Bears vs. 49ers predictions: Can Chicago snap their losing streak?
The Chicago Bears (3-4) will face the San Francisco 49ers (2-4) on Sunday, where both teams are looking to end their respective losing streaks in what should be a close game.
The Bears are coming off a humiliating 35-point loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where they’ll be looking to rebound in what’s a winnable game.
Can Chicago snap their losing streak against the 49ers in Week 8? Our Bears Wire staff shares their predictions for Sunday’s game.
Alyssa Barbieri (7-0): Bears 20, 49ers 17
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Say what you will about the Bears this season — lord knows I’ve said plenty — but the one thing they’ve been able to do is beat the teams they should beat. And while this game appeared more difficult ahead of the season, this is another matchup that Chicago should win — if they can play the type of complementary football that led them to wins against the Bengals, Lions and Raiders.
With Matt Nagy unlikely to be coaching on the sidelines this week, we — and the McCaskeys — will get a good look at this team without Nagy. It’s clear there’s some sort of divide in the locker room, and it’ll be interesting to see how this team responds following a humiliating 35-point loss and without Nagy.
The Bears have found success on the ground all season, and they’re going to need another strong game from Khalil Herbert to get the offense into a rhythm. Chicago faces a tough challenge against a good 49ers pass rush, and the offensive line needs to step up if they have any hope to gain momentum in the passing game. The Bears defense could be without several key players, including Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, which puts the onus on some young guys to bring the pressure on Jimmy Garoppolo and force him into mistakes.
Both of these teams are coming into this game desperate for a win. For a Week 8 matchup, this is a crucial game for both clubs. And for whatever reason, I’m taking the Bears to win. Although, it’s going to be a close one that should be decided by a field goal, which we know is Chicago’s specialty now.
Brendan Sugrue (7-0): Bears 20, 49ers 19
AP Photo/Jason Behnken
As the Chicago Bears prepare to welcome in the San Francisco 49ers to Soldier Field on Sunday, the million-dollar question is, will Matt Nagy be on the sidelines? The head coach is still on the reserve/COVID-19 list (currently hiding out in an undisclosed location as well) and his status for Sunday is up in the air. Would his availability sway this game one way or the other?
Whether it’s Nagy or special teams coordinator Chris Tabor manning the headset on Sunday, I’m still picking the Bears to get the victory. Last week’s 38-3 game against the Bucs was a disaster, but if there’s one thing we know about this team, it’s that they usually tend to bounce back after embarrassing losses. Facing a 49ers team that’s banged up and trending in the wrong direction after losing four in a row, it’s a chance for the Bears to get right.
I’m not expecting an offensive explosion by any means and this game will probably be sloppy on both sides. But there will be some improvement from the Bears offense this week as they’ll do just enough to get by and climb back to .500. And if you’re looking for some good trends, the Bears play on Halloween for just the third time since 2000. They’re 2-0 on the spooky holiday with both wins coming at Soldier Field.
Ryan Fedrau (4-3): Bears 23, 49ers 17
AP Photo/Jason Behnken
The Bears have struggled this season but somehow are still 3-4. In all four losses, it’s been a 10-plus point loss. If it’s a closer game, Chicago wins.
The 49ers are a bad football team, but the Bears have been worse. If these two teams played 10 times, San Francisco would win six or seven of them. Still, I’m taking Chicago this week.
The 49ers have struggled and they have to deal with many injury problems. The Bears are likely to be without Khalil Mack and potentially Matt Nagy, but they have a good enough team to overcome this against San Francisco.
The offense is due for a breakout game. If they can score 20 or more, they have this game in the bag. If they cannot, it’s going to be a long Sunday. Still, I’m picking the Bears for the first time this season.
Nate Atkins (1-2): 49ers 24, Bears 14
AP Photo/Jason Behnken
Two bad teams take the field on Sunday. The Bears have a horrible offense and a team riddled with injuries and illness related to COVID-19, while the 49ers don’t know who their quarterback is.
The concern on offense isn’t just about the inability to move the ball downfield it’s also about the offensive line. After watching tape of Shaquille Barrett’s and Jason Pierre-Paul’s performance against the Bears last week, defensive end Nick Bosa has to be excited.
Justin Fields has been sacked an NFL-leading 22 times. No quarterback has been sacked more than the rookie quarterback, who hits the turf on 14.4 percent of his dropback and is also pressured on 20.9 percent of his passing attempts.
On defense, the Bears will likely be without linebacker Khalil Mack, defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, and defensive back Tashaun Gipson. Given the 49ers’ struggles at quarterback, I’d expect a heavy dose of the run game.
The Bears come home and lose another one with an offense that’s far too conservative and a defense with too many injuries to stop a 2-4 San Francisco team on the road.
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