SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Trailing the 49ers 42-38 late Sunday night at Levi's Stadium, the cardiac Bears were in position to register their seventh dramatic win after trailing in the final two minutes of a game this season.
They reached the San Francisco 2 with :04 remaining. But on the game's final play, Caleb Williams' pass into the end zone to Jahdae Walker hit the ground just in front of the receiver, preserving the 49ers' victory. Williams deftly bought time by eluding defenders, rolled to his left and threw back across his body.
The Bears and 49ers combined for 11 touchdowns and 936 total yards in the wildly entertaining shootout between 11-4 playoff qualifiers.
Williams completed 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards with two TDs, no turnovers and a 100.3 passer rating. Luther Burden III led the Bears with eight catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. Fellow rookie Colston Loveland added 94 yards and a TD on six receptions. D'Andre Swift led the way on the ground with 54 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.
On the game's first play from scrimmage, Jaylon Johnson jumped a slant route and deflected Brock Purdy's pass to T.J. Edwards, who returned the interception 34 yards for a touchdown to put the Bears ahead 7-0.
The 49ers scored the next two TDs to take a 14-7 lead. From that point on, the Bears repeatedly followed San Francisco touchdowns with one of their own, tying the score 14-14, 21-21, 28-28 and 35-35.
The 49ers tied the score 7-7 on Purdy's 1-yard TD pass to tight end Jake Tonges, tying the score 7-7. The score came one play after Purdy's 27-yard pass to receiver Demarcus Robinson.
San Francisco needed only three plays to extend its lead to 14-7 on Purdy's 10-yard TD run with 4:52 left in the first quarter. The score was preceded by runs of 41 yards by Christian McCaffrey and 15 yards by Brian Robinson Jr.
The Bears tied the score 14-14 on Williams' perfectly thrown 35-yard TD pass to Burden on a post pattern late in the opening period.
The 49ers again responded as McCaffrey's 5-yard TD run capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive and gave San Francisco a 21-14 lead early in the second quarter.
The Bears followed with a 3-play TD drive of their own as Williams rifled a 36-yard scoring pass to Loveland, tying the score 21-21. Williams induced the 49ers to jump offsides, knew he had a free play and took advantage. The touchdown came after Kyle Monangai's 18-yard run and 11-yard reception.
The 49ers answered with their third straight TD as Purdy's 3-yard run gave San Francisco a 28-21 lead with 3:23 left in the second quarter. The TD capped a 15-play, 72-yard drive and came two plays after C.J. Gardner-Johnson's interception in the end zone was nullified by a penalty on Johnson for illegal hands-to-the-face.
The Bears opened the second half with a 10-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in D'Andre Swift's 2-yard TD run, tying the score 28-28.
But the 49ers once again responded as Purdy's 6-yard TD pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk gave San Francisco a 35-28 lead with 4:52 to play in the third quarter.
And once again the Bears answered as Swift's 22-yard TD run tied the score 35-35 on the first snap of the fourth quarter. The score came one play after Williams' 9-yard pass to Loveland on fourth-and-5 sustained the drive.
The Bears eventually took a 38-35 lead on Cairo Santos' 29-yard field goal with 5:22 left in the fourth quarter. But the 49ers went ahead 42-38 on Purdy's 38-yard TD pass to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 to play.
After clinching the NFC North title Saturday night when Baltimore defeated Green Bay, the Bears (11-5) lost Sunday night for just the second time in their last nine games. The loss ensured them of being either the No. 2 or 3 seed in the playoffs.
