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Surely, the Bears had one more card up their sleeve?
A fourth-down conversion to Colston Loveland works, but they had to have another after they got to the red zone, right? Here comes a Loveland-to-Swift lateral play to the two-yard line.
Okay, one last play. The Chicago Bears have pulled rabbits out of their hats in more dire moments, right?
Not this time. The Bears fell to San Francisco in what could be an NFC Playoff preview.
Here’s what we learned from the Bears’ shootout loss to the 49ers, where the Bears went toe-to-toe with an NFC contender.
You can admit that was fun. Was it also a playoff preview?
The Chicago Bears and shootouts are two things rarely associated with each other. The Bears won a shootout with the Bengals earlier this year, but that game was more wild than fun.
On Sunday night, the Bears and 49ers traded shots. The two teams combined for 11 touchdowns and 936 total yards.
In the end, San Francisco won. There are smaller plays to reconsider and other moments that make you wonder "what if?" But, it was an entertaining game and the Bears had a chance to win at the end.
A lateral play where Colston Loveland pitched it to D’Andre Swift went to the San Francisco two-yard line.
One last play from the goal line was aborted when the 49ers’ pass rush got a free lane at Caleb Williams. The Bears’ quarterback could evade the rush for so long before firing a heave to Jahdae Walker that fell incomplete.
Game over. 49ers 42, Bears 38. The Bears just ran out of time in the end.
"Two good teams going at it," Loveland said. "We just came up short."
The head coach took the blame for the final play, where he said Williams had to stitch some of the call together.
"It’s on me. I didn’t get the call out fast enough," Bears coach Ben Johnson said.
There are never moral victories in losses, but the Bears don’t have to hang their heads. They went shot-for-shot in a game against an NFC contender in a game where it felt like half the roster was sick, and the Bears were down to the final play.
It almost seems more shocking the Bears didn’t find a way to win. But, that’s the precedent the Bears have set this season on a run that’s not close to being over.
"Everybody in this locker room expected us to finish," Burden said.
Going shot-for-shot with the Bengals is one thing. Going shot-for-shot with one of the best offenses in the league is another.
The Bears’ offense is legit and it’s getting better. They might need it to keep getting better, especially if Sunday proves to be an NFC Playoff Preview between these two teams come January. Both the Bears and 49ers are in.
"We can hang with anybody," Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said.
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Caleb Williams is the guy
In the first quarter, there was a hiccup. The Bears got a free play, and Williams rolled to his right and bought time. He fired a laser to Loveland. Touchdown, Bears.
Woah.
"That was cool, some backyard football," Loveland said. "It was a good play."
That was still the second most-impressive play of the day for Williams.
The Bears’ first offensive touchdown of the day was a 35-yard strike to Luther Burden III. Williams. flatfooted, with his left arm pinned against his body and a defender in his face, delivered a perfect pass to Burden behind two defenders.
That’s the good stuff.
Williams finished the game completing 25 of his 42 passes for 330 yards and two scores. He didn’t throw an interception, marking his 23rd interception-less game since entering the NFL last season. Only Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts has more games without a pick.
Now, Williams needs 270 passing yards next week to be the first Bears’ quarterback to break 4,000 passing yards, but just 109 passing yards to break the Bears' single-season passing record.
The Bears have a franchise quarterback.
"Warrior," Loveland said of his quarterback. "Just so poised throughout."
The rookies aren’t rookies anymore
The Bears spent their top draft picks on rookie offensive weapons: tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. The Bears spent most of the start of the season getting the two acclimated to the NFL.
Now, the two aren’t rookies anymore. They’re important fixtures in the Bears’ offense.
"I gave it my all out there, bro," Burden III said. "Tired as hell."
Burden led the Bears with eight catches for 138 yards and a score. Loveland was right behind with six catches on a team-high 10 targets for 94 yards and a touchdown.
The Bears’ offense is just so different with Burden out there. After going three-and-out on their first two offensive possessions, Williams went to Burden on drive No. 3. Catch, first down, the drive went on.
He went to Burden again on the final drive on a third and 10, and to Loveland again on a fourth and five. Both were first downs.
"We’re down," Burden said. "Someone’s gotta make a play."
The two are growing up before our eyes. Time will tell how much impact they can make in the postseason. There’s no doubt the Bears will be going right at them.
Grading the Chicago Bears in their primetime shootout vs. San Francisco
Here's how we graded the Bears' primetime showdown with the 49ers, where the offenses were flying and the defenses were nonexistent.
The defense needs more from the pass rush
The Bears’ defense was not particularly good on Sunday night.
There’s not too much shame in that. The Bears were up against arguably the best play caller in the NFL with Kyle Shanahan running the show.
But, the one alarm bell should be sounding for the pass rush. The Bears got one sack on Purdy all night, and should have had more. They didn’t pressure him much, either.
The defense forced two punts, which is two more than the 49ers have had to settle for in the last two weeks. But, the defense struggled to stop the San Francisco offense in the end.
"All of us on defense felt we didn’t play how we needed to," Bears linebacker TJ Edwards said. "That was disappointing."
Edwards said the Bears didn’t execute on first and second down. That was a reason they weren’t able to dial up the pressures like they wanted to. However, some games just don’t lend themselves to that. Against a Niners’ team that lost All-Pro tackle Trent Williams early on, more needs to come from a pass rush that includes young players the Bears want to take the next step.
The Bears’ secondary feasts on takeaways when the pressure alters and affects throws. If the Bears aren’t doing that, then playoff teams can expose them the same way the 49ers exposed the secondary Sunday night.
In the playoffs, that lack of pressure could be the difference between a first-round exit and moving on.
Next week is about seeding
The Bears’ loss to the Niners all but ended the Bears’ chances of getting the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
That was always going to be a difficult discussion as it was. The Seahawks are in a prime position to win the top seed and homefield advantage because they control their own destiny. Seattle can clinch the top seed with a win over San Francisco.
The Bears can finish as high as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. That still guarantees a home game, and it might be Round 3 against the Green Bay Packers.
The Bears play the Lions at 3:25 p.m. next weekend at Soldier Field.