49ers takeaways: Whew! They escape with win over Bears, still in hunt for No. 1 seed
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- 49ers escape 42-38 vs. Bears and keep possibility of NFC No. 1 seed alive
- Purdy rebounds from opening pick-six, throws three TDs and two rushing scores
- McCaffrey logs 140 rush yards, needs 110 passing in finale for 1,000-1,000
It was a barn-burner filled with big plays and long touchdowns. The stakes were high, with the San Francisco 49ers needing to win their final two games to secure the top seed in the NFC playoffs despite another season filled with injuries and absences from star players.
It came down to the final seconds between the 49ers and Chicago Bears.
The Bears had a chance to win the game from the 3-yard line with 4 seconds remaining, down 42-38. Caleb Williams rolled to his left, avoiding the 49ers pass rush. Somehow, the 49ers escaped with a win, remaining alive for the No. 1 seed with a showdown next week — 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPN — against the Seattle Seahawks.
Here are five takeaways from the highly entertaining game.
1. Brock Purdy does it all
The 49ers came into Sunday winners of five straight games since Purdy returned as the starter after dealing with turf toe. Purdy over that span completed 70% of his passes with a 110.0 rating.
But Purdy couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start. He threw a pick-6 on the first snap of the game. Trying to hit Jauan Jennings on a slant, defensive back Jaylon Johnson cut off the receiver and deflected the ball allowing linebacker T.J Edwards to grab it and take it 34 yards to give Chicago the unlikely 7-0 lead.
But Purdy responded by leading touchdown drives on two of the next three possessions, including a 1-yard score to back up tight Jake Tonges, and then running for a 10-yard touchdown and celebrating with a dance in the end zone. Purdy added another rushing touchdown on a designed keeper to the left.
The highlight of Purdy’s night was a touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk in which he made two Bears defenders miss in the open field, luring in two more defenders out of fear Purdy would run in, before he found his fullback in the front corner of the end zone.
Purdy finished 24 of 33 for 303 yards, 3 touchdown passes, 2 rushing touchdowns. His last throw proved to be the game winner when he found Jennings over the middle for a 38-yard catch and run.
2. The 49ers still in the hunt for No. 1 seed
The Seattle Seahawks’ 27-10 win over the Carolina Panthers Sunday pushed their record to 13-4 while they maintain their hold on the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs heading into Week 18. That win meant the 49ers had to beat the Bears to maintain their shot at the top seed.
A loss to Chicago would have eliminated San Francisco’s chances at the No. 1 seed, making Week 18 meaningless.
3. McCaffrey needs 110 more passing yards
Christian McCaffrey needed 151 receiving yards to reach 1,000 and clinch his second season with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 through the air. McCaffrey, Marshall Faulk and former 49ers running back Roger Craig are the only three players to do it in a single season. McCaffrey would be the first player to do it twice.
McCaffrey wasn’t a factor in the passing game early, but he continued his hot stretch on the ground. He scored his 17th touchdown of the season early in the second quarter while logging 121 yards on 18 carries in the first half, before finishing with 140 yards rushing and 41 receiving. He’ll need 110 passing yards in the finale to reach 1,000-1,000.
4. Tonges subs well for Kittle
The 49ers ruled out star tight end George Kittle out 90 minutes before game time because of his ankle injury. Kittle’s replacement, Jake Tonges, picked up where the All-Pro left off, making three catches on the 49ers’ second possession, including a 1-yard touchdown. Tonges ended with seven catches for 60 yards and the early score.
5. The punter exists! Williams exits! Stout, too
Thomas Morstead had not punted since November and the 49ers came into Sunday without a punt over their previous 21 possessions, the longest streak in the NFL this season and the longest streak in the last 40 years.
But the 49ers went three-and-out on their third possession, and Morstead punted for the first time since Nov. 30 in Cleveland. The punt went 49 yards and was fair caught at Chicago’s 16-yard line. His second came in the fourth quarter, which was fair caught at the 11.
Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams exited in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. He removed his wrist tape on the sidelines just before the 49ers’ offense went back on to the field for its third series and was replaced by veteran backup Austin Pleasants.
Williams, 37, had not missed a game this season. He’s missed at least one in every season dating back to 2013, his fourth year in the league. The 49ers also lost defensive back Upton Stout in the second half due to a concussion.
This story was originally published December 28, 2025 at 9:08 PM.
