Defense headlines duds from Bears' shootout loss to 49ers

As the clock ticked past 11:30 in the Eastern Time Zone, the figurative clock struck midnight for the Chicago Bears. Their magic ran out, and they could not complete a seventh fourth-quarter comeback on what has already been one of the most improbable seasons of all time. Chicago fell 42-38 to the San Francisco 49ers, and with that loss went any chance of clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Caleb Williams was brilliant in this game, completing 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He very nearly hit the game winner, but both he and Ben Johnson owned up to botching this final play. While it's good to see leaders take accountability after losses, no sane person would pin this loss on either Johnson or Williams, who put on the most entertaining Bears primetime game in years.

The defense was a complete no-show in San Francisco. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was pressured on just nine of his 33 drop-backs, allowing him to dissect the secondary at his leisure. The 49ers averaged 5.9 yards per carry on the ground. Yes, Jaylon Johnson and T.J. Edwards combined to intercept and score a touchdown on the first play of the game, but for the next 59 minutes and 45 seconds, what we saw from the defense was a major letdown in what felt like a playoff game.

That's why this week's list of duds features only defensive players.

1. Nahshon Wright

Bears fans will forever appreciate Nahshon Wright's incredible season, which should have included a Pro Bowl nod, but the fact is that when he's not intercepting the ball or forcing fumbles, he's getting absolutely burned in coverage. Championship teams are built on reliability, on never being too high or too low. A boom-or-bust cornerback doesn't fit that mold, and that's why the Bears should thank Wright for his service this year but allow him to walk in free agency.

NASTY Route from Ricky Pearsall pic.twitter.com/IuxAXtMrzC
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) December 29, 2025

2. C.J. Gardner-Johnson

The Bears' defense very nearly had their second takeaway of the game on Sunday night, this one coming in the red zone. That's exactly the kind of play that can totally flip a game's momentum, but the play was erased thanks to a Gardner-Johnson 'hands to the face' penalty.

Some Bears fans were up in arms over this play, saying it was a soft call. It was probably a little ticky-tac on the refs' part, yet Gardner-Johnson clearly thrust his hands into Ricky Pearsall's face and turned his head. That's a penalty, and it proved to be a catastrophic one.

#DaBears screwed by the refs “hands to the face when ricky creates all the contact!! this flag erased a cj gardner johnson INT pic.twitter.com/B2UEB18v2T
— Jimbo (@JimbosJunkbox) December 29, 2025

3. Gervon Dexter

Like Gardner-Johnson, Dexter was responsible for a backbreaking penalty that flipped the game. On the 49ers' final offensive drive, Chicago was protecting a 38-35 lead. An incomplete pass from Purdy would have set up 3rd-and-7 on their own 39-yard line, but Dexter was flagged for 'hands to the face' giving San Francisco a fresh set of downs.

The 49ers would have still had a chance to pick up the first down, but momentum was shifting to Chicago in that moment, and Dexter's senseless penalty (even more flagrant than Gardner-Johnson's) wiped that away.