3 Bold predictions for the Bears/49ers game on Sunday night

The Sunday night matchup between the Bears and 49ers features massive implications for the NFC playoff picture.

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) celebrates after a first down during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Bears and 49ers face off in a highly anticipated matchup on Sunday night.

The game has massive playoff implications, as the winner will put themselves in a great position to host a playoff game during the playoffs. Both teams are 11-4 and have a shot at the NFC's number one seed if they continue rolling over the final two weeks.

The game will probably have a playoff-like atmosphere, as they are two of the top teams in the conference.I have a few bold hypotheses for how I think the game could go.

Neither team punts the ball once

The 49ers' offense has been absolutely on fire lately.

The @49ers are the first team in NFL history with 80+ points and no punts over a 2-game span. pic.twitter.com/TMLJmNRitj

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) December 23, 2025

I think they'll continue rolling on Sunday night. After all, the Packers didn't punt once last week, and Brock Purdy is a lot better than the combination of Jordan Love and Malik Willis.

Meanwhile, the 49ers haven't been forced to punt since the Week 13 game against Cleveland. They've been downright unstoppable. I think there will be a ton of points on Sunday night.

There have only been seven games in NFL history that didn't feature a punt. So much has to go right, and occasionally wrong (more on that later), for a game not to feature a punt. I feel like there's a real shot we see the eighth on Sunday night.

Chicago's defense forces three turnovers

Remember when I mentioned that things occasionally going wrong for an offense could lead to them not punting? That's because turnovers don't count as a punt.

For as dominant as the 49ers' offense has been, they've also been prone to making critical mistakes in the turnover department. They've turned the ball over 20 times this season, which is the tenth-most in the league. They've had multiple turnovers in five games.

I think 49ers' QB Brock Purdy will turn the ball over a few times, and I could also see Chicago's defense forcing a fumble. I think they'll get to three turnovers by the end of the game.

The Bears currently lead the league with 31 takeaways. They have nine games with multiple takeaways this season. I could see them getting number ten on Sunday night.

Luther Burden III finishes the game with 125 yards and a touchdown

Luther Burden III will be returning to the lineup after being sidelined with an ankle injury against Green Bay last week. I expect him to have a big game.

Burden is coming off his best game of the season, as he had six catches for 84 yards against Cleveland. He's really seemed to carve out a niche as a key contributor in Chicago's passing attack.

40 yard gain by @lutherburden3 🔥

📺: FOX | #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/FseC3u1MYl

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 14, 2025

The 49ers' defense has been susceptible to opposing passing games this season. They've allowed 3582 passing yards, which is twelfth-most in the league, and 27 passing touchdowns, which is tied for the sixth-most.

With Sunday night looking like a surefire barnburner, I think Burden will have plenty of opportunities to show off. I think he'll take advantage of them when they come his way, and will set a new career-high as a result.

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