Robbie Gould’s FG in final seconds lifts 49ers past Bears
CHICAGO — Robbie Gould kicked a 24-yard field goal in the closing seconds, Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 293 yards in his first San Francisco start, and the 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 15-14 on Sunday.
Gould made five field goals in his first appearance at Soldier Field since Chicago cut him prior to the 2016 opener. The Bears’ all-time leader in points and field goals made, he shouted at their sideline after he nailed the winner.
Garoppolo was solid in his first start since the 49ers (2-10) acquired him from New England before the trade deadline in October. The suburban Chicago product completed 26 of 37 passes with an interception. And the 49ers picked up the win after losing their first five road games.
Chicago (3-9) dropped its fifth straight, and coach John Fox fell to 12-32 in three seasons with the Bears.
Mitchell Trubisky was 12 of 15 for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Tarik Cohen returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown. That made him the first NFL rookie with rushing, receiving, passing and punt return TDs in a season since Gale Sayers in 1965
The 49ers were trailing 14-12 when Garoppolo connected with Trent Taylor on third down for a 33-yard pass to the Chicago 18 with two minutes left. Kyle Juszczyk kept the drive going with a 3-yard run on third-and-2 at the 10.
Garoppolo threw for 172 yards in the first half. But the 49ers committed six penalties and headed to the locker room trailing 14-9.
The Bears grabbed a 7-3 lead in the closing seconds of the first quarter when Trubisky hit Dontrelle Inman in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown. Kyle Fuller set that up when he ripped the ball out of Louis Murphy’s hands for an interception at the Chicago 41.
Cohen made it 14-6 in the second quarter with his big punt return, racing to the end zone after he initially ran about 15 yards in the wrong direction.
INJURIES
49ers: Starting RT Trent Brown (shoulder) was active after being listed as questionable. S Adrian Colbert also was available after missing last week’s 24-13 loss to Seattle following thumb surgery.
Bears: LB Pernell McPhee suffered a shoulder injury on the game’s opening drive. ... DE Mitch Unrein (knee) was hurt in the second quarter. ... RG Kyle Long (shoulder) sat out the second half. ... LG Josh Sitton was active after being listed as questionable because of a concussion. ... S Adrian Amos (hamstring) and his backup Deon Bush (ankle) were inactive.
UP NEXT
49ers: Visit Houston on Dec. 10.
Bears: Visit Cincinnati on Dec. 10.