SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy stood on the sideline, helpless, as Caleb Williams scrambled left with four seconds remaining and the ball at the 2-yard line. Williams spun away from pressure, rolled toward the sideline, and fired across his body toward the end zone.
The pass hit the turf just short of Jahdae Walker’s outstretched hands. San Francisco’s 42-38 victory was secure.
The 49ers (12-4) survived a shootout at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night, with Purdy accounting for five touchdowns in his second straight week to set up a winner-take-all matchup with Seattle for the NFC’s top seed. Chicago (11-5) mounted another fourth-quarter rally but fell one play short of what would have been Williams’ seventh comeback win this season.
“For them to finish out the game like that, I was so happy for them,” Purdy said. “I was sitting there not being able to do anything but watch.”
Table of Contents
Game-Winning Drive Caps Offensive Showcase
The final minutes captured the tenor of an 80-point night that featured 11 touchdowns and 936 total yards between two playoff-bound teams.
Trailing 38-35, Purdy led San Francisco 70 yards in seven plays. A hands-to-the-face penalty on Chicago extended the drive before Purdy found Jauan Jennings streaking down the middle for a 38-yard touchdown with 2:15 left.
Williams answered by driving the Bears from their own 35 to the San Francisco 2. He converted a fourth-and-5 with a 13-yard completion to Colston Loveland, then hit Loveland again on second down at the 13. Loveland pitched to D’Andre Swift, who was tackled at the 2 with the clock running. Williams spiked the ball with four seconds left, setting up one final snap.
Bryce Huff forced Williams out of the pocket. The throw never had a chance.
“It’s frustrating,” Williams said. “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.”
Purdy Bounces Back From Opening-Play Disaster
The game started with Purdy’s worst nightmare. His pass deflected off a defender’s hands and into the arms of linebacker T.J. Edwards, who returned it 34 yards for a touchdown 15 seconds into the game. Chicago became the first team to score a defensive touchdown on an opening play in at least 45 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Purdy shook it off.
He completed 24 of 33 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns, adding two more scores on the ground. The performance made him the sixth player since the AFL-NFL merger with back-to-back games of at least five total touchdowns.
| Brock Purdy Stats | Total |
|---|---|
| Passing: Completions-Attempts | 24-33 |
| Passing Yards | 303 |
| Passing Touchdowns | 3 |
| Rushing Touchdowns | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Passer Rating | 118.6 |
The 49ers answered Edwards’ pick-six with a nine-play, 65-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jake Tonges. Purdy added rushing touchdowns of 10 and 3 yards in the first half, helping San Francisco build a 28-21 halftime lead.
McCaffrey Reaches Franchise Milestone
Christian McCaffrey carried 23 times for 140 yards and a touchdown while catching four passes for 41 yards. The performance pushed his season reception total to 96, breaking the 49ers’ franchise record for catches by a running back.
McCaffrey ripped off a 41-yard run in the second quarter and scored on a 5-yard run to give San Francisco a 21-14 lead. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry against a Chicago defense that entered the game ranked seventh against the run.
His 181 total yards provided the foundation for an offense that posted 496 yards and converted all five red-zone opportunities into touchdowns.
Chicago’s Rookies Lead Aerial Attack
Williams completed 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Two rookies carried the load.
Luther Burden III caught eight passes for 138 yards and a 35-yard touchdown down the left sideline. Colston Loveland added six receptions for 94 yards and a 36-yard score on a free play after San Francisco jumped offside.
| Top Performers | Rec | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luther Burden III (CHI) | 8 | 138 | 1 | 35 |
| Colston Loveland (CHI) | 6 | 94 | 1 | 36 |
| Ricky Pearsall (SF) | 5 | 85 | 0 | 30 |
| Jake Tonges (SF) | 4 | 38 | 1 | 18 |
Swift rushed for two touchdowns, including a 22-yard burst in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 35. Cairo Santos’ 29-yard field goal with 5:22 remaining gave Chicago its first lead since the opening-play pick-six.
Defense Takes Backseat in High-Scoring Affair
Neither team could slow down the opposing offense after Edwards’ early interception. The 49ers and Bears combined to score touchdowns on nine of their first 12 possessions.
San Francisco’s red-zone efficiency told the story. The 49ers went 5-for-5 inside the 20, converting every opportunity into six points. Chicago managed just one touchdown on three red-zone trips, settling for Santos’ late field goal after stalling at the San Francisco 11.
| Team Statistics | Chicago | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 440 | 496 |
| First Downs | 26 | 32 |
| Third Down Conversions | 6-12 (50%) | 7-10 (70%) |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1-3 (33%) | 5-5 (100%) |
| Time of Possession | 26:27 | 33:33 |
The 49ers controlled the clock and moved the chains on third down at a 70% clip. San Francisco registered a season-high 32 first downs and 496 total yards, the most since tallying 527 against Seattle in December 2023.
Injuries Mount on Both Sides
San Francisco lost left tackle Trent Williams on the opening play with a hamstring injury. He never returned, forcing backup Jaylon Moore into extended action against Chicago’s pass rush.
The Bears saw linebacker Noah Sewell exit in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka left with a concussion. Wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus was a late scratch due to illness.
Road to the Top Seed
The stakes couldn’t be higher for San Francisco in Week 18. A victory over Seattle on Saturday night would give the 49ers the NFC West title, the conference’s No. 1 seed, and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
“We’ve earned this,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “This is the game we want. We love that it’s here. We have an opportunity to never leave here again this year.”
The Super Bowl will be played at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8. One more win keeps San Francisco home all postseason.
Chicago has already clinched the NFC North and will face Detroit at Soldier Field next Sunday. A victory would secure the No. 2 seed, though the top spot is now out of reach.
Williams marched the Bears to potential victory twice in the final five minutes. The chicago bears vs 49ers match player stats showed two young quarterbacks trading blows in a game that came down to one incomplete pass. For San Francisco, it was enough to stay alive in the race for home-field advantage and a chance to win a championship without leaving home.
