Golden Nuggets: Big Play Blaine

Blaine Gabbert's numbers in four starts with the 49ers have not been elite, but this is probably the most effective and poised he has played in his rocky career. By leading the team to victory over the mistake-prone Bears, he was able to level his 49ers starting record to .500 at 2 wins and 2 losses.

Now for some reason, the offense was only showing up on even quarters (2nd and 4th) in regulation time. But when it came winning time, it's like Gabbert flipped a switch and suddenly he became "Big-play Blaine", running 44 yards on a scramble TD in the 4th quarter, then making the Chicago secondary pay for not guarding Torrey Smith closely, hitting him on a 71 yard game-winning strike in sudden death OT.

Now this doesn't mean that Gabbert has suddenly become franchise material, but for at least 2 big plays in clutch situations, he was somehow able to channel his inner Rodgers or inner Brady. No one is anointing him as next year's starting QB either, but it's just very entertaining to see (who doesn't love a good underdog story?) that he is working, studying, and most of all, performing his way into the role. Now who could've possibly foreseen this prior to the start of this season? I don't recall anyone seriously doing so, but I'm definitely rooting for one Mr. Gabbert to continue defying the odds and perhaps competing his way back to NFL legitimacy.

Game Recaps

Gabbert dime to Smith in OT beats Bears (Maiocco)

Road thriller: 49ers beat Bears in overtime 26-20 (Inman)

49ers shock the Bears in overtime (PFT)

Blaine Gabbert Leads 49ers Past Bears 26-20 in OT (ABC)

Post-game Analysis

Gabbert's late-game TDs lead 49ers to first road win, mess up draft positioning (BASG)

Quick observations from 49ers' 26-20 win at Chicago (Purdy)

49ers' patience rewarded (Purdy)

49ers' defense answers call in victory over Bears (Maiocco)

Anatomy of the 49ers' game-winning call (Inman)

49ers prevail through peaks and valleys for OT win (Inman)

Tough day for 49ers, Bears kickers at Soldier Field (Inman)

What We Learned from 49ers vs. Bears (Emerick)

Blaine Gabbert's 71-yard TD pass lifts 49ers to OT win (NFL)

San Francisco Grades, Notes and Quotes (B/R)

Spotlights

Gabbert, 49ers enjoy comeback victory over Bears (Maiocco)

McDonald, Lynch diagnosed with concussions (Maiocco)

Blaine Gabbert Delivers in Clutch to Lift 49ers over Bears (49ers)

Jim Tomsula Reacts to 49ers First Road Win of 2015 (49ers)

49ers WR Anquan Boldin Reaches 13,000 Career Receiving Yards (49ers)

Torrey Smith Breaks Down Game-winning, 71-yard Touchdown Catch (49ers)

NaVorro Bowman Proud of 49ers Effort in Road Win Against Bears (49ers)

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