Bears and 49er In-Game Blog

Live reporting and analysis by Gene Chamberlain of BearDigest from Soldier Field where the Bears face the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener.

Fourth Quarter

• Bears killing the clock in victory formation after a three-and-out in the downpour. Soldier Field chanting "let's go Bears," or at least those left here with parkas on.
• Punt goes into the end zone.
• Montgomery wisely goes down in the water and slop as 49ers reach for the ball. Fourth down and Bears will think about going for it. They just tried to get the Niners to jump but who can blame them. The Niners have 12 penalties. They're beating themselves.
• 49ers burn a timeout and the rain is really heavy now. Two Montgomery runs and it's third-and-10. 49ers use last timeout.
• Lance throws way wide on the pass in the flat. Bears ball with 3:38 left and a nine-point lead at the 49ers 46.
• Threw it into the wet sod. Fourth-and-8 and the game is on the line with 3:43 left
• Wilson fumbles on a screen and Morrow recovers but officials ruled Morrow down on contact after discussing it. 49ers face third-and-8 after 2-yard gain. Ball is at the San Francisco 46.
• Rain starting up hard on cue for Bears defense.
• Lance to Jennings for a gain of 13 and clock running. He scrambles for 3 and a first down.
• Johnson returns.
• A false start and it's first-and-15 at the 28 with 4:56 remaining.
• On third-and-2 at the 30, Lance is trapped trying to throw deep and scrambles for the first down on a 3-yard run.
• The 49ers work that same WR screen to Samuel they used last year for 8. Jaylon Johnson hurt on the play defending on the pass. Third-and-2. This is a huge injury because the Bears cornerback backups are completely inexperienced and Johnson was having a great game. He jogs off and Gordon moves over there.
• Smith nearly picks one off in the zone and it falls incomplete.
• Clock inside 6:30 and running as Lance sneaks for the first down.
• At 10 after an illegal block on return, Samuel can't hang on to a pass, then Lance throws to Aiyuk on a slant for 9.
• Herbert starts right, cuts back and the sea opens to the end zone. Touchdown with 7:21 left. A shocking turn of events in this game. And again, Santos misses the PAT, this one wide left. Bears 19, 49ers 10
• A yard for Herbert as clock runs down inside eight minutes.
• Second-and-11 and Herbert runs inside but the 49ers Kinlaw was called for holding. What he was doing that for is unknown. First-and-goal at the 4.
• Fields bails out on a run left and slides at the 11. He could have picked up 3 or 4 by following his blocking outside.
• 49ers are all reeling. The run blocking opens up the middle for Khalil Herbert and he rambles to the Niners 11.
• BoJack! Eddie Jackson reads the throw coming from Lance perfectly and picks it off, returns it 27 yards to the 49ers 20. Interception ends a two-year drought for Jackson.
• The Niners finally get the wide zone blocking to develop but Wilson still only gets 4 on it as he slowly makes his way out there.
• Brisker tackles Lance after a scramble for 1. Second-and-9 at the 37.
• On third-and-10 he drills it to Ross Dwelley, the tight end, over the middle in a crowd. An elite-level clutch pass.
• Lance scrambles and gets back the penalty plus a few more and gets Roquan Smith wrapped around his neck too.
• A terrible call by officials against Kyler Gordon for pass interference. The ball could not have been caught. They pick up the flag. And the 49ers had a false start anyway.
• Deebo Samuel has been a strong ball carrier on the day, but has one catch for 6 yards.
• Bears players and coaches claimed all camp that this was when all of that running they've done will pay off. Strong finishes.
• Lance hurries them to the line but too late. Clock expires but now officials claim the timeout came in from the bench in time.
• Al-Quadin Muhammad doesn't bite on the bootleg and has Lance dead to rights, he has to throw away the ball.
• Touchback in front corner of end zone.
• St. Brown comes wide open and Fields hits him for an 18-yard TD. Santos misses wide right on PAT. Maybe Gill should have taken his towel out there. Bears 13, 49ers 10.
• Mooney's first catch of the game is an 8-yarder and gives Bears third-and-2 at the 18. Threw it to him just past the line and blocking developed.
• Fields is finally getting those calls now. He tries to go deep for Mooney and he isn't open. Ball sails out of bounds.
• Fields slides after getting the first down and the 49ers are flagged for a cheap hit by Azeez Al-Shaair on his head. Bears are now in field goal range at the 26.
• Montgomery gets a couple of carries and more running room than earlier. Gains 9. Third-and-1

Third Quarter

Fields scrambles but a flag flies downfield as he comes up 2 yards short of the sticks. Charvarius Ward called for holding. Quarter ends.

After an incompletion, Montgomery again finds nothing but bodies in front of him and gets 1.

Fields play-action to Pringle down the sidelines for 22 yards. Floated in nicely over the zone.

Lance scrambles and comes up a yard short of the first down. He carried Roquan Smith almost to the first down. Punt results in fair catch at the Bears 16

Gipson forces an incompletion with his rush but the 49ers had center Jake Brendel downfield illegally anyway. Penalty declind.

Wilson stacked up after 2 yards by Smith.

Samuel tries left end and Brisker is there with a host of thousands to stop it for a 1-yard gain. 49ers face third-and-4. Jennings catches it just past the sticks with Gordon in coverage and Smith closing.

Fields 5 of 12, 73 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 55.2 rating.

The Bears had 22 passing yards net until Fields threw the 51-yard TD.

St. Brown with an effective block on Emmanuel Moseley cleared the way downfield for Pettis to score the TD.

Fields with a brilliant scramble then throwback across field to Pettis for a 51-yard touchdown. Pettis was wide open and Fields spotted him on the other side of the field. 49ers 10, Bears 7

Montgomery smeared behind the line. More blocking woes. Maybe it's Chris Morgan's fault.

Play action and neither receiver was open. Fields nearly throws a pick and it falls incomplete.

Plenty of boos as they try to run on third-and-4 and Montgomery is swarmed. But a facemask on Dre Greenlaw saves the Bears. A dumb penalty because the play was essentially over.

Montgomery on a short dump-off over the middle for 3 after Fields first looked to scramble and then decided otherwise. Third-and-4.

More clogged lanes for Montgomery as he scrapes out 3 yards.

Ebner dodges a tackle and bolts upfield for a 30-yard return to the 28.

• Fields scrambles but a flag flies downfield as he comes up 2 yards short of the sticks. Charvarius Ward called for holding. Quarter ends.
• After an incompletion, Montgomery again finds nothing but bodies in front of him and gets 1. 
• Fields play-action to Pringle down the sidelines for 22 yards. Floated in nicely over the zone.
• Lance scrambles and comes up a yard short of the first down. He carried Roquan Smith almost to the first down. Punt results in fair catch at the Bears 16
• Gipson forces an incompletion with his rush but the 49ers had center Jake Brendel downfield illegally anyway. Penalty declind.
• Wilson stacked up after 2 yards by Smith.
• Samuel tries left end and Brisker is there with a host of thousands to stop it for a 1-yard gain. 49ers face third-and-4. Jennings catches it just past the sticks with Gordon in coverage and Smith closing. 
• Fields 5 of 12, 73 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 55.2 rating.
• The Bears had 22 passing yards net until Fields threw the 51-yard TD.
• St. Brown with an effective block on Emmanuel Moseley cleared the way downfield for Pettis to score the TD.
• Fields with a brilliant scramble then throwback across field to Pettis for a 51-yard touchdown. Pettis was wide open and Fields spotted him on the other side of the field. 49ers 10, Bears 7
• Montgomery smeared behind the line. More blocking woes. Maybe it's Chris Morgan's fault.
• Play action and neither receiver was open. Fields nearly throws a pick and it falls incomplete.
• Plenty of boos as they try to run on third-and-4 and Montgomery is swarmed. But a facemask on Dre Greenlaw saves the Bears. A dumb penalty because the play was essentially over.
• Montgomery on a short dump-off over the middle for 3 after Fields first looked to scramble and then decided otherwise. Third-and-4.
• More clogged lanes for Montgomery as he scrapes out 3 yards.
• Ebner dodges a tackle and bolts upfield for a 30-yard return to the 28. Wind really kicking up now that it is finally drying out. 
• Lance plowed under by Robinson and Roquan Smith with a sack. Gould kicks a 25-yard field goal with 8:28 left in the quarter. 49ers 10, Bears 0
• Jaquan Brisker breaks into the backfield and dumps Wilson for a 2-yard loss.
• Wilson knifes off right guard for 3 to the 2.
• Lance pauses, then barrels into the line for the first down on a 3-yard run at the 5.
• Wilson stopped for a couple yards on hit by Morrow with help from Roquan Smith.
• Lance goes around right end for 6 to the 10 and took some big hits.
• Jauan Jennings gets behind Kyler Gordon for a 44-yard deep ball to the Bears 16.
• Incomplete short pass to Samuel and Wilson gets 4 around right end. Third-and-6 for Niners.
• End around for 11 by Samuel to start the half. Expect plenty of that this half with Mitchell out.

Second Quarter

• Half ends after short completion and a short incompletion. 49ers 7, Bears 0

Samuel breaks a run up the middle 27 yards and 49ers use a timeout. They are at their 36 with 18 seconds left.

Ball fair caught at the 9.

Officials just flagged Bears for unsportsmanlike conduct when Trenton Gill brought a towel out to wipe off the ground or ball. A 15-yard penalty and the Bears must punt with 32 seconds left. Gill looked like he was trying to dry off a spot on the ground for the kick before the penalty.

Santos a 47-yard field goal try on the wet field.

Fields overthrows Byron Pringle in the end zone but he wasn't open.

Bears call timeout after letting seven seconds waste off the clock. Third-and-6 at the 29.

No room for Montgomery and he's hit after 1 yard.

Fields scrambles two directions and eventually goes out of bounds at the 30, gaining 3.

Fields keeps it on a run around left side and gets the first down by dodging Ebukan at the 33.

Jeff Wilson and a pair of rookies are the remaining 49ers backs. They'll probably just keep giving it to Samuel.

49ers RB Elijah Mitchell out of the game with a knee injury.

A 2-yard Herbert run up the middle. TWO-MINUTE WARNING!!!!

They catch 49ers blitzing with a surprise Herbert run up the middle for the first down on a 12-yard gain to Niners 47.

Givens and Kinlaw dominating inside on the ground. Fields throws incomplete on second down and Bears face third-and-4.

Kevin Givens jumped offsides but they actually had two players offsides on the play. First-and-5 for Bears at their 40.

Fields takes a big hit throwing the ball away after he lost control of the shotgun snap but there was a penalty.

Fields runs it on a bootleg for 8 around left side, then gets 3 for the first down on another run, an option keeper.

Quiet packed house despite the rain. Haven't had much to cheer about besides the Brisker fumble recovery. Longest play was the desperation shovel screen for 16 yards to Montgomery.

Bears with 23 yards rushing, 3 passing.

Smart decision by Pettis to let short punt hit and wave everyone away in the wet conditions. The ball dies at the 23 with 4:42 left in the half.

Lance has to check down on third down and Nicholas Morrow with the tackle to stop the drive 3 yards short. 49ers punt.

Trevis Gipson knocks down a screen to Samuel but Gordon almost had the pick 6

Facing third-and-13, 49ers get the first down on a quarterback draw by Lance. He ran straight up the middle to the 34. Bears were totally caught by surprise. Imagine that, Lance ran the ball.

Aiyuk with the catch for a first down but shoved off to get open and is flagged for OPI

Kyler Gordon with a big hit stopping Deebo Samuel for only 2 coming out of the slot.

They are going with Pennel and Watts on this drive at the tackles and they got moved out on a 5-yard Wilson run.

Bears 1 of 6 on third down and have 26 yards net offense.

Another screen, this more well executed but comes up 7 yards short and Bears punt again. Matthew Adams with an excellent open-field, low hit driving McCloud out of bounds at the 49ers 24-yard line.

Charvarius Ward with a nice breakup by hitting Equanimeous St. Brown as the ball arrives on the sideline. Third-and-12 for the Bears.

Toss left by Montgomery has no blocking again and he loses 2 yards on tackle by Greenlaw.

Trestan Ebner lets kick go OB in end zone for touchback.

Bears are living down to every fear everyone had. They have nothing on offense and the defense is accepting punishment.

Samuel knocks down Eddie Jackson like a bowling pin for the 6-yard TD run around right end with 10:11 left in the quarter. 49ers 7, Bears 0

Jones makes up for the penalty he didn't get with a TFL of 2 yards, Jaylon Johnson assisting in bringing down Samuel.

Movement up front and Justin Jones gets the neutral zone infraction. Wrong person. He was the second one to jump across.

49ers screw around and nearly get a delay-of-game penalty. They burn a timeout.

Mitchell for 1 and then Lance on a QB keeper has time to pick a hole and gains 6. Third-and-3 at the 8.

Left side of 49ers line caves in Bears line so Mitchell nets 11 to the 15.

Lance with a risky but well-executed throw against the zone to McCloud for 20 at the Bears 46.

49ers run the old option down the line to Mitchell on a lateral for 5.

This time Gill booms one 58 yards and 49ers start at the 49ers 48 after a 16-yard return by Ray-Ray McCloud.

Bears get boos for running up the middle and getting 2 yards. They punt.

No huddle after Montgomery is stopped at the line of scrimmage. Bears snap it before it is "made ready" according to the official, Clay Martin.

First Quarter

• Montgomery with 2 up the middle as the quarter ends. No score
• Dante Pettis with a huge risk doesn't call fair catch inside the 10 at the 9 and is clobbered at the 6. 
• Lance has happy feet and throws behind for an incompletion as pass rush finally closes in. 49ers punt with 44 seconds left. 
• Mike Pennel, cut earlier in the week, gets the tackle after 3 on the next one and Niners face third-and-5.
• Armon Watts in for Bears at tackle and gets a nice stop for just 2 on Mitchell. Good low pad level and low tackle.
• Trenton Gill with a second straight poor punt, low. 49ers start at their 36.
• Bosa with the sack, beat Braxton Jones. He shoved Jones back, got inside on him and muscled him aside. Then the Bears compound it with a false start on a punt, of all things.
• Facing second-and-12, Bears at their own 28 and Herbert knifes inside for 4.
• Fields appears tentative and the 49ers' height on the front line is bothering him. Lack of time to set up and throw doesn't help. Even on the play when he slid out of bounds it was tentative, slow developing.
• Javon Kinlaw injured for the 49ers on the screen. Missed most of last year with a knee. He limps off the field with trainer but seems OK after getting to the bench.
• Bears at their 30. The screen develops slowly and gets nothing.
• Fields slides out of bounds and is clobbered OB. The flag flies for a personal foul on Dre Greenlaw. Don't know if he could have stopped because of the field conditions but it was a penalty nonetheless because he  made contact out of bounds.
• Khalil Herbert in and runs a play off left tackle that he burned the Niners with several times last year, gets 8.
• Difference so far is the 49ers offensive line has provided both passing time and some gaping holes. Bears O-line has struggled.
• You have to think if Jimmy G had been at quarterback it would 10-0 or 14-0 at this point. Trey Lance holding the ball a long time, like Fields has.
• The Bears net 6 yards out of it and start at their 8.  They could easily be behind a couple of touchdowns at this point but have hung tough.
• Punt pins Bears at 2 but 49ers were downfield illegally and it's a rekick.
• Rookie Dominique Robinson with his first career sack.

Deebo Samuel has running room around right side but the Bears close it off quickly. Only 3 yards. Lance overthrows Tyler Kroft as he's hit by Trevis Gipson. Good job by Gipson of not quitting on his rush.

Bears out of lanes of responsibilty on an Eli Mitchell run up the middle for 16.

The worst thing a QB can do is throw late and over the middle unless they have a guy running wide open, of course, like Trey Lance had with Brandon Aiyuk earlier.

Talanoa Hufanga with the interception on a poor decision late over the middle by Justin Fields. Pass was intended for Darnell Mooney but he was in the middle of four defenders in the zone. 49ers take over at Bears 48 after a 3-yard return.

Montgomery's 3-yard run leaves the Bears facing another third-and-long.

49ers win the challenge but it's still a stupid challenge. They risked losing a timeout when that replay was anything but clear. That wasn't conclusive at all. All for a 4-yard play.

Rain has stopped. Looks on replay like the back of his foot was OB but the replay angle is so poor that they might not be able to overturn it.

A 4-yard rollout pass to the left to Griffin and 49ers defensed it well, forced Fields to throw over a defender. He might have been better off running it. Play challenged. It did look like Griffin was OB with the naked eye.

Shoveled screen to Montgomery as Fields avoids a sack by Bosa and Montgomery rambles for 16 yards and a first down at the 32.

Not getting much push behind the line, that includes Teven Jenkins. Lucas Patrick couldn't make the bell with that ball cast on his hand

Montgomery powers ahead for 3. Better play it safe down at their own 15.

The HITS principle early. Jaylon Johnson with the hit on Deebo Samuel forces a fumble at the 12 and Jaquan Brisker recovers. Bears ball with 10:19 left in the quarter.

Brandon Aiyuk comes wide open against the zone on play action for 31 yards to the Bears 16. When someone is that wide open, it doesn't matter who the QB is.

• 49ers dominating at point of attack early and get the first down at Bears 47. 

• Dieter Eiselen added to the roster and is active for Bears, the former South African weightlifter and rugby player who had been on practice squad the last few years.
• Cairo Santos was laughing in the locker room about how they used to bring out guys with buckets of sand to fill in divots and craters on the old field before it was resodded last weekend. After warmups, guess who's back? The guys with the buckets of sand are filling in divots and holes on the new field. 
• Fifteen minutes before kickoff and they have the field clear of water but they had to rechalk the goal line and sideline because it has largely washed away. The yard lines are washed out, as are the logos and lettering in the end zones. But they'll just have to be washed out. 
• Three of the Bears inactives haven't even been with the team long enough to have the offense or defense down. The only one who would have been a contributor in the opener was Velus Jones Jr. and he  hasn't practiced in several weeks. Also, Elijah Hicks might have helped with special teams.
• An hour and 15 minutes before the game and the skies are lighter now and rain isn't coming down as hard. Squeegees are clearing off the water standing around the numbers but the sideline areas will be sloppy.
• George Kittle absence is huge but not unexpected. The Niners have depth at the position with Charlie Woerner, Ross Dwelley, Tyler Kroft. Still, it's a break for the Bears not facing him.
• The real problem will be the next game, and what's left of this turf when they are done. There is water building up on the field already around the 20-yard line 100 minutes before kickoff.
• You really have to wonder how this turf is going to hold up because the helooks fine as the heavy stuff is really starting to come now at Soldier Field. It's only been down for seven or eight days. There was worry about Bermuda grass being put down for cold season in Chicago but they seemed to have that addressed with a type of hybrid that holds up well in the cold. But thinking it will hold up in the mud only a week after it was put down is expecting a lot.

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