In one of the craziest finishes in recent memory, the Chicago Bears drew inspiration from another team in a last-minute comeback victory over the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos had just scored their first touchdown of the game to pull within 13-12, and they opted to go for the win on a two-point conversion. After a delay of game penalty backed them up to the seven-yard line, they elected to play it safe with the extra point.
Brandon McManus’ kick went wide right, and it provided a brief moment of celebration for the Bears, as it appeared they’d just won. But nickelback Buster Skrine, who filled in at Sherrick McManis’ spot, was called for an offsides penalty.
Denver got another shot at their two-point conversion and was successful, which gave them a 14-13 lead with 31 seconds remaining.
It appeared that after nearly winning, the Bears had just lost.
Chicago was prepared for a situation just like this thanks to coach Matt Nagy. Earlier in the week, Nagy showed his team footage from the New Orleans Saints’ victory over the Houston Texans last Monday.
“Nagy, he’s like a god himself,” Skrine said. “We watched the Saints game, on how they did the same thing. He said it on the sideline. He said, ‘The Saints did it. We can do it too.’ That’s exactly what happened.”
Facing 4th-and-15 with nine seconds left, quarterback Mitch Trubisky found Allen Robinson for a 25-yard completion in the middle of the field with one tick left, which set-up Eddy Pineiro for a 53-yard field goal.
Just like the Saints’ Will Lutz connected on a 58-yard game-winning field goal in an improbable,victory, Pineiro did the same for the Bears.
“I was hoping I’d be Will Lutz in that situation,” Pineiro said. “This is why you practice. This is what you play for. This is what you work your butt off for, to be in that situation and have that opportunity.”
Pineiro saved the Bears from an 0-2 hole in what was certainly an ugly win. But an ugly win is better than any loss.
