Bears' Moody caps whirlwind day with walk-off FG

LANDOVER, Md. -- Jake Moody had been connected the Chicago Bears' progressive roster for each of 7 hours by the clip helium kicked a 38-yard tract extremity arsenic clip expired to bushed the Washington Commanders 25-24 connected Monday night.

Moody was elevated from the signifier squad earlier successful the time portion Bears kicker Cairo Santos is dealing with an wounded to his close thigh. Santos was injured during Chicago's Week 4 triumph astatine Las Vegas and was a afloat subordinate successful signifier during the week.

"We made it done the week and we conscionable said, 'Hey, [Santos] wasn't feeling it, and we went up and made the change," Bears manager Ben Johnson said.

Moody, who has been with the Bears since Sept. 13, became the archetypal Bears kicker to footwear a walk-off tract extremity arsenic clip expired successful the 4th fourth successful his debut with the franchise. The 25-year-old was mobbed by teammates arsenic his game-winner sailed done the uprights astatine Northwest Stadium. He was past carried disconnected the tract successful celebration.

"It's a beauteous chill bid of events," Moody said. "A mates days ago, I didn't cognize I was playing and to get lifted up by my teammates, it's an astonishing feeling. I'm truly gladsome I got to stock that infinitesimal with them."

Moody began the play with San Francisco, the squad that drafted him successful the 3rd circular successful 2023. He was cut pursuing the Niners' play opener against the Seahawks aft missing 2 tract goals and signed to the Bears signifier squad days up of Week 2.

Given his constricted clip with the franchise, respective Bears players were inactive getting to cognize their teammate arsenic of kickoff. Running backmost D'Andre Swift introduced himself to Moody connected the sideline during Monday's game.

"First clip I've spoken to him," Swift said. "He did a large job. I don't cognize erstwhile helium recovered retired what his relation was going to beryllium today, but conscionable coming in, resilient. Just arrogant of him. Happy to person him connected the team, too."

Moody went 4-for-5 against the Commanders successful bedewed and windy conditions Monday. He connected connected tract goals of 47, 48 and 41 yards earlier helium kicked the victor with 3 seconds remaining.

Moody said Santos was an invaluable assets for him during the game.

"Very, precise gladsome that we did question with him," Moody said. "He kicked present a just among and helium was capable to benignant of assistance maine with the wind, with the tract surface, each that stuff. So I was precise gladsome to person an other acceptable of hands connected hand."

At the commencement of the 4th quarter, Moody had a 48-yard tract extremity blocked that enactment the Commanders astatine their ain 37-yard line. Washington, which held a one-point pb astatine the time, recovered the extremity portion 7 plays aboriginal erstwhile Jayden Daniels connected with Zach Ertz for a touchdown.

The Bears chopped Washington's pb to 24-22 connected their adjacent thrust erstwhile Swift took a abbreviated walk 55 yards for a touchdown. After a back-and-forth 4th quarter, Chicago recovered itself successful presumption to triumph aft Daniels fumbled his speech with rookie moving backmost Jacory Croskey-Merritt adjacent midfield.

The Bears had 3:07 to enactment with precocious successful the crippled and leaned connected Swift and the crushed game. After a dilatory commencement to the season, Swift yet broke done with 175 ya...