Brock Purdy passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more and Christian McCaffrey had 181 scrimmage yards and a score as the host San Francisco 49ers edged the Chicago Bears 42-38 on Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif.
San Francisco (12-4) went ahead on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 to go before holding on against cardiac Chicago.
The Bears (11-5) were unable to add to their NFL-record six victories when trailing in the final two minutes of regulation. Chicago drove to the San Francisco 2-yard line on its final possession, including a 4th-and-5 conversion from the 26, before Caleb Williams threw incomplete on the final play.
San Francisco can clinch the top seed in the NFC playoffs with a win against visiting Seattle in Week 18. Chicago, which secured the NFC North title with Green Bay’s loss Saturday, will be the conference’s second or third seed.
Chicago tied the game at 35 on D’Andre Swift’s 22-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
After forcing a 49ers punt on the ensuing drive, the Bears took a 38-35 lead on a 29-yard Cairo Santos field goal with 5:22 remaining.
Purdy was 24-of-33 for 303 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Williams finished 25-of-42 for 330 yards and two TDs.
Luther Burden (138 yards on eight catches) and Colson Loveland (94 on six) both caught TDs for the Bears, while Swift rushed for two scores.
McCaffrey had 140 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Ricky Pearsall caught five passes for 85 yards.
Chicago and San Francisco combined to score three touchdowns apiece over the first 17:40 of the game.
The Bears struck first and in familiar fashion, as T.J. Edwards intercepted a Purdy pass tipped by Jaylon Johnson and ran 34 yards to the end zone on the first play from scrimmage. It was Chicago’s 32nd takeaway and 22nd interception this season, both league bests.
San Francisco All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams sustained a hamstring injury on the play and did not return. He was replaced by Austen Pleasants.
Even with a shift in the front five and with tight end George Kittle sidelined by an ankle injury, the 49ers built a solid rushing attack that gained 173 yards on 26 first-half carries. McCaffrey had 121 yards and a score on 18 carries while Purdy ran for two TDs to go with a passing touchdown to Jake Tonges.
The 49ers led 28-21 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
