49ers vs. Bears: 4 best performances from San Francisco win

The 49ers needed their best players to play at their best in Week 8 against the Bears, which was plenty enough to deliver a much-needed win.

There are plenty of instances this season where it was fair to call out San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in what was turning into a landslide of disasters over the team’s previous four games entering Week 8 on the road against the Chicago Bears.

Questionable personnel decisions, inadequate preparation, the inability to get the offense into a rhythm or whatever, Shanahan bore a brunt of the frustrations ever since the Niners started off 2-0 this season.

Ultimately, however, players have to execute on the field. And before San Francisco’s 33-22 road win over Chicago, many a 49ers player was failing to deliver in this regard, too.

While there were still plenty of player gaffes and mistakes during the win, at least a sizable chunk of the Niners’ top playmakers made big enough plays in the win over the Bears.

Particularly these four, who stand out as the team’s best players from Week 8.

No. 4: 49ers Running Back Elijah Mitchell

Shanahan took a little while to get into a rhythm in Week 8, yes, but the offense finally started to click when he got back to the basics, utilizing the run game to ensure Chicago’s early lead wouldn’t hold.

This meant plenty of rookie running back Elijah Mitchell, who not only set a career-best in his young career with 137 rush yards on 18 carries but also managed an impressive 7.6 yards per attempt against a Bears defense that previously was allowing 4.4 yards per carry against.

Mitchell found the end zone, too, although he had to get a little help from his supporting cast, including quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo:

Mitchell continued his assertion as San Francisco’s top running back, even though it’s been at the expense of a player drafted earlier than him, fellow rusher Trey Sermon.

But it’s clear Mitchell can have success, not just with his speed but also when Shanahan dials up more outside runs to take advantage of the former Louisiana-Lafayette product’s elusiveness in the open field.

It worked to perfection in Chicago.