Brock Purdy and the 49ers hang on
to beat the Bears 42-38 and have a shot at top NFC seed
[December 29, 2025]
By JOSH DUBOW
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy and the San Francisco offense
did everything they could for the first 58 minutes in a nearly
flawless performance. At the end, they were just spectators when the
beleaguered defense finally came through with a stop.
Purdy threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings with 2:15
left, and the 49ers forced an incomplete pass on the final play from
the 2 to beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 on Sunday night and set up a
Week 18 showdown for the top seed in the NFC.
Caleb Williams drove the Bears (11-5) down the field in the closing
seconds and had one last shot for the win. But Bryce Huff forced him
out of the pocket and his throw short-hopped Jahdae Walker in the
end zone to seal a sixth straight victory for the 49ers (12-4).
“For them to finish out the game like that, I was so happy for them.
I was sitting there not being able to do anything but watch,” Purdy
said. “To be able to celebrate was a cool team win. There’s nothing
like that. It was pretty special.”
That gave the 49ers a chance to win the NFC West and get a bye by
beating Seattle (13-3) in the season finale on Saturday night. A win
would give San Francisco home-field advantage and a chance to stay
home all postseason, with the Super Bowl set to be played at Levi’s
Stadium on Feb. 8.
“We’ve earned this,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. "This is the game we
want. We love that it’s here. We have an opportunity to never leave
here again this year.”
The loss ends the Bears’ hopes of earning the top seed. Chicago has
already clinched the NFC North and can earn the No. 2 seed by
beating Detroit next Sunday.
Purdy followed his career-high five TD-pass performance last week
against Indianapolis by throwing for three scores and running for
two to become the sixth player since the AFL-NFL merger with
back-to-back games with at least five touchdowns.
Purdy finished 24 for 33 for 303 yards, while Christian McCaffrey
ran for 140 yards and a score and added 41 more receiving.
Williams went 25 for 42 for 330 yards and two TDs but couldn’t
deliver at the end after already leading the Bears to an NFL-record
six comeback wins after trailing in the final two minutes of
regulation.
“It’s frustrating,” Williams said. “You don’t want to lose a game
ever. And then also, in that position, having a shot at the end is
all you can ask for on this moment.”
Neither defense could slow down the opposing offense for most of the
night after a pick-6 by Chicago’s T.J. Edwards on the first play.
The Niners led 28-21 at halftime.
[to top of second column] |
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams passes against the San
Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in
Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
The teams then traded touchdowns on the first three
drives of the second half, with D’Andre Swift scoring on two runs
for Chicago and Purdy delivering a highlight-reel play for San
Francisco. He rolled to his right on a play from the 6, eluded two
pass rushers and then flipped an easy TD pass to Kyle Juszczyk on a
play that lasted longer than 8 seconds.
“I was hoping he'd throw it away and we'd have a couple more downs,”
Shanahan said. “Then I started watching him like every fan does. He
made me extremely nervous and then he made my extremely happy.”
The Bears finally forced a punt and went ahead 38-35 on a short
field goal by Cairo Santos with 5:22 to play when they couldn’t
convert on third down in the red zone.
The Bears’ opportunistic defense struck on the first play when
Edwards caught a deflected pass and returned it 34 yards for
Chicago’s first defensive score on the opening play in at least 45
years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“It was early in the game so you do have to flush it and be ready to
play a whole game after that,” Purdy said.
Purdy answered his big mistake to start the game with a 65-yard
touchdown drive capped by a 1-yard pass to Jake Tonges, and San
Francisco moved the ball with ease all half.
Purdy added two touchdown runs and McCaffrey also scored on the
ground to give the 49ers a 28-21 lead at the break despite allowing
two deep TD passes by Williams.
Injuries
Bears: LB Noah Sewell left in the third quarter with an ankle
injury. ... DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion) left the game. ... WR
Olamide Zaccheaus was a late scratch with an illness.
49ers: LT Trent Williams (hamstring) left after getting hurt on the
opening play and never returned. ... CB Upton Stout (concussion)
left in the second half. ... TE George Kittle (ankle) was inactive.
Up next
Bears: Host Detroit on Sunday.
49ers: Host Seattle on Saturday night.
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