The Chicago Bears were yards away from completing a seventh fourth quarter comeback, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the San Francisco 49ers 42-38 in Week 17.
Chicago's defense struggled, allowing nearly 500 yards, while the offense racked up 440 yards. They got some career days from their rookie offensive standouts, with Caleb Williams having one of the best games of his career.
The Bears will have some concerns with the playoffs going into Week 18, but got some nice performances from the 49ers game, and some they would like to have back.
Winner: Caleb Williams, QB
The accuracy wasn't 100% again, but Williams stepped up and almost gave his team a chance at the end, as he had one of the best statistical games of his career. Williams threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 18 yards in the loss. It was a valiant effort, but his throw at the end came up short; still, it was a great game from the Bears' young quarterback.
Loser: Nahshon Wright, CB
It was a tough night for Wright, who the 49ers attacked in the passing game and got burned a few times in coverage. Wright allowed four catches on five targets for 73 yards in the first half alone—a brutal night for a guy who has been stellar for the Bears all season.
Winners: Bears' rookie pass catchers
With Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus out for the game, the Bears got great production out of their rookies, Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. Burden finished with eight receptions for 138 yards and one touchdown, while Loveland had six receptions for 94 yards and one touchdown. The Bears will be concerned about Burden's late-game injury, but the pair showed the future of Chicago's passing game.
Losers: Bears' pass rush
There was not much of a pass rush on Brock Purdy all night for the Bears, which has been a common theme of the season for the Bears' defense. Chicago only had one quarterback hit and one sack from Austin Booker in the loss. This defense needs to get someone other than Montez Sweat or Booker to make something happen with pressuring the quarterback and figure it out quickly, with the postseason around the corner.
Read more: Cris Collinsworth just compared Caleb Williams to Aaron Rodgers (and he's right)
Loser: Dennis Allen, Defensive Coordinator
Outside of the first play pick-six, there was no life from Dennis Allen's defense in Chicago. San Francisco torched them for 496 yards, converting seven of 10 third downs, and the 49ers had the ball for over 33 minutes. Allen has some work to do with this defense on allowing big plays, as they can't always rely on creating turnovers. When they don't get turnovers, they get exposed in a big way.