As the 49ers prepare to host the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, all eyes are on Brock Purdy — the quarterback who has turned San Francisco’s offense red-hot since returning from injury. His challenge this week is unique: a Bears defense that struggles to generate pressure, yet thrives off turnovers at an elite level.
Last week, Indianapolis entered its matchup with the 49ers feeling confident after shutting down the Seahawks and allowing no offensive touchdowns. That optimism didn’t last long. Purdy carved up the Colts for five passing touchdowns — San Francisco’s first five-TD passing game in three decades — and the 49ers put up 48 points with ease.
The performance exposed a flaw the Bears now have to face head-on: teams lacking a pass rush are struggling to handle Purdy.
Bears’ Defensive Paradox: Few Pressures, Plenty of Takeaways
Indianapolis entered last week near league-average in scoring defense and top-five against the run. Their downfall was simple — they couldn’t generate pressure. They rank last in the NFL in pass-rush win rate at 28% per ESPN. The only team below them? The Bears at 29%.
That’s the paradox. Chicago is elite at taking the ball away without consistently forcing quarterbacks off-script.
- NFL-best +21 turnover differential
- NFL-best 31 takeaways
- NFL-best 21 interceptions
Their secondary attacks aggressively, trusting instincts and coaching rather than relying on pressure to force bad throws.
“When the ball’s in the air, they’re aggressive,” Purdy said. “They show length, athleticism, and they don’t hesitate.”
But turnovers are hardest to generate when quarterbacks are comfortable. If Purdy gets time, Chicago’s ball-hawking strength may not be enough.
Purdy’s Performance Spikes With Protection
Since returning from a toe injury that sidelined him eight games, Purdy has been one of the league’s hottest passers — 13 touchdowns to four interceptions, and five straight wins. The 49ers have maintained top-tier play even without stars like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, leaning on Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and a disciplined scheme built on progression reads.
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen knows the challenge well:
“They don’t force the ball to one star. Purdy goes through his reads and finds the open man.”
When Purdy has time, the offense becomes nearly unstoppable. He averaged 3.31 seconds to throw last week — long enough for Kyle Shanahan’s layered route concepts to develop — and delivered five touchdowns. Contrast that with games where rush arrival forced faster decisions: both of Purdy’s multi-interception games this year came when his time to throw dipped near 2.9 seconds.
Chicago’s issue? Without pass rush wins, reducing his time may be unlikely.
Why the Matchup Favors San Francisco — Unless Chicago Forces Chaos
San Francisco doesn’t rush plays — they execute them. The run game sets structure, the motion and spacing stretch defenses, and Purdy waits patiently for windows to open. If the Bears can’t collapse the pocket, they may struggle to break the rhythm that makes this offense operate so cleanly.
Allen summed up the challenge plainly:
“Their offensive line moves as one. Everything is precise. That’s coaching detail.”
To beat Purdy, Chicago needs turnovers — and turnovers often require disruption.
The Bears have the ball skills to steal possessions. The question is whether they can force Purdy into uncomfortable situations long enough to trigger mistakes.
If they can’t, the 49ers’ offense has shown it can dismantle even well-coached defenses.
