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Everyone but Steve Levy realized that Cairo Santos‘s 65-yard field goal try on Monday night had no chance of making it through the uprights. It’s possible that the Bears should have had another chance to kick the ball or to throw a Hail Mary five yards closer.
As noted by Adam Jahns of TheAthletic.com, the All-22 film suggests that multiple Steelers may have been lined up offside on the field-goal try. If a flag had been thrown, Bears coach Matt Nagy would have had another chance to decide whether to attempt a 60-yard field goal or throw the ball to the end zone.
The Bears would have had the ball at the Chicago 42, if the apparent offside had been called. Maybe the woefully short attempt from Santos would have prompted Nagy to not try another field goal. Maybe Nagy would have decided to throw to the end zone.
Regardless, it looks like the Bears should have had another shot. The fact that multiple flags were thrown on the Chicago defense for lining up in the neutral zone makes it more conspicuous that none of the officials flagged the Steelers for being offside on the last play of the game.
It also gives those who are inclined to think the fix is in even more ammunition for believing it. Even though the fix isn’t in. At least not by the league. Whether the league has to worry about a Tim Donaghy situation eventually unfolding is a different issue altogether.
