We’ve got a shootout brewing in the Bay Area on Sunday night.
Caleb Williams connected with rookie receiver Luther Burden for a 35-yard touchdown pass, making the score 14-14 with 2:58 left in the first quarter.
The throw and catch capped a five-play, 77-yard drive that took just 1:54 off the clock.
San Francisco helped Chicago by committing a low block penalty, which moved the club up 15 yards to the San Francisco 35.
On the play after the penalty, Williams dropped back and launched a nice-looking deep ball to Burden for the score.
Williams has started Sunday 4-of-8 for 61 yards with a TD.
Brock Purdy has given the 49ers the lead.
After tossing a touchdown earlier in the first quarter, Purdy ran it in for a 10-yard score to give San Francisco a 14-7 lead over Chicago.
Purdy’s second rushing TD of the season capped a three-play, 66-yard drive.
Christian McCaffrey had opened the possession with a 41-yard run all the way down to the Chicago 25. It was by far the longest run of the season for San Francisco.
Brian Robinson then took a 15-yard carry down to the 10. Purdy did the rest on the ground from there.
While Purdy started the game with a pick-six, he’s now helped the 49ers score 14 straight points.
Brock Purdy has bounced back from his early pick-six.
Purdy and the 49ers marched down the field with a nine-play, 65-yard drive, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Tonges.
San Francisco faced two third downs on the way to the end zone, converting third-and-7 with an 18-yard pass to Tonges that put the club in Chicago territory.
Then Purdy connected with Demarcus Robinson for a 25-yard gain on third-and-2 from Chicago’s 26.
On the next play, Purdy rolled to his left and found a wide-open Tonges for the score.
But it’s not all good news for the 49ers. Left tackle Trent Williams was shaken up on the first play from scrimmage — Purdy’s pick-six — and is questionable to return with a hamstring injury. Austen Pleasants came in to replace him.
It didn’t take long for the Bears to get off to a hot start on Sunday night.
Jaylon Johnson tipped Brock Purdy’s first pass and T.J. Edwards intercepted it, returning the takeaway to the end zone for a game-starting pick-six.
Purdy was looking for Jauan Jennings on the right side.
It was Edwards’ seventh interception of his career and his first of the 2025 season. It was also Edwards’ first pick-six.
The Bears have already clinched the NFC North, but still have a shot at capturing the NFC’s No. 1 seed depending on how things shake out in the next two weeks.
The 49ers will not have right end George Kittle for Sunday night’s game against the Bears.
Kittle is officially inactive with an ankle sprain after he was listed as questionable for the contest.
But the 49ers will have receiver Ricky Pearsall after he missed last week’s win with ankle and knee issues. He was listed as limited in practice all week.
On the other side, the Bears will have receiver DJ Moore and right tackle Darnell Wright when they were added to the injury report as questionable due to an illness.
For San Francisco, Kittle, cornerback Renardo Green, defensive tackle Kevin Givens, defensive end Robert Beal, running back Isaac Guerendo, receiver Jordan Watkins, and linebacker Curtis Robinson are inactive.
Chicago’s inactives are receiver Rome Odunze, receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, cornerback Nick McCloud, linebacker Ruben Hyppolite, cornerback Dallis Flowers, and offensive lineman Luke Newman.
