Brock Purdy and the 49ers hang on to beat the Bears 42-38 and have a shot at top NFC seed

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy and the San Francisco offense did everything they could for the first 58 minutes in a nearly flawless performance. At the end, they were just spectators when the beleaguered defense finally came through with a stop.

Purdy threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 left, and the 49ers forced an incomplete pass on the final play from the 2 to beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 on Sunday night and set up a Week 18 showdown for the top seed in the NFC.

Caleb Williams drove the Bears (11-5) down the field in the closing seconds and had one last shot for the win. But Bryce Huff forced him out of the pocket and his throw short-hopped Jahdae Walker in the end zone to seal a sixth straight victory for the 49ers (12-4).

''For them to finish out the game like that, I was so happy for them. I was sitting there not being able to do anything but watch,'' Purdy said. ''To be able to celebrate was a cool team win. There's nothing like that. It was pretty special.''

That gave the 49ers a chance to win the NFC West and get a bye by beating Seattle (13-3) in the season finale on Saturday night. A win would give San Francisco home-field advantage and a chance to stay home all postseason, with the Super Bowl set to be played at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8.

''We've earned this,'' coach Kyle Shanahan said. "This is the game we want. We love that it's here. We have an opportunity to never leave here again this year.''

The loss ends the Bears' hopes of earning the top seed. Chicago has already clinched the NFC North and can earn the No. 2 seed by beating Detroit next Sunday.

Purdy finished 24 for 33 for 303 yards, while Christian McCaffrey ran for 140 yards and a score and added 41 more receiving.

Williams went 25 for 42 for 330 yards and two TDs but couldn't deliver at the end after already leading the Bears to an NFL-record six comeback wins after trailing in the final two minutes of regulation.

''It's frustrating,'' Williams said. ''You don't want to lose a game ever. And then also, in that position, having a shot at the end is all you can ask for on this moment.''

Neither defense could slow down the opposing offense for most of the night after a pick-6 by Chicago's T.J. Edwards on the first play. The Niners led 28-21 at halftime.

The teams then traded touchdowns on the first three drives of the second half, with D'Andre Swift scoring on two runs for Chicago and Purdy delivering a highlight-reel play for San Francisco. He rolled to his right on a play from the 6, eluded two pass rushers and then flipped an easy TD pass to Kyle Juszczyk on a play that lasted longer than 8 seconds.

The Bears finally forced a punt and went ahead 38-35 on a short field goal by Cairo Santos with 5:22 to play when they couldn't convert on third down in the red zone.

The Bears' opportunistic defense struck on the first play when Edwards caught a deflected pass and returned it 34 yards for Chicago's first defensive score on the opening play in at least 45 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

''It was early in the game so you do have to flush it and be ready to play a whole game after that,'' Purdy said.

Purdy answered his big mistake to start the game with a 65-yard touchdown drive capped by a 1-yard pass to Jake Tonges, and San Francisco moved the ball with ease all half.

Purdy added two touchdown runs and McCaffrey also scored on the ground to give the 49ers a 28-21 lead at the break despite allowing two deep TD passes by Williams.

Bears: LB Noah Sewell left in the third quarter with an ankle injury. ... DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion) left the game. ... WR Olamide Zaccheaus was a late scratch with an illness.

49ers: LT Trent Williams (hamstring) left after getting hurt on the opening play and never returned. ... CB Upton Stout (concussion) left in the second half. ... TE George Kittle (ankle) was inactive.

Up next

Bears: Host Detroit on Sunday.

49ers: Host Seattle on Saturday night.