Shanahan, 49ers not overlooking Bears’ ‘playoff-caliber’ defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers will not be caught off guard by the Chicago Bears’ bruising defense on Sunday.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, the San Francisco coach explained why Chicago’s defense is so daunting.
“I think they’re a real good defense,” Shanahan told reporters. “I think, how good they are in the red zone, I think they’re ranked number two in the red zone. I think they’re top five at getting turnovers. I think they’re top five on third down. When they’re top five in getting turnovers and their offense, I think, is number one at not giving up turnovers, it’s usually a really good formula for winning.”
While the Bears have had plenty of issues this season, their recent losing skid does not indicate their true potential. Chicago’s three recent losses were by a handful of points, something Shanahan quickly pointed out.
“You look at their team as a whole,” Shanahan said. “They started out 4-2, they went on a bye, they lost the next game on a Hail Mary versus a good team in Washington, so you’d like to say they should have been 5-2 and the next five games after that, they got blown out two after that, but these last three games, they played as good as any team in the league playing Minnesota, Green Bay and Detroit, losing by a total of seven points. So, I see a defense that is capable of being a playoff defense. They’ve played like it all year. They’ve just come up short here in these last five games.”
After getting trounced by quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on “Sunday Night Football,” the 49ers are looking to get back on track against the Bears. Still clinging to playoff hopes, San Francisco would need to win out and get some help to make it back to the postseason.
It starts with a home game against Chicago, where San Francisco will need to rely on rookie running back Isaac Guerendo to fill in for Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason, who both are out for the remainder of the regular season with injuries.
Expect Shanahan and the rest of San Francisco’s offense to bring it in what amounts to a must-win game Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
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