Bears-49ers preview - CBS Sports

SANTA CLARA, CA (AP) NFL players always take the time to look at league offenses to steal ideas or see new wrinkles that could help their team.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) The best play-callers in the NFL always take time to look at some other offense in the league to steal ideas or see new wrinkles that could help their own team.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) The best players in the NFL often spend time watching other offenses in the league for ideas or new wrinkles.that can help their team

San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan has long been considered one of the best players in the NFL, and Chicago's Ben Johnson has quickly risen up that list, making Sunday night's key NFC matchup between the Bears (11-4) and the 49ers (11-4) a must-win game.

"I think Shanahan is one of the best, if not the best, in the business when it comes to executing that high-level play," Johnson said."He's probably the first one to really marry that run-pass game like you see some other teams do now, he's been a favorite through it all. You always like to turn on that tape of San Francisco every week, you play whether they have it or not, just to see what they do."

The emergence of Brock Purdy has seen the 49ers evolve from a run-first team early in his tenure to a more pass-based team.That was evident during a five-game winning streak marked by Purdy's five-goal performance against Indianapolis last week.

The Bears (11-4) engineered one of the biggest turnarounds in the NFL this offseason in Johnson's first year as coach.He helped build a strong offensive line that fueled one of the NFL's best offenses and helped Caleb Williams develop.

"I have so much respect for Ben, the way they run the ball," said Shanahan, who competed with Johnson the previous two seasons as Detroit's offensive coordinator."It always starts with the run and everything with Ben, and he's a very balanced player and makes teams defend."

These two offenses are a big reason why the Bruins and 49ers are still in the hunt for division titles and the top seed in the NFC playoffs in Week 17.

Chicago clinches the NFC North for the first time since 2018 with another win or loss against Green Bay, and Seattle can take over the top spot with two wins and one loss.

San Francisco will clinch the NFC West and earn the top seed with a win over the Bears this weekend followed by a home win against Seattle in the Finals.That will give the 49ers home-field advantage in the NFC Finals and a chance to win the Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8 without leaving home again.

Williams has shown magic in his second term.

He led Chicago to six wins this season in games in which the team trailed in the final two minutes of regulation, setting the record for most late-game comebacks in NFL history.Williams has a 113.2 passer rating when the game is tied or trailing by eight points or less in the fourth quarter or overtime, and he led the team in those situations by going 10 of 10 with two TDs.with a drive in last week's comeback win over Green Bay.

“The mentality just changes,” Williams said."There's a play and the spark turns into a fire and that's when we go up in flames."

The Niners' offense has clicked at such a high level that the team hasn't had to punt once in the past two games.San Francisco is only the sixth team to go consecutive regular-season or playoff games without a point.The 49ers have lost 22 straight possessions since Thomas Morstead's fourth-quarter field goal on Nov. 30 in Cleveland.

"It's very rare," running back Christian McCaffrey said."So it's great to be a part of it and hopefully we'll do it again."

After Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, San Francisco struggled to generate a pass rush and the team finished a league-leading 18th on the season.But two rookie defensive tackles stepped up last week against Indianapolis, with Alfred Collins and C.J. West getting their first career sacks.

It was the first time since 2016 that the Niners had a sack from two rookies in the same game.

"I think they're only going to get better, but it's good to see them progress, especially as rookies here in the second half of the year," defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said.

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