The Chicago Bears fell short as the San Francisco 49ers pulled out a tightly contested 42-38 win on December 28 at Levi’s Stadium. Nonetheless, the defeat isn’t because of how Caleb Williams performed against the Niners.
Williams went 25-for-42 on his pass attempts for 330 passing yards and two touchdowns. Moreover, he had five carries on the ground for 18 rushing yards.
Chicago’s signal caller was a thorn in the 49ers’ defense, and safety Ji’Ayir Brown shared blunt words regarding Williams, as he can pose a threat to any team in the playoffs looking to reach the Super Bowl.
“I feel like [Williams is] one of, if not the best, outside-the-pocket passing quarterbacks, man,” Brown told reporters after the game (h/t Matt Lively of CBS Sports Bay Area). “When he gets on the move, man, he can throw it as if he’s standing still, on the move. I feel like he’s the driving force of that offense, and he’s definitely one of the better quarterbacks in this game when it comes to that.”
Ben Johnson Talks 49ers in Bears Loss
Both playoff teams traded blows throughout a high-scoring matchup, yet San Francisco delivered the decisive moment late in the fourth quarter. With just over two minutes left, Jauan Jennings found the end zone, swinging the game in the Niners’ favor.
Chicago still had a chance to answer in the closing seconds and potentially steal the lead, but the drive stalled short of the goal line. The 49ers held on for the win, and afterward, Bears head coach Ben Johnson acknowledged San Francisco for making the plays that sealed the outcome.
“They controlled the ball,” Johnson told reporters postgame. “They did a good job building the lead there, down by seven at halftime. We couldn’t stay on the field on offense. We were 0-for-3 on third downs. They were five for seven on third downs in that first half. And yet, [in the] second half, I did feel like we picked up our game a little bit as a team.
“We closed that gap and made it to where we could potentially win that thing there at the end. So, I was proud of the guys for that, but it just wasn’t enough. And when you go on the road against a good team like that, you got to be on top of your mess the entire time. And we just weren’t.”
Bears’ Defense Couldn’t Stop 49ers’ Offense
Chicago’s defense struggled to contain the 49ers, allowing Brock Purdy to control the game from start to finish. Purdy completed 24 of 33 passes for 303 yards, threw three touchdown passes, and added one interception. The issues extended beyond the passing game, as Purdy also hurt the Bears on the ground with six carries for 28 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
After the loss to San Francisco, former Bears player Patrick Mannelly raised concerns about the lack of consistent pressure. He noted that Purdy was able to operate comfortably as both a passer and runner, something Chicago never managed to disrupt.
“They just still don’t have a pass rush,“ Mannelly said on 670 The Score after the Bears’ loss on December 28. “Austin Booker got there once, batted a couple of balls, but that was at the line of scrimmage. And you’re right, when Trent Williams went out, I said, ‘Okay, I knew Brock Purdy could move. I didn’t know he could move that well.’
“I haven’t seen a whole bunch of Brock Purdy, but what a game for him. He had being able to move around the pocket and what he did early in the game as well. But I did. I thought those were huge advantages for this defense, and that’s why I’m disappointed.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Caleb Williams Hit With Huge Claim Despite Bears Loss to 49ers appeared first on Heavy Sports.