ATLANTA — Cairo Santos’ streak of 21 consecutive field goals — which ranked second among active players — was snapped late in the first half Sunday when the Bears kicker missed a 56-yarder. Had Santos made the kick, it would have been the longest of his career by one yard. Santos thought his range Sunday was 58 yards. Instead, he left the kick short.
“I just hit it too wobbly,” he said. “The ball lost the power and dove down short.”
It didn’t help, he said, that the Bears were down to the second-string kicking ball. The first one went out of commission after Cordarrelle Patterson brought it back for his NFL-record ninth career kickoff return touchdown. Before each game, each team picks the three best kicking balls from warmups and give them to officials for game use.
After Santos’ miss, the Falcons inherited the ball at their own 46 with 1:10 to play. They drove for a 40-yard field goal before halftime.
This and that
• Cornerback Kyler Gordon left in the fourth quarter and was ruled out with a concussion.
• Right guard Teven Jenkins was active Sunday but did not play after telling coach Matt Eberflus before the game that his hip was hurting enough that he’d only be available in relief. Otherwise, Eberflus said, Jenkins could have rotated with Michael Schofield.
• Tight end Cole Kmet made the best catch of his career in the second quarter, snatching a 24-yard pass one-handed. He leapt, extended his right hand and caught the ball while being hit.
He praised Justin Fields’ pass and said he’d never made a better catch in the game.
“I thought it was pretty good,” he said.
