The Bears hired Juan Castillo to replace Harry Hiestand as their offensive line coach on Jan. 5 last year — a Sunday announcement that coincided with the Vikings’ upset of the Saints in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
It’s a notable coincidence because it was the Vikings’ offensive line, under first-year line coach Rick Dennison, that helped spark the upset. Two weeks after the Vikings’ line imploded in a 23-10 loss to the Packers, allowing five sacks of Kirk Cousins, it kept Cousins relatively clean (two sacks for 10 yards). And it paved the way for 136 rushing yards on 40 carries for ball control (36:56) that helped the Vikings keep Saints quarterback Drew Brees off the field.