Stock up, stock down: Thriller in San Francisco

Few games ever live up to the hype, but Sunday night’s meeting of the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers definitely did.

It didn’t finish the way Chicago wanted, but it was a thrilling game and showed a national audience that Caleb Williams has arrived.

And for the most jaded or skeptical Bears fans, it demonstrated this era is unlike any other era of Bears football we’ve seen. They have an offense that can score on anybody, a head coach that schemes, plans and adjusts unlike any prior, and the mentality and fight that won’t let them back down from any team.

Allowing 42 points is bad, though and leaves a lot of room for improvement. The Bears have allowed 42 or more points three times this season, the most in the NFL.

Heading into the postseason, it isn’t good enough.

Let’s run through who is playing well and who is not.

Stock up

Luther Burden III, WR – The rookie exploded for his second 100-yard game of the season and his second touchdown of the year. His 138 yards were the most by a Chicago rookie receiver since 1981 (10 for 140 by Ken Margerum). Burden is the playmaker he was expected to be when he was drafted.

Caleb Williams, QB – Two touchdown passes, leading the offense to 38 points, completing 59.5 percent of his passes for 330 yards. To hell with what Cris Collinsworth had to criticize Caleb about, Williams showed up on a national stage, again, and showed out. His deep ball accuracy was on point, he was good on the run and he even threw a touchdown on a free play when the 49ers jumped offsides. I used to think that could only happen against Chicago, not for them.

Austin Booker, DE – Booker was the Bears’ best defensive lineman on Sunday. He’s been playing really well down the stretch. Against San Francisco, he had a sack, two pass breakups, a QB hit and a TFL.

Stock down

Nashon Wright, CB – Wright has had a fantastic season and is dealing with an injury, but this game showcased his shortcomings. Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan were clearly targeting Wright and he had few answers in coverage. Wright has been a great story, but he isn’t a 16-game starter. A great backup, maybe.

Jaylon Johnson, CB – Johnson had the pass breakup on the first play of the game that directly led to T.J. Edwards’s pick-six. But outside of that, I thought his run support and tackling was bad. He was throwing shoulders at Christian McCaffrey and other 49er ball carriers when a wrap up would’ve helped slow them down.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, CB – Yes, I am going with three secondary players, but on a night when the Bears allowed 296 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, I think it’s deserved. Gardner-Johson had a penalty negate his own interception on third down. The 49ers scored to go up 28-21 two plays later.

Who is on your up and down lists this week? Sound off in the comments.