San Francisco 49ers vs Chicago Bears Picks and Predictions December 28th 2025

San Francisco 49ers vs Chicago Bears Betting Preview

Two of the NFC’s best meet Sunday night with seeding implications in play. Both teams enter at 11-4, with Chicago holding the No. 2 seed and the 49ers sitting at No. 5 despite winning five straight. San Francisco clinched a playoff berth last weekend and now aims to position itself for a run at the NFC’s top seed, which would secure home-field advantage through the postseason and potentially the Super Bowl in their own stadium.

Chicago arrives after a 22-16 overtime win against Green Bay, locking up a playoff berth and maintaining control of the NFC North race. Caleb Williams has driven their surge with 10 touchdown passes across five games, including a game-winning strike to DJ Moore last week. Head coach Ben Johnson outlined a clear progression: clinch 11 wins, secure the division and then pursue the conference’s top seed, currently held by Seattle.

San Francisco counters with Brock Purdy, who threw a career-high five touchdowns in last week’s 48-27 win over Indianapolis. The performance placed him alongside Steve Young in franchise history and continued an offensive stretch defined by precision and balance. George Kittle’s availability remains uncertain after an ankle sprain, though Kyle Shanahan hasn’t ruled him out.

Chicago continues to win through resilience, explosive offense and situational poise. San Francisco enters with momentum, a top-tier scoring profile and home-field control. Both teams remain in realistic contention for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

See additional Week 17 breakdowns inside the NFL previews section.

Line Movement and Odds

Projected Market Consensus

San Francisco opened -4 and has moved to -5 with action backing their home-field edge and recent form. Chicago is +5 with value tied to their late-game execution and turnover discipline.

The total opened 47.5 and has stayed stable. Both offenses trend toward explosive scoring stretches, but each defense can generate situational stops.

Monitor updated movement via the NFL odds board.

Matchup Breakdown

Chicago’s offensive rhythm flows through Williams’ efficiency and their ability to create chunk plays in key moments. DJ Moore and the run-game tandem provide structure, while the defense leans on pressure timing and back-end discipline. Chicago’s challenge lies in minimizing long-yardage situations and sustaining drives against San Francisco’s front.

The 49ers lean on a balanced attack powered by Christian McCaffrey, Purdy’s accuracy and formation versatility. Their defense thrives on leverage control and efficient tackling. If Kittle returns, San Francisco’s third-down sequencing improves further. Maintaining protection against Chicago’s pressure and controlling possession through McCaffrey remain the keys.

See expanded projections inside the NFL picks section.

Key Information

Sport: NFL
Matchup: Chicago Bears vs San Francisco 49ers
Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Date: Sunday, December 28, 2025
Time: 8:20 PM ET
Broadcast: NBC

Betting Odds (Projected Consensus)

49ers Moneyline: -225
Bears Moneyline: +185
49ers Spread: -5 (-110)
Bears Spread: +5 (-110)
Total: 47.5 (O/U -110)

The Bears Can Win If…

Chicago sustains offensive rhythm and protects Williams from pressure. San Francisco recorded seven sacks against the Bears last season, and avoiding negative plays is essential. Williams must win with timing throws and play-extension when needed. Maintaining turnover discipline and leveraging explosive plays on scripted drives provide their clearest path. Defensively, Chicago must generate early down disruption and reduce McCaffrey’s yards after contact.

Bears Injury Report (Projected)

Rome Odunze, foot, out
T.J. Edwards, glute, questionable
D’Marco Jackson, illness, questionable
Nick McCloud, illness, questionable
Devin Duvernay, illness, questionable

Full updates available on the Bears team page.

The 49ers Can Win If…

San Francisco protects Purdy and maintains balance between early down rushing efficiency and explosive pass concepts. McCaffrey’s versatility forces mismatches that create spacing for Purdy’s quick processing. Defensively, the 49ers must control Williams’ mobility and prevent Chicago from dictating late-game tempo. If San Francisco wins the line of scrimmage and generates red-zone efficiency, they control the matchup.

49ers Injury Report (Projected)

George Kittle, ankle, questionable
Yetur Gross-Matos, knee, out
Ricky Pearsall, knee/ankle, questionable
Depth and rotation players, limited

Latest Betting Trends (Modeled)

Bears SU last 13 games: 11-2
Bears ATS last 6 road games: 4-2
49ers SU last 5 games: 5-0
49ers ATS last 5 games: 4-1
Bears O/U last 6 games: 3-3
49ers O/U last 7 home games: 5-2

Evaluate deeper matchup trends in the Expert Betting Guide.

Best Bets and Prediction

Both teams enter with elite form, but San Francisco’s balance and home-field advantage provide the edge. Chicago can trade scores early, but pass protection and late-game structure tilt toward the 49ers.

Projected Score: 49ers 27, Bears 23
Best Bet: Bears +5
Secondary Lean: Over 47.5

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