3 winners and 1 loser from the 49ers' blowout win over the Bears

The San Francisco 49ers finally looked like themselves in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears. They blew out Chicago 38-18 and received great performances all around.

Let's break down the winners and losers from this matchup.

Winner No. 1: Brock Purdy

After a shoulder injury kept him out of the Week 12 game against the Green Bay Packers, and he struggled in the snow in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills, the questions around quarterback Brock Purdy reared their ugly head yet again.

Is he actually a good quarterback? Is he the quarterback of the future for San Francisco? Can he win without his weapons?

Even if it was against a lesser opponent in Chicago, Purdy reminded us of what he can do when he is at his best. Purdy completed 20 of his 25 pass attempts for 325 yards and two touchdown passes. He looked like the Purdy we grew used to in 2023.

A performance like this is exactly what was needed, especially after discourse about his potential contract extension this offseason has heated up. The Iowa State product proved yet again that he is the quarterback of the future in San Francisco.

Winner No. 2: Jauan Jennings

Finally, the 49ers did not waste a stellar performance from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

Dating back to the Super Bowl loss earlier this year, it has seemed like every time Jennings goes off, the Niners waste it by losing the game. It happened in Week 2 this year against the Los Angeles Rams and in Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Thankfully, his 90 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns against Chicago were not wasted.

That brings his totals on the year to 774 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. Along with tight end George Kittle, who also went off with 151 receiving yards, he has proven that he is one of Purdy's favorite targets on offense.

Winner No. 3: Kyle Shanahan

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been under intense scrutiny moreso this season that he has at any point since the 2021 regular season. The more deranged fans calling for him to be fired were clearly far off base, but certainly there was pressure on Shanahan to show that the Niners would continue to fight even in as trying a season as 2024 has been.

The fact that San Francisco went out and delivered a resounding victory like this after the embarrassment of the past two weeks reflects well on him and shows he has not lost the team in any way, shape, or form.

Loser: Running back depth

How many running backs are the 49ers going to mow through this season?

Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason are both on injured reserve, and rookie Isaac Guerendo went down with a foot injury after having a great first start, rushing for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

It is not yet known the severity of the injury or whether Guerendo will be able to go on a short week against the Rams on Thursday night. Patrick Taylor did fill in nicely for the injured rookie, scoring a touchdown of his own.

But, with the way things are going, fullback Kyle Juszcyzk may have to suit up as the starting running back by the time Week 18 comes around.

Nonetheless, this was a great win for the Niners and helps keep morale afloat for both the team and the fanbase for the rest of the 2024 season.

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