Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers – Week 17 Game Preview: Overview, Keys to Game, Insights
The Bears (11-4) staged another dramatic comeback victory last Saturday, scoring 16 consecutive points at the end of the fourth quarter and in overtime to stun the Packers and position themselves a single game away from the NFC North title. Things don’t get any easier for Chicago with a looming matchup with the suddenly red-hot 49ers on the West Coast Sunday night.
San Francisco (11-4) has won five consecutive games and can still take the hotly-contested NFC West if they beat the final two opponents on their schedule. Quarterback Brock Purdy has returned from a toe injury and has the offense running on all cylinders, scoring 26.1 points per game.
The Niners attack flows almost entirely through tight end George Kittle and do-everything running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey has 280 carries for 1039 yards and 92 catches for 849 yards with a total of 16 touchdowns. That means the dynamic Stanford alum has touched the football on 38% of San Francisco’s offensive snaps.
McCaffrey may have an even bigger load Sunday if Kittle is unable to go with an ankle injury that has his status in jeopardy. The other major 49ers receiving threat is Jauan Jennings who has eight touchdown receptions to lead the team.
San Francisco’s defense has been absolutely ravaged by injuries for a second consecutive season. The two biggest blows were year-ending injuries to a pair of All Pros; LB Fred Warner and DE Nick Bosa. The secondary has been repeatedly exposed and is a major vulnerability at points in 2025. The Niners are still effective stopping the run which has helped to limit their opponents to just 21.1 points per game.
This matchup could easily happen again in the playoffs in a couple of weeks and should be a very tight contest. The Bears can wrap up the division with a victory and they are still alive for the top seed and a first round bye if they win out. This is another chance for Ben Johnson’s squad to put themselves in excellent position for a deep playoff run. It’s time to see if they can have a good stay by the bay.
Where to Watch/Listen
- Sunday, December 28 at 7:20pm CT on NBC, WBBM Radio (English), and WRTO Radio (Spanish).
Keys to Victory
Here are my keys to Sunday’s game. If these things happen, the Bears should have a shot to win.
- Try to grab an early lead. The Bears have done a great job of storming back from deficits late in games but it would be a lot easier if they could jump ahead in the first half.
- Pass to set up the run. Chicago has been a run first team all season long but San Francisco is very good at stopping that so they may have to have Caleb Williams throw a lot early to loosen up the defense and then go on the ground.
- D.J. Moore needs to keep playing well. With the Bears other receiving options a question mark due to injury they need the versatile Moore to have a big impact on the game like he has the past two weeks.
- Take advantage of Purdy’s mistakes. The Niners quarterback can be very effective but he will throw interceptions and the Bears have done a great job forcing turnovers this year. Jumping on those chances could be the difference in this one.
Don’t Tell Me the Odds
The 49ers are favored by three points at home against the Bears Sunday night. Vegas expects a lot of points with the over/under set at 52.5.
It’s Football Weather
The forecast for kickoff Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium is in the high 40s with clear skies and light wind.
My Prediction
Not surprisingly this game will go down to the wire once again for the Bears. There will be big plays by both teams but Chicago will create one more crucial turnover than San Francisco and pull out a 24-21 victory to win the division.
Official NFL Preview
Here is the official preview of the Bears-49ers game from the NFL.
