What the 49ers said after beating the Bears in heart-thumping NFC showdown
The 49ers outlasted the Chicago Bears on Sunday night to stay in the hunt for the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, winning a barnburner 42-38.
The defense struggled throughout but came through when it mattered, holding the Bears to a field goal in the fourth quarter and then keeping them out of the end zone as time expired.
Brock Purdy overcame an interception returned for a touchdown on the game’s first play to account for five 49ers touchdowns — three passing and two rushing. He was 24-of-33 for 303 yards, with 28 rushing yards on six attempts.
Christian McCaffrey also had a big game, rushing for 140 yards on 23 carries, including a season-long 41-yarder to kickstart a touchdown drive. He rushed for one score, too. Jauan Jennings had only two catches, but he made his second one count, as he scored the winning touchdown on a winding catch-and-run with 2:15 left in the game.
Ricky Pearsall returned from aggravating a knee injury to lead the 49ers with 85 yards on five catches. Jake Tonges, starting at tight end in place of the injured George Kittle, had a team-high seven receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. Kyle Juszczyk also had a touchdown catch.
The Niners will play the Seahawks for the NFC West crown next Saturday at Levi’s Stadium (5 p.m., ABC/ESPN).
Here’s what Purdy and McCaffrey said after the win:
Brock Purdy
On controlling their destiny still:
Obviously we’re thankful to be in the position, but — I’ve said this before: It’s just been one of those kind of years where it’s like you have to focus on the just the next day, the next man up, finding a way to win each Sunday, and at the end you can look up and see where you’re at.
On Shanahan:
He’s a Hall of Fame coach, so to be able to have him draw up stuff and scheme stuff up for us and put guys in certain positions and for us to just go out and execute, be on top of our stuff every single play. We’re grateful to be playing for him.
On Austen Pleasants:
He’s a guy that we all love and over the year, he’s just been great in our locker room and just one of the boys on the bus. Everyone loves him and he’s done a great job just being ready all year, so for him to go in and play well like he did and allow our offense to keep rolling and not lose a step, it was huge.
On the last drive:
I was praying the whole drive. Not only that, just pulling for our guys, man, because it’s been a crazy year for all those guys on defense to be able to step up and be able to compete their butt off, for them to finish out a game like that, I was so happy for them.
On Jennings’ TD:
I was just excited that we got that look and for him to have space back there. Then I was just happy that we got a completion and ready to play the next play. But then obviously he cross-courted it and kept going. I was like ‘Is he gonna get in?’ and he did. So I mean JJ is a baller, man.
On his scrambling:
It’s never going into a game ‘Hey man, I’m going to scramble my butt off here, this and that.’ It’s one of those things where if it happens, it’s football and it’s going to happen. How can I be smart outside of the design of the play but also have my eyes downfield because guys are moving and working, and there are explosive plays out there?
On the pick-six:
I let the ball go and I thought there was a window there, a hole there. The corner just made a good play, was aggressive on the first play of the game. It’s just unfortunately, obviously, for our sake that the ball got tipped and they scored off it. But for me, youy can’t lose confidence because I did my job. I was throwing the ball where it needed to be. Defense made a good play.
Christian McCaffrey
On the win:
Our only goal is to keep getting better in every aspect of the game and I’m so proud of our guys, proud of the resiliency in that locker room and we got to keep rolling.
On the run game uptick:
There’s not one answer. I think it’s 11 guys just committing to it. O-line has been doing a great job opening up lanes, Brock’s been great on boots, making people pay, putting a lot of pressure on defenses. So I think seeing it and hitting it, and we just got to keep rolling.
On having the No. 1 seed still in play:
We know what’s at stake right now, so got to have a great week of prep and get ready to go.
On Purdy’s athleticism:
I don’t think it’s sneaky. I think he’s athletic.
On Tonges:
I have the utmost respect for him. It’s unbelievable what he’s done this whole year. The first thing I think about is George’s leadership. When you have one of the best tight ends to ever play in that room, those guys get to watch him every single day.
On praying on that last possession:
I think that’s the only thing to do at that point. Just so proud of our defense and the way they stepped up.
On Shanahan’s playcalling:
His understanding of not just offensive football but defensive football. … He plays to not just the structure of the defense, but the emotions of the defense. If some guy’s an aggressive guy, he knows that. I think it’s something that he was born to do.