At a Glance
- Bears lose 42-38 to 49ers after a missed pass by Caleb Williams.
- 49ers score six touchdowns, ending Bears’ top-seed hopes.
- Bears finish 11-5, still clinched NFC North.
- Why it matters: The loss eliminates a first-round bye and shifts playoff seeding.
The Sunday night matchup in Santa Clara ended with the Chicago Bears falling 42-38 to the San Francisco 49ers after Caleb Williams missed a last-ditch pass to Jahdae Walker, costing the Bears a chance at the top seed in the NFC.
Game Recap
The Bears’ offense was on fire early, with Williams racking up 330 yards and two touchdowns. D’Andre Swift added two rushing scores, while rookie receivers Luther Burden and Colston Loveland combined for 14 catches, 232 yards, and two touchdowns. The 49ers’ offense exploded for six touchdowns, the third game this season in which Chicago allowed at least 42 points.
Key Stats
- Score: 38-42
- Passing yards: 330 (Bears)
- Touchdowns: 2 (Bears) – 6 (49ers)
- Rushing TDs: 2 (Bears)
Caleb Williams said:
> “It’s frustrating. 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. But we’ve got to do better job overall.”
Caleb Williams added:
> “We just had to try to make something out of nothing in that situation and then, like I said, we had a shot. With all that going on, time winding down, we had a shot. I just have to give my guys a shot in that situation. I ended up dirting the ball, didn’t get my legs into it. Just put the ball in the end zone in that situation. I can’t dirt the ball.”
Coach Ben Johnson said:
> “When you go against a dynamic offense like that, you talk about the possibilities as an offense of going tit-for-tat with them, and at times we may answer that call. They just ended up making more plays than us.”
Playoff Implications
The defeat ends the Bears’ hopes of earning the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. Chicago has already clinched the NFC North and can still secure the No. 2 seed by beating Detroit next Sunday or if Philadelphia loses to Washington.
| Metric | Bears | 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 38 | 42 |
| Total Yards (passing) | 330 | – |
| Touchdowns | 2 | 6 |
Key Takeaways
- The Bears lost 42-38 after a missed pass, ending their top-seed chase.
- 49ers’ six-touchdown performance was the decisive factor.
- Chicago still holds the NFC North but must win against Detroit or rely on other results to secure a favorable seed.
The game’s outcome underscores the high stakes of late-game play and the thin margin that separates playoff positioning.
