A new era of Chicago Bear football is scheduled to begin on Sunday when the team travels to the West Coast to take on the San Francisco 49ers. The Bears (4-8) are mired in a six-game losing streak, with each loss ending worse than the last. The team finally did something about it, relieving Matt Eberflus of his head coaching duties and naming Thomas Brown as interim head coach. Time will tell whether or not Brown provides a spark, but it would be hard to see him suffer another last-second loss like we saw under Eberflus.
Things haven’t been great for the Bears lately, but they aren’t much better for the 49ers. San Francisco (5-7) is in the midst of its own losing streak, having lost three in a row while dealing with numerous injuries on both sides of the ball. Their playoff chances are dwindling and they need to get back on track quickly.
Even though the 49ers won’t have some of their star players, this is a deep team that can still get going. Here are five 49ers players to watch on Sunday afternoon:
1. QB Brock Purdy
Quarterback Brock Purdy returned from an elbow injury last week against the Buffalo Bills and was as ineffective as he could be in the elements. The third-year pro completed just 11 passes and threw for 94 yards in a snowy, prime-time game in a lopsided 35-10 loss. It’s a game that may have tipped the 49ers’ season in the wrong direction, but the good news for Purdy is that he’s finally healthy.
Purdy avoided the injury report this week and is ready for Sunday’s game against the Bears. Interestingly enough, though, he’s been terrible at home. According to Clay Harbor of the Chicago Sports Network, Purdy is 32nd in the league in home passer rating. Playing without Trent Williams, their two best running backs, and Brandon Aiyuk against a Bears defense expected to play more inspired football after the coaching change could make for a tough matchup for the 49ers signal-caller.
2. RB Issac Guerendo
The 49ers suffered not one, but two massive losses in their backfield this past weekend. Running back Christian McCaffrey suffered a season-ending PCL injury, and his replacement, Jordan Mason, will miss time with an ankle injury. That leaves fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo as the top guard, who will be counted on to carry the load. Guerendo faces a Bears defense that is struggling to stop the run, but with injuries on the offensive line, can he get going early to set the tone?
When Guerendo gets going, it’s hard to stop him. In two games in which he carried the ball more than 10 times, Guerendo covered no less than 85 meters thanks to his revolutionary speed. His season high is 99 yards on 10 carries against the Seattle Seahawks, making him a threat to break off a big run at any time. Considering the Bears allowed the Lions to average 9.7 yards per carry last week and are a bottom 10 team in rushing yards allowed per game, Guerendo can do some damage.
3. TE George Kittle
George Kittle still loves playing against his childhood team, and he has even more reason to do so this year. The Bears continue to struggle against opposing tight ends. Several players have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game (TJ Hockenson and Evan Engram), and others have been touchdown merchants (Sam LaPorta). That should be music to Kittle’s ears, who has a chance to set a career high in touchdowns.
In 10 games, Kittle totaled 50 receptions for 649 yards and eight touchdowns. He hasn’t found the end zone in just three games all year, making him a strong candidate to find ground. The Bears will need to account for him in the running and passing game, as he is someone who can do it all.
4. DL Leonard Floyd
The Bears will get to see an old friend again on Sunday. Defensive end Leonard Floyd, who was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, will face his former team again. But it’s much more than just a reunion. Floyd will be the 49ers’ most dangerous passer this week, with Nick Bosa doubtful to play with multiple injuries.
The 32-year-old is second on the team in sacks with 6.5, with six tackles for loss and one forced fumble. 3.5 of those sacks and three tackles for loss have come in the last three games alone. Floyd has plenty of length and his quickness could be a problem for the Bears tackles.
5. LB Fred Warner
Fred Warner is a freak of nature. You probably already knew that given his illustrious career so far that includes three All-Pro selections and over 100 tackling seasons, but he’s going above and beyond in 2024. Warner recently revealed he played the majority of the season with a broken ankle. He was injured in Week 4 but did not miss a game. His play hasn’t diminished either.
After 12 games, Warner is on pace to match his season average in tackles and has already tied his career high in forced fumbles with four. Even if he’s not 100%, you can expect him to roam the field as usual and help stop the Bears’ rushing attack, which could be done without starter D ‘Andre Swift. Warner will need to be accounted for on every play.
This article was originally published on Bears Wire: 5 Niners players to watch against the Bears
