Bears Top 49ers 23-17, Await NFC Championship Opponent

CHICAGO, IL — In a game where every yard and tackle counted, the Chicago Bears punched their ticket to the NFC Championship Game with a 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field. Chicago will now wait to see if they will host the Minnesota Vikings or travel to face the Dallas Cowboys next week.

Game Recap

The game opened with Deebo Samuel Sr giving the 49ers an early lead on a 25-yard touchdown catch from Sam Howell. The Bears answered quickly, with Rome Odunze hauling in a 1-yard touchdown from Caleb Williams to tie it up.
Chicago surged ahead in the second quarter, powered by two field goals from Joshua Karty and a 28-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Devin Duvernay. “We knew we had to be aggressive,” said Williams. “When the shot to Devin opened up, I just trusted him to make the play — and he did.”

The 49ers cut into the lead in the third quarter when Brandon Aiyuk caught a 21-yard touchdown from Howell, bringing them within one score. In the final two minutes, Howell connected with Aiyuk for a huge 56-yard gain, giving the 49ers a chance to steal the game. But the Bears’ defense stood firm, allowing only a field goal and sealing the win. “We kept telling ourselves to bend but not break,” said Chad Arteezy. “We were ready for anything in that last drive.”

Key Stats

Caleb Williams led the Bears with 313 passing yards, completing 19 of 32 attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Williams also chipped in 17 rushing yards on four carries. His top target was Fisher Dailey, who racked up 164 yards on seven catches, including a 44-yard reception. “Fisher was locked in,” said Williams. “He just kept finding ways to get open, and I kept looking for him.”
Rome Odunze had six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown, while Devin Duvernay added a 28-yard scoring grab. The Bears’ ground game was nearly non-existent, with Jerome Ford managing only five yards on three carries. “We didn’t get much going on the ground today, but our guys up front still gave Caleb time to throw,” Ford said.

Defensively, the Bears got big performances from Chad Arteezy and Tremaine Edmunds, who each recorded five tackles. Noah Sewell notched the Bears’ lone sack of the day, while Tyrique Stevenson led the team with six tackles and forced a fumble. “We knew if we could get a stop, we’d win this thing,” said Sewell. “We just trusted each other.”

Sam Howell kept the 49ers in it with 335 passing yards on 34 completions out of 54 attempts, along with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Brandon Aiyuk was the star for San Francisco, catching six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Christian McCaffrey struggled to get the ground game going, totaling just 37 rushing yards on 15 carries. “We didn’t capitalize in the red zone enough,” said Howell. “Their defense made us earn every inch.”

The game’s difference-maker might have been the kicking game. The 49ers’ Jake Moody went 1-for-2 on field goals, with the missed opportunity proving costly in a six-point loss. Meanwhile, Joshua Karty was perfect on the day for the Bears, hitting all three of his attempts. “I just focused on my routine,” said Karty. “It feels good to help the team move on.”

Up Next

The Bears’ focus shifts to the NFC Championship, where they await the winner of the Vikings-Cowboys showdown. If Minnesota wins, the Bears will host the conference title game at Soldier Field. If Dallas prevails, Chicago will travel to AT&T Stadium in search of their first-ever 2K Online Franchise Super Bowl appearance.