Bears defense gets a measuring stick opportunity against surging 49ers offense that will reveal where the unit stands before playoffs
The Chicago Bears defense will be tasked with slowing down a high-powered unit on Sunday night.
The Chicago Bears clinched playoffs last week after getting a defining win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night but this team still has a ways to go before truly convincing the league that they can be a legit threat in the postseason.
One of the more inconsistent areas of this team in 2025 has been the defense, which at times play at a high level and at times allow too many big plays. Yet, in Week 16, the defense found the happy middle ground, forcing the Packers to 0/5 in the red zone and doing enough to help secure a win.
“There’s a lot of things we can get better at,” Bears Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard told reporters on Tuesday. “That’s what we’re going to continue to focus on… We understand what kind of high-powered offense we’re going up against (San Francisco 49ers in Week 17). They’re probably executing at the highest level, better than anybody in the league right now. It’s going to be another opportunity to show that we’re getting better and better.”
Sunday night will be a true measuring stick for this Bears defense against the 49ers
Offensively, when you talk about the San Francisco 49ers, you have to start with head coach Kyle Shanahan for the job he’s done not only this year but for his entire coaching career with the team.
“I think Shanahan is one of the best, if not the best, in terms of calling plays at a high level for as long as he has,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. “He’s probably the first to truly marry that run game and the passing game. You always like to turn on that San Francisco tape each week, whether you’re playing them or not, just to look at some of the stuff that they’re doing.”
Year in and year out, Shanahan always has one of the league’s top scoring units on offense and this year, Johnson noted the team has leaned more into the passing game compared to previous years. Heading into Week 17, the 49ers rank fifth in passing yards per game (249.4) and fourth in passing touchdowns with 30. But, even the run game can be dangerous with Christian McCaffrey.
Ever since quarterback Brock Purdy returned to the starting lineup in Week 11, this offense has taken things to a whole new level. The 49ers won each of the last five games since that point and haven’t punted the ball in each of their last two games.
“Purdy’s playing at a high level, (George) Kittle’s a problem for us, McCaffrey is a major problem,” Johnson added. “It’s just unorthodox a little bit that you got the tight end and the running back as the guys that concern you the most, and yet Purdy does a great job finding the receivers as well. We’re going to have a tall task ahead of us. I know our guys are looking forward to the challenge.”
It’s not only the personnel that creates challenges going up against this offense. It all goes back to Shanahan’s scheme and play-calling. This season, the 49ers have had 383 drop backs with motion (2nd-most in the NFL) and are Top-10 in rushing attempts using motion.
“The scheme that they have, they’re going to motion on every single play,” Byard explained. “They’re going to do stuff that’s going to force the defense to communicate, trying to get guys out of position. I got a lot of respect for Kyle Shanahan and what he’s done this year with that team.”
It’s truly going to be a difficult challenge, but another word for challenge is opportunity. The Bears answered the call last week against the Packers on defense, if they can do it again against this offense, it’ll be a major statement to send to the rest of the NFC ahead of the playoffs.
“This game is even bigger,” Byard added. “This is a team that’s already clinched the playoffs. This will be another time to be able to measure up to a team like that, on the road in a hostile environment.”
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