Chicago Bears continue to be a chameleon this year. They adapt as necessary and change styles to have a chance to win football matches. Against the San Francisco 49ers, the Bears had to run a scoring attack and rely more on the passing attack, resulting in the best performance of many of their team's young stars careers starting with Caleb Williams.
Here's how my five expectations for the Chicago Bears' game against the 49ers on Sunday night panned out:
Caleb Williams and Brock Purdy have a great time in the air
“The Bears vs. 49ers on Sunday night will be a high-scoring classic primetime football game. I think a lot of this will have to do with the high production volume both quarterbacks will produce. I think Caleb Williams is going to have a big day against the young 49ers defense. I've seen Caleb throw for 300 yards and I think Brock Purdy will do his best to match that. The stakes are high in this game and both defenders will be at their best.”
Caleb Williams and Brock Purdy put on a show Sunday night. Both defensemen had some of their best games this season on Sunday night; they both threw for over 300 yards and at least 2 touchdowns. Brock Purdy eventually got the better of Caleb Williams, but it was encouraging to see Caleb Williams play like that in a game that felt like a playoff game.
DJ Moore has over 125 receiving yards.
“No Rome Odunze for another week, but luckily for Caleb, his connection with DJ Moore looks as strong as ever. As an added bonus, Caleb brings back Luther Burden, another key member, on Sunday night. However, I think DJ Moore will be the Bears' leading receiver for another week straight. Moore was as valuable as ever and could have another game-winning touchdown. At the very least, I think Moore will put up 125 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown Moore will look like the No. 1 receiver in primetime against the 49ers.
DJ battling illness turned out to be the complete opposite of my prediction. Caleb Williams still managed to play his best game thanks to elite performances from the Bears' top draft picks. Moore's absence allowed Luther Burden to look like a superstar and perform even better than I expected from DJ Moore.
Montez Sweet got his 10th sack of the season.
“Montes Sweat has had a dominant season this year, and he's coming off a game in which he bullied the Packers' backup tackle all game long. A prime example of this was his sack when he bulldozed a Packers tackle to end regulation and send the game to overtime. Sweet currently has 9.5 sacks on the year, and against the 49ers in a big game for the Bears, Sweet is one of the defensive backs emerging in Chicago. I think Sweet beat Brock Purdy at least once in this game and is a familiar face in the backfield.”
Montez Sweat didn't play a role in the Bears' game against the 49ers. A very disappointing performance and he was one of the Bears' worst players on defense. On the other hand, Austin Booker stepped up and showed some life, making some big plays and winning the award.
The Bears defense intercepted Brock Purdy twice.
“Brock Purdy is no stranger to throwing picks. In 7 games this year, Purdy managed to throw 8 interceptions. The Bears know how to make plays, as they are the No. 1 defense in the NFL in this category. While I think Brock Purdy will throw a lot of passes, I think the Bears stole two interceptions from him. I think Tremaine Edmunds and Jaylon Johnson are the two Bears who have thrown two interceptions. high revs.”
The Bears started the game with an interception and my prediction looked pretty good. After that interception early in the game, the Bears defense didn't produce anything significant again. It was pure 49ers dominance over the Bears.
The Bears clinched the NFC North and finished Week 17 atop the NFC standings.
The Bears have had a pretty good season this year and I don't see their luck running out anytime soon. The Bears have a strong opponent battling them in Week 17 for the top spot. The 49ers have lost many key players but still have equally good, if not better, coaching on both sides of the ball. Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy kept the Niners competent on offense. Although the Bears are underdogs in this game, they have what it takes to end the 49ers' winning streak. “I think the Bears will take care of business on Sunday night and will be helped by the Carolina Panthers, who are no strangers to upsets as they beat the Seahawks early Sunday morning, once Week 17 is over they will be sitting atop the NFC in the driver's seat for a first-round run when playoff time comes.”
The Bears clinched the NFC North title heading into Sunday night's game, but fell short of their goal of No. 1 seed, losing to the 49ers. Duviuson is the Bears and will play the game at Soldier Field, both of which are dreams for the Bears heading into this season. The Bears still have a chance to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC, giving them the potential to make a few playoff games at home, increasing their chances of making the playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Top reasons for Chicago Bears optimism after loss to 49ers
