The San Francisco 49ers lost 24-13 to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12, and it was a game that really was all over the place. The game was scoreless in the first quarter, and early in the second half, the 49ers looked like they might make this a game. Instead, things went south, and they found themselves down 24-6 with under two minutes left in the game.
And then, C.J. Beathard got hurt. Beathard took a hit below the knee, and limped off the field. Jimmy Garoppolo replaced him and completed two passes, including a touchdown. It was a wild finish to an otherwise pedestrian game, and renews questions of when Garoppolo will take over as starting quarterback.
Which brings us to Week 13. The 49ers travel east to face the Chicago Bears, offering a significant opportunity for win No. 2. The Bears currently sit at between four- and 4.5-point favorites for this game, according to Odds Shark. The line opened at anywhere between 4.5 and 5.5 points, and has come down slightly at all the sportsbooks. The Westgate opened at 5.5 points and dropped to 4.5 points. Additionally, Sportbet and 5Dimes opened at five points and have dropped to four points.
The Bears entered Week 12 coming off three straight losses, but they all had been single digit deficits. The defense was looking particularly strong. However, that all came to a screeching halt in Week 12. The Philadelphia Eagles got off to a slow start in the first quarter, but turned things on in the second quarter and cruised to a 31-3 victory.
The Eagles are a really good team, so I am not taking too much from the Bears getting thumped in Philadelphia. I thought Chicago could cover the double digit spread, but the Eagles did not fall for the trap game. But it is on bettors minds, and the 49ers quarterback switch could make this line even more interesting.
Kyle Shanahan will meet with the media at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, and then again on Wednesday. He should know the status of Beathard’s leg on Monday after an MRI. He’ll likely have an update on that today, and my guess is he announces a starter on Wednesday.