The San Francisco 49ers are set to begin the regular season on Sunday, where they'll face off against the Chicago Bears at the infamous Soldier Field.

Currently, the 49ers are road favorites at a point spread of (-6.5), but the supposedly easier matchup isn't fazing the players, who are taking the matchup as seriously as any other.


While speaking to the media, fullback Kyle Juszczyk praised the Bears' defense, while sharing that the team isn't taking their opponent lightly as they prepare for the season opener.

"The [Bears] defense looks solid. They've got a lot of really good players over. Guys like Robert Quinn, who had 18 sacks, last year. Roquan Smith really can fly around and make plays around the entire field. We feel like they have a strong secondary across the board, so we're not taking anything lightly."

On the other side of the field, the Bears have a similar situation at quarterback as Justin Fields is entering his second year as well.

When asked about the comparison between Fields and Trey Lance, the 49ers' first-round pick in 2021, linebacker Fred Warner discussed the different elements that the young quarterbacks bring to the field, while understanding the importance of limiting the former's rushing ability.

"Both [Justin Fields and Trey Lance] came out same year. Both [have] physical play styles with how they can use their legs right. Justin's very talented, and you mentioned [that] he got a lot of yards on the ground against us, [with] guys being out of gap and some of them [were] just him making a play," Warner said. "A thing that he's got to his advantage is the ability to make a play when they need it. When you have 4.4 speed and can pick up yards with your feet and extend plays, that's a big thing we got to be on top of."


Fields was successful on the ground when the Bears and 49ers played in 2021, rushing ten times for 102 yards and a touchdown, as San Francisco struggled to contain the then-rookie quarterback inside the pocket.

However, the 49ers now having that rushing threat at quarterback as well, which Kyle Juszczyk believes will add another dimension to the offense.

"I think this [offense] looks really good. I think Trey adds a little extra element, being able to do things on his feet. He's a great athlete, got a big arm, so I think he's gonna add a little extra dimension to our offense this year."

Fans got a glimpse of that added dimension during the preseason when Lance threw a 76-yard deep touchdown to Danny Gray against the Packers.

The two teams are set to face off in 24 hours in what will be the first matchup between Trey Lance and Justin Fields since the two were drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Written By:

Rohan Chakravarthi


Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
All articles by Rohan Chakravarthi
@RohanChakrav
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