49ers vs. Bears PFF grades: Best and worst from the game, plus snap counts

The San Francisco 49ers improved their record to 12-4 after a 42-38 win against the Chicago Bears in Week 17. Today, Pro Football Focus released its grades and snap counts from the game. Which Niners stood out, and who needs more work?

Highest-graded 49ers: Offense

• Luke Farrell, TE, 91.8, 27 snaps
• Jake Tonges, TE, 86.7, 50 snaps
• Brock Purdy, QB, 81.9, 72 snaps
• Spencer Burford, LG, 81.5, 72 snaps
• Christian McCaffrey, RB, 81.1, 61 snaps

Highest-graded 49ers: Defense

• Keion White, DE, 82.4, 28 snaps
• Tatum Bethune, LB, 73.8, 66 snaps
• Jordan Elliott, DT, 68.8, 28 snaps
• Deommodore Lenoir, CB, 64.5, 66 snaps
• CJ West, DT, 62.8, 20 snaps

Lowest-graded 49ers: Offense

• Jauan Jennings, WR, 57.7, 65 snaps
• Kyle Juszczyk, FB, 58.0, 39 snaps
• Trent Williams, LT, 60.0, 1 snap
• Brayden Willis, TE, 60.0, 1 snap
• Skyy Moore, WR, 63.8, 4 snaps

Lowest-graded 49ers: Defense

• Chase Lucas, CB, 36.8, 25 snaps
• Ji'Ayir Brown, FS, 37.5, 66 snaps
• Bryce Huff, DE, 41.2, 34 snaps
• Sam Okuayinonu, DE, 43.6, 41 snaps
• Kalia Davis, DT, 43.9, 31 snaps

Highest-graded Bears

• Darnell Wright, RT, 90.7, 66 snaps
• C.J. Gardner-Johnson, CB, 87.8, 57 snaps
• Luther Burden III, WR, 85.1, 38 snaps
• Colston Loveland, TE, 76.8, 54 snaps
• Tyrique Stevenson, CB, 75.4, 18 snaps

Quarterback play

For the second straight game, Brock Purdy accounted for five total touchdowns. He finished 24-of-33 for 303 yards with three passing touchdowns and one interception, adding two rushing scores.

Purdy earned an 81.9 offensive grade and a 79.4 passing grade. It marked his fourth consecutive game with a grade of 74.5 or higher, including two games of at least 91.0.

By comparison, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams went 25-of-42 for 330 yards with two touchdowns, earning a 71.8 offensive grade and 75.1 passing grade.

Highest marks

Tight end Luke Farrell earned the game's top overall grade with a 91.8 offensive mark, aided by an impressive run-blocking grade (see below).

On defense, Bears cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson recorded the highest grade at 87.8.

Blocking

Left guard Spencer Burford was the 49ers' highest-graded offensive lineman (81.5) and earned the top run-blocking grade among San Francisco's linemen. Center Jake Brendel posted the best pass-blocking grade in the game and did not allow a pressure across 41 pass-blocking snaps.

The 49ers' best run-blocking grade overall belonged to tight end Luke Farrell (89.2).

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk earned the lowest run-blocking grade in the game at 39.5—his second-worst of the season (37.4 at Buccaneers in Week 6).

Running back Christian McCaffrey recorded the 49ers' lowest pass-blocking grade (52.4), allowing a pressure and a hurry.

Left tackle Austen Pleasants, filling in for injured Trent Williams, allowed the only sack of quarterback Brock Purdy.

In total, the 49ers' offensive line surrendered four pressures.

• LT Austen Pleasants — 2
• LG Spencer Burford, RG Dominick Puni — 1 each

Pass Catchers

Running back Brian Robinson earned the 49ers' highest receiving grade (82.5), finishing with one catch for six yards.

Tight end Jake Tonges earned the second-highest receiving grade (79.9) after hauling in seven passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Despite catching a key fourth-quarter touchdown, wide receiver Jauan Jennings earned the lowest receiving grade on the team (57.2). He finished with two catches for 42 yards and the score.

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall had the game's only drop. He recorded five receptions for 85 yards on eight targets and earned a 67.2 receiving grade.

Rushing

Running back Christian McCaffrey earned the highest rushing grade in the game (81.2), his second-best mark of the season (84.4 at Cardinals in Week 11). He finished with a season-high 140 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 23 carries (6.1 yards per attempt).

Running back D'Andre Swift posted the Bears' highest rushing grade (80.0). He finished with 54 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

Pass rush

Defensive end Keion White earned the best pass-rush grade in the game (a season-high 81.6). He produced two pressures and two hurries across 28 defensive snaps (19 pass-rush snaps).

Defensive end Bryce Huff recorded the lowest pass-rush grade among all players (a career-low 41.3).

• DE Yetur Gross-Matos — 3
• DT Jordan Elliott, DE Clelin Ferrell, DE Sam Okuayinonu, DE Keion White — 2 each
• DT Alfred Collins, DE Bryce Huff, CB Chase Lucas, DT CJ West, LB Dee Winters — 1 each

Run defense

Linebacker Tatum Bethune earned the top run-defense grade in the game (a career-high 79.5) and tied linebacker Dee Winters for a team-high three stops.

Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir posted the game's lowest run-defense grade at 28.5.

Pass defense

Bears cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson earned the highest coverage grade (90.7). The top 49ers coverage mark belonged to linebacker Tatum Bethune (79.3). He allowed four receptions for 32 yards on five targets, including 20 yards after the catch.

Cornerback Chase Lucas recorded the game's lowest coverage grade (29.9). He allowed three receptions for 31 yards on five targets, also including 20 yards after the catch.

Tackling

Safety Malik Mustapha earned the best tackling grade among 49ers defenders (80.8) and did not record a missed tackle.

Cornerback Upton Stout posted the second-best mark (79.8) before exiting with a concussion.

Cornerback Chase Lucas earned the lowest tackling grade for San Francisco (29.9).

• LB Tatum Bethune, FS Ji'Ayir Brown, DT Kalia Davis, DE Bryce Huff, CB Deommodore Lenoir, CB Chase Lucas, DE Sam Okuayinonu — 1 each

49ers Week 17 snap counts

Offense
72 - Brock Purdy (QB), Colton McKivitz (RT), Dominick Puni (RG), Jake Brendel (C), Spencer Burford (LG)
71 - Austen Pleasants (LT)
65 - Jauan Jennings (WR)
61 - Christian McCaffrey (RB)
58 - Ricky Pearsall (WR)
50 - Jake Tonges (TE)
39 - Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
27 - Luke Farrell (TE)
25 - Demarcus Robinson (WR)
19 - Kendrick Bourne (WR)
11 - Brian Robinson (RB)
4 - Skyy Moore (WR)
1 - Brayden Willis (TE), Trent Williams (LT)

Defense
66 - Dee Winters (LB), Deommodore Lenoir (CB), Ji'Ayir Brown (FS), Malik Mustapha (FS), Tatum Bethune (LB)
64 - Darrell Luter Jr. (CB)
41 - Sam Okuayinonu (DE)
34 - Bryce Huff (DE)
32 - Clelin Ferrell (DE)
31 - Kalia Davis (DT)
29 - Alfred Collins (DT)
28 - Jordan Elliott (DT), Keion White (DE)
25 - Chase Lucas (CB)
24 - Yetur Gross-Matos (DE)
20 - CJ West (DT)
17 - Upton Stout (CB)
15 - Luke Gifford (LB)
8 - Jason Pinnock (SS)

Special Teams
25 - Luke Gifford
24 - Brayden Willis, Luke Farrell, Marques Sigle, Siran Neal
18 - Garret Wallow
17 - Jason Pinnock
16 - Chase Lucas, Eric Kendricks
13 - Eddy Pineiro (K)
10 - Skyy Moore
8 - Jon Weeks (LS), Thomas Morstead (P)
7 - Brian Robinson, Clelin Ferrell, Darrell Luter Jr., Ji'Ayir Brown, Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis, Sam Okuayinonu, Tatum Bethune
6 - Alfred Collins, Austen Pleasants, Colton McKivitz, Connor Colby, Dominick Puni, Keion White, Matt Hennessy, Spencer Burford
2 - Jake Tonges, Jordan James, Kyle Juszczyk
1 - Bryce Huff, Dee Winters, Deommodore Lenoir, Malik Mustapha