The Chicago Bears defense probably still has nightmares about the last time they played the San Francisco 49ers. Not only did they give up 33 points, but 18 of them came in the 4th quarter. It was one of the worst late-game meltdowns experienced by such a talented and proud unit in a long time. What made it worse is they wasted one of Justin Fields’ best games of that season. While the Bears suffered a few backbreaking losses last year, that one probably stung the most.
Needless to say, the defense has every reason to be motivated for this game. They want to avenge that embarrassment while reminding all the so-called experts this group is still fully capable of playing good football. The best part is the winds of good fortune are blowing in their direction. Some rough injury news struck the 49ers ahead of kickoff. Their star tight end George Kittle isn’t expected to play due to a groin issue. If that weren’t bad enough, starting guard Daniel Brunskill will also miss the game with a hamstring. He was one of their few experience blockers up front.
Now there is a good chance San Francisco will go with two players, Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford, who have never started a game in the NFL.
49ers injury list:
OUT: OL Daniel Brunskill (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE: TE George Kittle (groin).
Kittle did not take part in any of the practices after getting injured Monday.
#49ers Pro Bowl TE George Kittle did not practice this week due to a groin injury. The team doesn’t want to take any unnecessary risks this early in the season, so he is not expected to be active Sunday vs, the Bears in Week 1.
The Chicago Bears defense should know its priorities now.
Kittle being out of the picture is a massive blow to the 49ers. They’re about to move forward with the untested Trey Lance at quarterback. The All-Pro tight end was going to be a big security blanket for the young signal-caller. With him out of the picture, it will make life harder trying to find open targets. Combined with the expected rainy conditions, there is a strong likelihood San Francisco will lean on their ground game to take the pressure off.
That makes the task for the Chicago Bears’ defense clear. Stop the run and force Lance to throw. It should give them their best opportunities to either force punts or generate takeaways. Winning the turnover battle is the best way for underdog teams to pull off an upset. Much of this will depend on the Bears’ offense. If they can provide any lead early, that makes life even easier. It will be fascinating to see how the defense handles this situation.
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