The Chicago Bears will face the San Francisco 49ers in prime time on the road in Week 17, and both teams have huge stakes in the NFC playoffs.
The Bears are coming off an improbable overtime comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers and are one win (or loss) away from clinching their first NFC North title since 2018. They are also one of four teams still competing for the NFC’s top seed. If they hope to beat the red-hot 49ers, they’re going to need to shine on offense. They have the players and players to get the job done.
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Here are three keys to the Bears offense against the 49ers on Sunday Night Football:
quick start
The Bears have struggled to get off to a fast start, which has led to six come-from-behind wins this season. But that’s something we desperately need to correct against a 49ers team with an explosive offense that could build an insurmountable lead in the first half. While Chicago earned a reputation as the league’s “Kings of Heart” and they never quite fell out of contention, a fast start was crucial heading into the playoffs against the NFC’s best team. Taking advantage of the red zone and scoring touchdowns, rather than settling for field goals, will play a key role in success. Last week, the Bears didn’t score until the third quarter and didn’t score a touchdown until the final minute. That can’t happen to this team.
Set up and run
The Bears have relied on the performance of their top two in some of their biggest games, including a Black Friday win over the Eagles, which is a great opportunity to establish a tone early in the trenches. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangay are one of the league’s best running back tandems, and a healthy run, especially early on, will help Chicago get off to a quicker start and open up the offensive front in the passing game. It won’t be easy against the 49ers’ run defense, which ranks eighth in the NFL with 102.9 yards allowed per game, but the Bears have a dominant offensive line led by Pro Bowlers Joe Thuney and Drew Dalman to help Swift and Monungay get the job done.
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Limit error
It’s a battle between two playoff teams, which usually means the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins. The Bears have struggled at times with self-inflicted penalties that put them in trouble on offense or lengthened the opponent’s offense. While Chicago has improved in that regard, the number of penalties picked up again during last week’s improbable comeback win over the Packers, with the Bears taking 10 penalties for 105 yards. That won’t happen against the 49ers. The good news is that Chicago has been one of the better teams to protect the football. The Bears’ turnover rate is as high as +21 (first in the NFL), and they only turned it over 10 times, tied with the Texans for the fewest turnovers in the league. If Chicago can limit penalties and protect the ball, they have a good chance of winning.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. 49ers: 3 keys to Chicago’s offense in Week 17
