Niners Nation
49ers minutia minute: Tatum Bethune’s eventful day included key decision on final snap (paywall)
“Pleasants entered for an injured Williams after one snap, and the 49ers’ offense didn’t miss a beat. He might get the blame for the Bears’ lone sack, but that came on a deep rollout from Purdy on which pass rusher Austin Booker made a wide loop around Pleasants and eventually found Purdy on a slow-developing play. Per Pro Football Focus, that was one of only two quarterback pressures Pleasants allowed on 40 pass snaps.
McKivitz, meanwhile, drew Chicago’s best pass rusher, Montez Sweat, who entered the game with 9.5 sacks. Sweat finished the game with three quarterback pressures and a 46.4 PFF grade, his lowest of the season.“
49ers overreactions: Brock Purdy proved he is a top-five QB after win vs. Bears
“I can think of one defense that has been worse this season. It’s a defense that belongs to the team currently slotted at No. 2 in the NFC playoff picture. It’s a defense that gave up six touchdowns Sunday night and could not protect a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter.
While the 49ers’ defense was not good for the vast majority of their Week 17 game, they forced eight incomplete passes on the final drive and came up with the stop at the end of the game.
Before the 49ers’ defense held Chicago out of the end zone, the Bears’ defense was unable to do the same.
The Bears have surrendered an average of 24.8 points this season, while the 49ers rank 13th at 22.4 points allowed. The 49ers are 19th in yards allowed, while the Bears are 28th.
So, quite clearly, the 49ers do not have the worst defense in the NFL, and they do not even have the worst defense among teams at the top of the NFC.“
Kawakami: Kyle Shanahan is the most valuable coach of the year, and more bold thoughts (paywall)
“Perhaps one that has respected Crosby for years, has been searching for a pass-rushing 1B to Bosa, and has a bunch of extra 2026 money freed up by jettisoning Aiyuk?
If the 49ers are ready to spend more money than they did last offseason, adding Crosby — if the Raiders put him on the market — would make a ton of sense. But when I’ve checked with 49ers people lately, they’ve noted that they’ve won while getting younger and cheaper over the last year and they’d like to stay with that.
Also, 49ers management didn’t love the result when they went all-in and over budget a few years ago for Javon Hargrave, and there is definite reluctance to do something so similar now.
The 49ers have some other big business to handle, too. Namely, there are potential adjustments due for both Trent Williams ($38.9 million cap hit next year) and Bosa ($42 million).
But you never know. The 49ers picked up about $24 million in extra cash by separating from Aiyuk. And they did all that...
