If there was ever a must-win scenario for the San Francisco 49ers, this week is it. The team has to get it done against the Bears. The 49ers are currently 5-7, but their playoff hopes are still alive. The Bears are coming into town at 4-8 and looking to snap their losing streak. If the 49ers want to be victorious, the team must stick to the "Keys to Victory."
Make the Bears One-Dimensional
The Bears rank 26th in the NFL in yards per game, averaging 300.7. They also rank 26th in passing (190.1), 23rd in rushing (109.0), and 23rd in points per game (20.1). Nick Sorensen must develop a game plan to eliminate the run game and force rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to throw. Williams has been sacked 49 times for 331 yards on the season.
Tackling
The 49ers only had six missed tackles against the Buffalo Bills, but they were terrible missed tackles. Safety Ji'Ayir Brown's missed tackle allowed a 68-yard touchdown run by James Cook. Tackling continues to be an issue for the 49ers, which causes their defense to stay out on the field longer than expected.
Whatever the 49ers need to do to get back to something fundamentally sound like tackling, they must do it this week against the Bears. Williams, D'Andre Swift, D.J. Moore, and Keenan Allen are a few players who will look to gain explosive plays this week against the 49ers' defense.
Third Down Defense
The 49ers rank 26th in the NFL on third down conversion percentage at 44.16%. Luckily, the Bears rank 29th, converting 33.53% of their third downs. The 49ers' defense must find a way to get off the field on third down and give their offense opportunities to score. They should be able to force one of the league's worst offenses off the field for most of the game.
Perhaps the team uses more zone coverage than man coverage on third down. If the 49ers can maximize third downs defensively, the offense will get rolling, and the Bears won't stand a chance.
Run The Ball
The 49ers will be without leading rusher Jordan Mason, high ankle sprain (789 yards), and Christian McCaffrey, PCL (202 Yards). With McCaffrey on the injured reserve and Mason headed there, rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (246 yards) will look for his first NFL start. Expect head coach Kyle Shanahan to get creative against the Bear's run defense, which ranks 25th in the NFL, giving up an average of 135.1 yards per game.
Expect the veteran Patrick Taylor Jr. to spell Guerendo a few carries, and don't be surprised if newly acclaimed running back Israel Abanikanda is utilized as well. They must run the ball 30-35 times if they want to be successful against the Bears.
Don't Turn the Ball Over
One of the things that makes the Bears' defense special is their ability to create and force turnovers. The Bears have nine interceptions and ten forced fumbles, ranking them fourth in turnover differential this season at plus-ten, tied with the Texans.
Brock Purdy and the 49ers' offense must protect the ball at all costs by not giving Williams and the Bears opportunities to score points. If the 49ers can win the turnover battle, they will win the game.
This matchup will be a challenging game for the San Francisco 49ers. Expect the Bears to come out and compete. Despite the six-game losing streak, the Bears have been competitive in almost every game. The 49ers can win and improve to 6-7 but must look to the "Keys to Victory."