Final Score: 49ers 38 Bears 13
In their first contest since the firing of former head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears fell in horrific fashion the the 49ers in Santa Clara 38-13. The performance marked the first time that Chicago has allowed 30+ points since November 19th, 2023. While teams commonly benefit from a “new coach bump” after firing a head coach mid-season, the Bears managed to play worse than they had in previous weeks. After losing three straight tightly contested games against 9+ win teams (Packers, Vikings, Lions) by only a combined 7 points, they were dominated by a 49ers club that came in sitting at 5-7 and riding a three-game losing streak.
Glaring Issues
Defense Looked Lost Without Eberflus
The overwhelming sentiment following this game is the feeling that the defense may be in trouble without Matt Eberflus. Though clearly not fit to be head coach, Eberflus was (and remains to be) a great defensive coordinator. Throughout his entire tenure, Eberflus called plays on defense and served as the defacto DC. While the offense has struggled to find its footing, the defense has been a consistent force for Chicago for a while now.
With Flus out, defensive coordinator Eric Washington took over defensive play calling duties for the first time since December 2018 when he was with the Panthers (Panthers head coach Ron Rivera took over at that point, mid-way through the season). To give him some grace, attempting to scheme up ways to slow down a Kyle Shanahan offense is just about the toughest first assignment a DC could be faced with. Shanahan is renowned as one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, to the point where ‘Shanahan-coaching-tree” is possibly most attractive assets for a job-searching coach to have.
With everything in mind, the defense looked awful on Sunday. There were constant coverage busts, several times with 49ers tight end George Kittle. With 3 out of Chicago’s 4 remaining games scheduled against top-9 offenses, things might not get any better.
Lost Both Trench Battles Handily
The Bears were dominated in the trenches in Santa Clara. The offensive line allowed San Francisco to rack up 6 sacks. Meanwhile, Chicago’s mighty defensive line combined for just 1. You can’t win games like that. In the offseason, it is clear that GM Ryan Poles needs to heavily prioritize both the offensive and defensive lines.
Bright Spots
Odunze Reeled in Two TDs
One positive to take out of Sunday’s game was rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze’s performance. Odunze and QB Caleb Williams have cleary developed some chemistry throughout the season which has resulted in some nice games out of Rome. This week marked the rookie’s first multi-touchdown game. Hopefully there are many more to come.
Standout Performers
George Kittle
While both 49ers RB Isaac Guerendo and WR Jauane Jennings nabbed two touchdowns a piece, TE George Kittle was the most impressive to me. Kittle posted 156 yards on 6 catches. He is so dangerous with the ball in his hands and did a fantastic job of finding soft spots in Chicago’s defense. Unsurprisingly, Kittle received the 2nd-highest PFF receiving grade for Week 14.
Key Drive of the Game
The most important drive of this game came early. Already leading 14-0, San Francisco took over possession with 5 seconds remaining in the 1st quarter. The Bears wouldn’t touch the ball again until only 7:41 remained in the half. The 49ers marched 71 yards down the field in a grueling, 7 minute and 24 second-long drive that extended San Francisco’s lead to 21 points. While Chicago has been prone to slow starts, it has consistently managed to claw back into games. However once this deficit reached 3 touchdowns, it felt insurmountable. The game was over by the time Jaune Jennings hauled in the touchdown that capped this drive off.