, this feels like a team you don’t want to play in the Chicago cold come January, if things go that far.

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