San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is eager to see how his team responds when they face the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The 49ers are reeling from a three-game losing streak, including two embarrassing defeats to the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, where they were outscored 73-20.
"Of course we want to respond," Shanahan said. "We've been on the road two weeks in a row where we've given up over 100 yards rushing in the first half, and we've had six turnovers in two games. And when that happens, you're going to get your ass kicked like we did.
"I want to go out there, I want to stop the run, I want to not turn the ball over. And if that [happens], we'll have a football game. And if we can get it into a football game, I like our chances of winning, and I like our team to do that."
This season hasn't gone as the 49ers envisioned. They started with Super Bowl aspirations but now find themselves fighting to avoid playoff elimination with five games remaining. Each week, that possibility looms larger.
While Shanahan believes his team is better than its 5-7 record, he understands the reality of their situation.
"We understand where we're at," Shanahan said. "When we go to work and we practice football, we don't discuss it all week. We don't read all week. I get all that. I understand how the NFL works. I understand what our record's at."
Shanahan acknowledged that coming off a Super Bowl appearance, he expected a challenging season but anticipated improvement as the weeks passed. However, the team's struggles, especially early on, were worse than he expected. Injuries and other obstacles have derailed what could have been an impressive 2024 campaign.
"It seemed like every time we took a step forward, we took two steps back, and that was kind of how it went," Shanahan explained.
The coach insists the 49ers don't need extra motivation entering this critical Week 14 matchup against the Bears.
"Basically because we don't see Chicago any different than these last two teams we've played," Shanahan stated. "I know their record's not the same, but it's a fine line between your record and what a team's capable of."
Shanahan pointed out that the Bears' last three losses came by a combined seven points against what he considers three of the best teams in the NFL, and their opponent shouldn't be taken lightly.
"And the film is very real, and all you gotta do is have them see the film, which I showed first thing Wednesday morning, and that's all you need to get their attention," Shanahan said.
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