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49ers Provide Help and a Fan for Bears

George Kittle makes it known he was a Bears fan growing up and was happy about helping to beat the Arizona Cardinals because of it.
Gene Chamberlain|
49ers Provide Help and a Fan for Bears
49ers Provide Help and a Fan for Bears

The San Francisco 49ers gave the Bears the open door they need to walk into a wild-card berth and tight end George Kittle was elated about it.

"I will say this: I grew up a Bears fan and the fact we helped the Bears makes me happy. Da Bears!" Kittle said.

Kittle caught four passes for 92 yards in a return from an injury and Kyle Juszczyk had TDs rushing and receiving as the Niners knocked off the Arizona Cardinals 20-12 Saturday, even if kicker and former Bear Robbie Gould didn't seem to be on board with it all.

Gould missed three kicks, including two field goals and a point-after try to keep the game close.

As a result of it all, the Bears control their own destiny again in the NFC wild-card chase.

The Bears clinch with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday and either a win over Green Bay on Jan. 3 or a Cardinals loss that day at Los Angeles against the Rams. There are no other teams involved in the final wild-card scenario now, just the Bears and Cardinals.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was injured on his final play and walked off the field with help. However, he is expected to be available to play against the Rams.

The Rams game with Seattle later this Sunday now carries some extra significance for the Bears. 

If the Rams win, they will go into that game against the Cardinals with a chance to win the division and have a better seed as well as home field. If they lose, they could come into it with two straight losses.

Also, the Bears need the Rams to beat the Seahawks while the Packers beat Tennessee so the Packers have home field locked up throughout the NFC playoffs when they come to Soldier Field next week.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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