NEWSLETTER
With new leadership, the same results were achieved for the Chicago Bears, who were blown out in San Francisco en route to their seventh straight loss and ninth of the season.
Let’s hand out some instant grades.
Offense
QB Caleb Williams | B–
I know someone will have a fit over Caleb Williams receiving a B today, but it’s hard to give a quarterback who completed 73 percent of his passes, posted a 116.9 passer rating, threw two touchdowns, and no interceptions anything less than. Williams had one mistake today: a fumble on a ball that popped out of his hand on a pump fake, his first turnover in 252 touches. His touchdown passes to Rome Odunze were gorgeous throws, and seeing 18 and 15 build their rapport is a small silver lining in an otherwise horrendous afternoon for the team.
RB D’Andre Swift | D
It was another down day for D’Andre Swift, who rushed for 38 yards on 14 carries (2.7) and hasn’t been very effective since the Green Bay game. Some of that blame should be placed on Thomas Brown, whose run-pass balance in the first half wasn’t good at all.
WR DJ Moore | C+
Moore caught six of his seven targets and averaged 8.2 yards per reception, with most of his work coming around the line of scrimmage on Sunday.
WR Rome Odunze | B
Odunze caught four of his five targets and reeled in two touchdowns in the losing effort. His route running on the second touchdown was excellent, and his concentration and awareness on the first touchdown in the corner of the end zone was everything the Bears envisioned when they drafted him.
WR Keenan Allen | C
Keenan Allen had three catches (on five targets) for 30 yards. It was a very pedestrian day for the veteran wide receiver, but it was also for most of the offense.
TE Cole Kmet | F
At this point, I have no idea what role or purpose Cole Kmet has in the Chicago Bears offense. He registered zero targets and dropped a throw in his numbers on a two-point conversion attempt.
Offensive Line | F
This unit continues to be awful, allowing seven sacks today. Caleb Williams has been sacked more than 50 times this season, and that number would be uglier if he didn’t evade so many sacks himself.
Defense
Defensive Line | D
This unit generates very little pressure on opposing quarterbacks and just isn’t as good as we thought it was. They played well early in the season, but as the injuries have mounted, they’ve turned into a pumpkin.
Linebackers | D
TJ Edwards has a nice day, but that’s as far as the highlights go for this group, which couldn’t keep third String running back Isaac Guerendo contained and couldn’t come close to covering tight end George Kittle.
Secondary | D
Brock Purdy sliced and diced a very vanilla look by new defensive play-caller Eric Washington to the tune of 325 yards and two scores. Tyrique Stevenson continues to look like an absolute bust and shell of the player we saw late last season.
Special Teams
K Cairo Santos | INC
Santos kicked one extra point today, and he made it. But the combination of the Bears offense being non-existent in the first half and then playing from way behind in the second half kept Santos on the sideline all afternoon.
P Tory Taylor | A
Taylor was busy again today, punting six times, and he averaged 52.7 yards on his punts with a long of 60 and two inside the 20.
Coaching
Thomas Brown | D
Thomas Brown has been undeniably better than Shane Waldron. However, he’s done nothing to solve the Bears’ first-half woes, and that unit has been equally bad since he took over from Waldron a month ago. His team also came out flat and lifeless in a game where everyone had something to prove against a 49ers team that was banged up, missing stars on both sides of the ball, and vulnerable. But Kyle Shanahan put on a masterclass on the opposite sideline, throwing some cold water on the idea that Thomas Brown may be ready for the full-time job. Of course, it’s one week, and it shouldn’t define his resume, but it was an ugly first week at the helm.
Eric Washington | F
Eric Washington shows up here for the first time this season since he’s now the defensive play-caller, and he will want to get back to the drawing board. His game plan was awful, and Shanahan picked it apart from the first whistle.
