SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) \u2014 Brock Purdy and the San Francisco offense did everything they could for the first 58 minutes in a nearly flawless performance. At the end, they were just spectators when the beleaguered defense finally came through with a stop. <\/p>\n
Purdy threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings<\/a> with 2:15 left, and the 49ers forced an incomplete pass on the final play<\/a> from the 2 to beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 on Sunday night and set up a Week 18 showdown for the top seed in the NFC.<\/p>\n Caleb Williams drove the Bears (11-5) down the field in the closing seconds and had one last shot for the win. But Bryce Huff forced him out of the pocket and his throw short-hopped Jahdae Walker in the end zone to seal a sixth straight victory for the 49ers (12-4).<\/p>\n \u201cFor them to finish out the game like that, I was so happy for them. I was sitting there not being able to do anything but watch,\u201d Purdy said. \u201cTo be able to celebrate was a cool team win. There\u2019s nothing like that. It was pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n That gave the 49ers a chance to win the NFC West and get a bye by beating Seattle (13-3) in the season finale on Saturday night. A win would give San Francisco home-field advantage and a chance to stay home all postseason, with the Super Bowl set to be played at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Feb. 8.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve earned this,\u201d coach Kyle Shanahan said. \u201cThis is the game we want. We love that it\u2019s here. We have an opportunity to never leave here again this year.\u201d<\/p>\n The loss ends the Bears\u2019 hopes of earning the top seed. Chicago has already clinched the NFC North and can earn the No. 2 seed by beating Detroit next Sunday.<\/p>\n Purdy followed his career-high five TD-pass performance last week against Indianapolis by throwing for three scores and running for two to become the sixth player since the AFL-NFL merger with back-to-back games with at least five touchdowns.<\/p>\n Purdy finished 24 for 33 for 303 yards, while Christian McCaffrey ran for 140 yards and a score and added 41 more receiving. <\/p>\n Williams went 25 for 42 for 330 yards and two TDs but couldn\u2019t deliver at the end after already leading the Bears to an NFL-record six comeback wins after trailing in the final two minutes of regulation.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s frustrating,\u201d Williams said. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to lose a game ever. And then also, in that position, having a shot at the end is all you can ask for on this moment.\u201d <\/p>\n Neither defense could slow down the opposing offense for most of the night after a pick-6 by Chicago\u2019s T.J. Edwards on the first play. The Niners led 28-21 at halftime.<\/p>\n The teams then traded touchdowns on the first three drives of the second half, with D\u2019Andre Swift scoring on two runs for Chicago and Purdy delivering a highlight-reel play for San Francisco. He rolled to his right on a play from the 6, eluded two pass rushers and then flipped an easy TD pass to Kyle Juszczyk<\/a> on a play that lasted longer than 8 seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cI was hoping he\u2019d throw it away and we\u2019d have a couple more downs,\u201d Shanahan said. \u201cThen I started watching him like every fan does. He made me extremely nervous and then he made my extremely happy.\u201d <\/p>\n The Bears finally forced a punt and went ahead 38-35 on a short field goal by Cairo Santos with 5:22 to play when they couldn\u2019t convert on third down in the red zone.<\/p>\n The Bears\u2019 opportunistic defense struck on the first play when Edwards caught a deflected pass and returned it 34 yards for Chicago\u2019s first defensive score on the opening play in at least 45 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was early in the game so you do have to flush it and be ready to play a whole game after that,\u201d Purdy said.<\/p>\n Purdy answered his big mistake to start the game with a 65-yard touchdown drive capped by a 1-yard pass to Jake Tonges, and San Francisco moved the ball with ease all half.<\/p>\n Purdy added two touchdown runs and McCaffrey also scored on the ground to give the 49ers a 28-21 lead at the break despite allowing two deep TD passes by Williams.<\/p>\n Injuries<\/p>\n Bears: LB Noah Sewell left in the third quarter with an ankle injury. … DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion) left the game. … WR Olamide Zaccheaus was a late scratch with an illness.<\/p>\n 49ers: LT Trent Williams (hamstring) left after getting hurt on the opening play<\/a> and never returned. … CB Upton Stout (concussion) left in the second half. … TE George Kittle (ankle) was inactive.<\/p>\n Up next<\/p>\n Bears: Host Detroit on Sunday.<\/p>\n 49ers: Host Seattle on Saturday night.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n