There was no shortage of offense in the Week 17 Sunday night matchup between the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers.
The two teams combined for 80 points with Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers defeating Ben Johnson’s Bears, 42-38. Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offense had a shot at the end of the game to potentially secure another fourth-quarter comeback victory.
Chicago went on a 15-play, 63-yard drive but came up short on the 49ers' two-yard line after Williams’ pass fell incomplete in the end zone and the clock expired.
Could the Bears' offense have done more? Technically, yes. The unit did have three possessions end in punts, one field goal, and time ran out.
But Johnson’s offense did plenty. It was Dennis Allen’s defense that failed the team.
Chicago's defense had an ugly performance in the loss to the 49ers
Safety Jaquan Brisker acknowledged the defense’s struggles to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin after the game.
Can’t fault Brisker for speaking the truth, but the statistics highlight how bad of a performance Allen’s unit had against the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
Outside of T.J. Edwards’ pick-six on the first play from scrimmage, two punts and a possession at the end of the first half, the 49ers scored touchdowns on six drives.
The Bears struggled all game to keep San Francisco out of the end zone, and the defense’s top leaders and playmakers had a significant influence on the outcome.
According to Pro Football Focus, Nahshon Wright allowed six receptions on seven targets for 101 yards -- the most yards he has given up in a game all season. Brock Purdy was perfect when targeting Tremaine Edmunds, finishing seven of seven for 55 yards and two touchdowns. Grady Jarrett ended with the lowest overall defensive grade (33.7) after generating zero pressures and making just two tackles.
Week 17’s performance showcased that this Bears defense has plenty of issues. Can this defense create enough stops against future opposition when it isn't creating takeaways? The Week 17 result speaks for itself.
Read more: Caleb Williams did not hold back his frustration after Bears loss to 49ers
Now Allen must get creative with his unit before the Bears host their first playoff game at Soldier Field since 2018.