The Chicago Bears defeated the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, September 11, 2022. The 49ers had been favored by six and a half points on the road, and Mother Nature favored the Bears. Let's say it rained precisely when it was supposed to, but that's not why the 49ers let the game slip away.
The San Francisco defense was supposed to be the most vital link going into the season. The team chose Trey Lance as the starting quarterback and found a way to retain Jimmy Garoppolo as a backup quarterback. The 49ers replenished the defense with talented depth, but at a point in the game, the defense somehow became the weakest link.
San Francisco's defense started the game on fire, forcing a turnover—an interception by Talanoa Hufanga—and five punts to end the first half and go into halftime with a 7-0 lead. I know this will seem unfair and one-sided because the defense provided the offense with many opportunities to put more points on the board, and the offense failed miserably, but I want to focus on the strength of the team, the defense.
In the second half of the game, the offense marched down the field and missed an opportunity to score a touchdown, but they put up three points, giving the team a ten to zero lead in the third. With the defense being as good as they were, the 49ers offense gave the defense a 10-point lead. With 30 minutes left in regulation, this should have been enough to secure the win, right? Wrong.
Two plays in particular caused the 49ers to lose this game. Both plays included linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who didn't have the best game in week one. The first play was on third down and four with a little over seven minutes. The
49ers defense got into the backfield for a tackle for loss, and the referees threw a penalty on Greenlaw for a facemask. This penalty resulted in a 15-yard gain and, more critical, a first down for the Bears.
On the next series, on third and ten, Bears quarterback Justin Fields escapes the sack of 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead, extends the play, and passes to a wide-open receiver in Dante Pettis, who scores a touchdown. It's hard to say who's the assignment on that play, but it was initially Greenlaw's man. It could have easily been Hufanga's guy as well. Those two plays on that drive changed the momentum of the game, a penalty, and blown coverage.
The 49ers could never recover once the momentum shifted. The offense couldn't find its rhythm forcing the defense to be on the field more, and by the fourth quarter, the defense was exhausted. The unit allowed 19 unanswered points, and the Bears celebrated a victory, defeating the highly-favored 49ers.
Next up, the team heads home to host the Seattle Seahawks (1-0), coming off their Monday night win against the Denver Broncos. The 49ers defense will look to bounce back, and they need to find a way to prepare mentally and physically for 60 minutes of football.