(670 The Score) The Bears (11-4) will visit the 49ers (11-4) on Sunday, with kickoff set for 7:20 p.m. from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Our 670 The Score pregame show with Mike Mulligan, Olin Kreutz and Patrick Mannelly will start at 4 p.m. and last until kickoff. The postgame show will begin just after the final buzzer, which should be around 10:30 p.m. You can listen here.
You can check out all of 670’s preview coverage of the Bears-49ers matchup by clicking here. Below are game predictions from our 670 hosts, producers and writers.
David Haugh (12-3): 49ers 31, Bears 27
The Bears might already have taken the NFC North by kickoff, but the 49er offense looks too potent to stop. In a matchup between two top 11-win teams, the Bears will make it competitive but ultimately lose – and gain incentive for a potential playoff rematch.
Matt Spiegel (10-5): 49ers 34, Bears 24
The Bears drop to 11-5 in a battle between playoff teams.
Chris Emma (10-5): 49ers 28, Bears 23
Every season, there's a team that starts surging in December and becomes dangerous in the playoffs. That looks to be the 49ers, a proven bunch with plenty of talent. The Bears will be right there in this game but come up short.
Paul Pabst (10-5): Bears 28, 49ers 27
The 49ers offense looked great Monday night. This is another coin flip game. The Bears have to keep it a one-score game at half.
If so, they win.
Alex Kuhn (11-4): Bears 38, 49ers 35
The Bears will need points in this one to keep up. Dennis Allen has his hands full against Kyle Shanahan and a San Francisco offense that cooks zone coverage. Luckily for the Bears, the 49ers defense is gettable. Yes, this is another wild one that comes right down to the wire.
Jakob Stutz (12-3): 49ers 38, Bears 34
This will be a good road test for the Bears. For me, it's a bit of a coin flip. The Bears defense really has its hands full against a 49ers offense that hasn't punted in forever, but I expect Chicago’s offense to show up big. Against a banged-up 49ers defense, Caleb Williams is going to have a monster game through the air that will have us all keeping a close eye on his passing yards total in the regular-season finale. If the Bears do win this one, it'll once again be because they create turnovers. I just have a feeling the 49ers will take care of the ball and get a slight edge at home. The Bears will lose in a shootout, but it'll be an exciting game with a lot of positives.
Sean Sears (15-0): Bears 27, 49ers 20
The Bears could easily take a loss in Santa Clara, but Ben Johnson simply isn't going to allow that. The Bears will be focused and ready to lock up the NFC North and continue to push for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Without Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, the 49ers defense doesn't have the same firepower even as defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has done a good job this season. The Bears will control the game with their rushing attack and come away with a win Sunday night.
Tyler Ferengul (8-7): 49ers 28, Bears 27
This is a super tough game to predict, but I’m slightly leaning toward the home team in this one. Two of the best offensive minds in football face off in Kyle Shanahan and Ben Johnson, as do two great defensive minds in Robert Saleh and Dennis Allen, whose units have both suffered injury losses throughout the year. My gut feeling is rolling with the 49ers in this one because they’re the home team. It may well come down to who has the ball last. No disrespect to the Bears here, but I believe the 49ers will prevail in a late-season battle of playoff teams.
Clint Clouse (13-2): Bears 31, 49ers 27
Ben Johnson's goal of his team reaching 11 wins has been fulfilled after one of the most thrilling Bears wins of our lifetime. Now, the games will only get bigger for the Bears. The 49ers have quietly won 11 games and present a playoff-type test for the Bears. This game will be about how quickly the Bears can turn the page after a really emotional win. Ben Johnson's team has shown an ability to move forward to the next game all season long. I’ll take the Bears in what could be a shootout as they continue to chase the No. 1 seed in the NFC.