Bears HC Ben Johnson pinpoints culprit behind failed final play vs. 49ers

The Chicago Bears’ dramatic Week 17 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers ended in frustration, as Chicago fell 42-38 after coming up just two yards short on the final snap at Levi’s Stadium. With four seconds remaining and the ball at the San Francisco 2-yard line, quarterback Caleb Williams’ pass to Jahdae Walker hit the turf in the end zone, bringing the game to a close and eliminating the Bears from contention for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Following the game, head coach Ben Johnson took full responsibility for what went wrong on the consequential play.

“We didn’t quite get aligned in the formation we wanted to,” Johnson said. “It’s on me. I didn’t give (Caleb Williams) the call fast enough, and so he’s trying to piecemeal it together. I gotta do a better job on that.”

The missed chance brought a frantic late drive to an end and showed just how slim the margin for error is in a shootout. With 2:15 left in regulation and behind 42-38, Williams led a rapid march downfield. Chicago converted a crucial fourth-and-5 and reached goal-to-go territory with no timeouts remaining. A spike on first-and-goal stopped the clock at four seconds, setting up the final play.

Williams finished the night completing 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers, and a 100.3 passer rating. He also displayed mobility and creativity on the final snap, escaping pressure, rolling left, and throwing back across his body to give Walker a chance in the end zone. Rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III led the Bears with eight receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, while fellow rookie Colston Loveland added six catches for 94 yards and a score. D’Andre Swift contributed nine carries for 54 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The offense did its part for Chicago, but problems on defense made it a back-and-forth scoring battle. San Francisco amassed 496 total yards, 32 first downs, and six touchdowns. Brock Purdy completed 24 of 33 passes for 303 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception, while also adding 28 rushing yards and two rushing scores. Christian McCaffrey rushed 23 times for 140 yards, consistently breaking through the Bears’ front.

Chicago did strike first, as Jaylon Johnson deflected Purdy’s opening-pass attempt into the hands of T.J. Edwards, who returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. However, the 49ers responded repeatedly, and the teams combined for 11 touchdowns and 936 total yards in a back-and-forth contest.

The loss dropped the Bears to 11-5, their second defeat in the last nine games. While Chicago had already clinched the NFC North and a playoff berth, the result ensured they would finish no higher than the No. 2 seed.

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