Bears dominated by 49ers 38-13 in their 1st game after coaching change

Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune on Dec 8, 2024

Published in Football

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Chicago Bears already have endured a brutal season.

On Sunday, 10 days after team leaders fired coach Matt Eberflus, the state of the Bears looked even worse in a 38-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers outgained the Bears 319 yards to 4 in the first half on the way to a 24-0 halftime lead, and the Bears (4-9) couldn’t catch up despite a better second half in their seventh straight loss.

The defense under new play caller Eric Washington, who took over the role from Eberflus, gave up 452 yards to a 49ers team decimated by injuries.

And in interim coach Thomas Brown’s debut, the Bears offense managed just 162 net yards. Quarterback Caleb Williams completed 17 of 23 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked seven times for a loss of 46 yards and lost a fumble.

After the dismal first half, the Bears opened the third quarter with a 16-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. Williams hit Rome Odunze in the back left corner of the end zone for a 4-yard pass. Tight end Cole Kmet dropped the 2-point conversion pass, and the Bears trailed 24-6.

The Bears were into 49ers territory on their second drive of the half after a defensive stop, but Williams committed a turnover on second-and-8 at the 30-yard line. He originally was ruled to have thrown an incomplete pass, but replay assist ruled it was a fumble that 49ers defensive tackle Evan Anderson recovered.

The 49ers capitalized with Isaac Guerendo’s 4-yard touchdown run for a 31-6 lead. Guerendo, the 49ers’ third-string running back filling in for the injured Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason, had 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 20 of 25 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and a 145.4 passer rating for the 49ers (6-7). Tight end George Kittle had six catches for 151 yards, with 138 of those yards coming in the first half.

The Bears scored their second touchdown on Williams’ 14-yard pass to Odunze to cut it to 31-13 early in the fourth quarter. But Patrick Taylor Jr. scored on a 3-yard run to put the 49ers on top 38-13.

The Bears lost wide receiver/returner DeAndre Carter to a hamstring injury in the first quarter. Running back Travis Homer went out with a head injury in the third quarter.

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