Ben Johnson reveals the culprit behind the failed final game against the 49ers

The The Chicago Bears’ dramatic Week 17 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers ended in frustration, as Chicago fell 42-38 after falling just two yards short on the final drive at Levi’s Stadium. With four seconds left and the ball on the San Francisco 2-yard line, quarterback Caleb Williams’ pass to Jahdae Walker hit the turf in the end zone, ending the game and eliminating the Bears from contention for the NFC’s top seed.

After the game, the head coach Ben Johnson took full responsibility for what went wrong on the ensuing play.

“We didn’t quite align in the formation we wanted to,” Johnson said. “It’s on me. I didn’t call (Caleb Williams) fast enough, so he’s trying to put it together. I’ve got to do a better job on that.”

The missed chance ended a frantic late drive and showed just how small the margin for error is in the shootout. With 2:15 left in the game and trailing 42-38, Williams quickly took the lead down the field. Chicago converted a crucial fourth-and-5 and reached the territory with no timeouts remaining. A rush on first and goal stopped the clock at four seconds, setting up the final play.

Williams finished the night 25 of 42 passing for 330 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers and a 100.3 passer rating. He also showed mobility and creativity on the final snap, avoiding pressure, rolling to his left and throwing back across his body to give Walker a chance in the end zone. Rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III led the Bears with eight receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, while fellow rookie Colston Loveland added six catches for 94 yards and a score. D’Andre Swift contributed nine carries for 54 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The offense did its thing for Chicago, but the defensive issues made it a back-and-forth scoring battle. San Francisco amassed 496 total yards, 32 first downs and six touchdowns. Brock Purdy completed 24 of 33 passes for 303 yards, three touchdown passes and one interception while also adding 28 yards and two rushing scores. Christian McCaffrey rushed 23 times for 140 yards, constantly cutting through the Bears’ front.

Chicago struck first, as Jaylon Johnson deflected Purdy’s opening pass attempt into the hands of TJ Edwards, who returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. However, the 49ers answered repeatedly, and the teams combined for 11 touchdowns and 936 total yards in a back-and-forth contest.

The loss dropped the Bears to 11-5, their second loss in their last nine games. While Chicago had already clinched the NFC North and a playoff spot, the result ensured they would finish no higher than the No. 2 seed.