49ers schedule: 5 most winnable games in 2017
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Week 13 at Chicago Bears
It was a bit of a tossup between this game versus the Chicago Bears and the next one on our list.
But this Week 13 showdown is slightly more difficult than No. 2 on our list simply based on the fact it’s a road game. That’s it though.
Plenty of chatter surrounded the 49ers and Bears after the now-famous Round 1 NFL Draft trade involving the Niners move-down from No. 2 to No. 3 — an exchange that still resulted in San Francisco landing its desired player, defensive end Solomon Thomas, plus an added three picks.
Indeed, general manager John Lynch “fleeced” the Bears with this move, as described in the video below:
Meanwhile, the Bears ended up grabbing quarterback Mitchell Trubisky — a player they easily could have picked at No. 3 had they stayed put.
Trubisky is currently competing with veteran QB Mike Glennon, who received a three-year, $45 million contract this offseason. It’s important to note, though, Glennon hasn’t taken a starting snap since 2014. Needless to say, there are problems under center in Chicago.
If the Bears defense emulated Chicago defenses of old, this game might resemble San Francisco’s Week 14 matchup against the Houston Texans — facing a great defense with a questionable offense.
Yet Chicago’s defense ranked 24th in the NFL last season with 399 points allowed, making this a very winnable game.