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  • Bears cornerback Tracy Porter  goes down while trying to tackle...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears cornerback Tracy Porter  goes down while trying to tackle San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the first quarter.

  • The Bears defense takes down San Francisco 49ers running back...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    The Bears defense takes down San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde during the first half.

  • Bears running back Jordan Howard  gains yardage against the San...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears running back Jordan Howard  gains yardage against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter.

  • Carson Koclanis, 11, has a drink as he tailgates with...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Carson Koclanis, 11, has a drink as he tailgates with friends and family before the game.

  • Bears wide receiver Deonte Thompson, left, and  quarterback Matt Barkley...

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    Bears wide receiver Deonte Thompson, left, and  quarterback Matt Barkley speak  before the start of their game against the San Francisco 49ers.

  • Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy bundles up during warmups.

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    Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy bundles up during warmups.

  • Akiem Hicks pumps his fist after he sacked 49ers quarterback...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Akiem Hicks pumps his fist after he sacked 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the third quarter.

  • A sign at Soldier Field razzes San Francisco quarterback Colin...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    A sign at Soldier Field razzes San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

  • Bears outside linebacker Willie Young, left, celebrates after sacking San...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears outside linebacker Willie Young, left, celebrates after sacking San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the first quarter.

  • Josh Bellamy makes a catch in front of 49ers cornerback...

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    Josh Bellamy makes a catch in front of 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward during the third quarter.

  • Bears quarterback David Fales before the start of the game.

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    Bears quarterback David Fales before the start of the game.

  • Matthew Polenzani sings the national anthem before the start of...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Matthew Polenzani sings the national anthem before the start of the game.

  • Jordan Howard gets a hug from Daniel Brown after scoring...

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    Jordan Howard gets a hug from Daniel Brown after scoring one of his touchdowns against the 49ers during the third quarter.

  • Bears quarterback Matt Barkley  warms up before the start of...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears quarterback Matt Barkley  warms up before the start of the game.

  • 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is pressured by Leonard Floyd, left,...

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    49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is pressured by Leonard Floyd, left, before he is asked by Akiem Hicks, right, during the third quarter.

  • A pass interference call is made as  Bears tight end...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    A pass interference call is made as  Bears tight end Daniel Brown  misses a throw and is taken down by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock  during the first half.

  • Jordan Howard scores a touchdown against the 49ers during the...

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    Jordan Howard scores a touchdown against the 49ers during the third quarter.

  • Laura Gottlieb stands around a fire with friends and family...

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    Laura Gottlieb stands around a fire with friends and family as they tailgate.

  • Bears quarterback Matt Barkley warms up  before the start of...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears quarterback Matt Barkley warms up  before the start of the game.

  • Fans display a sign during the second quarter.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Fans display a sign during the second quarter.

  • Bears inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski  takes down San Francisco 49ers...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Bears inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski  takes down San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde  during the first half.

  • 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert throws a pass during the second...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert throws a pass during the second half.

  • John Fox after the game against the 49ers.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    John Fox after the game against the 49ers.

  • San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick  stretches before the start...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick  stretches before the start of the game.

  • Sherrick McManis celebrates after his teammates sacked 49ers quarterback Blaine...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Sherrick McManis celebrates after his teammates sacked 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert for a safety during the fourth quarter.

  • Left to right, Daniel Brown, Matt Barkley, Jordan Howard and...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Left to right, Daniel Brown, Matt Barkley, Jordan Howard and Charles Leno celebrate after the touchdown by Howard against the 49ers during the third quarter.

  • Bears wide receiver Marquess Wilson, warms up before the start...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears wide receiver Marquess Wilson, warms up before the start of the game.

  • Bears players gather in a circle before the start of...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears players gather in a circle before the start of the game.

  • Snow falls on fans as they arrive at Soldier Field.

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Snow falls on fans as they arrive at Soldier Field.

  • Dylan Piccioni, 7, plays with a football as he tailgates...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Dylan Piccioni, 7, plays with a football as he tailgates with friends and family.

  • Bears wide receiver Eddie Royal warms up before the start...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears wide receiver Eddie Royal warms up before the start of the game.

  • Bears offensive guard Eric Kush before the start of the...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears offensive guard Eric Kush before the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers.

  • Bears tight end Logan Paulsen  grabs  running back Jordan Howard...

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    Bears tight end Logan Paulsen  grabs  running back Jordan Howard  after Howard  scored a touchdown during the first half.

  • Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith  catches a pass in front...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith  catches a pass in front of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward  during the second quarter.

  • Fans watch the teams warm up.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Fans watch the teams warm up.

  • Jordan Howard dives for a few yards in front of...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Jordan Howard dives for a few yards in front of 49ers defensive end DeForest Buckner during the fourth quarter.

  • Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee and  inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee and  inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski  take down San Francisco 49ers running back Shaun Draughn during the first half.

  • Bears outside linebacker Willie Young  sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears outside linebacker Willie Young  sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the first quarter.

  • San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, left, and Bears quarterback...

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    San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, left, and Bears quarterback Matt Barkley speak  before the start of their teams' game at Soldier Field.

  • Jordan Howard celebrates with Deonte Thompson after his touchdown against...

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    Jordan Howard celebrates with Deonte Thompson after his touchdown against the 49ers during the third quarter.

  • Deonte Thompson after catching a pass and hitting the ground...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Deonte Thompson after catching a pass and hitting the ground during the second half.

  • Snow falls on fans as they tailgate before the game.

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Snow falls on fans as they tailgate before the game.

  • Bears quarterback Matt Barkley before the start of the game.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears quarterback Matt Barkley before the start of the game.

  • Snowflakes catch on the eyelashes of Danielle Cary as she...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Snowflakes catch on the eyelashes of Danielle Cary as she tailgates with friends and family before the game.

  • Jordan Howard celebrates with Deonte Thompson and Matt Barkley after...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Jordan Howard celebrates with Deonte Thompson and Matt Barkley after his touchdown against the 49ers during the third quarter.

  • Bears tight end Daniel Brown  is covered with orange paint...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Bears tight end Daniel Brown  is covered with orange paint after falling in the end zone during the first half.

  • Brandon Koclanis, 10, throws a football as he tailgates with...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Brandon Koclanis, 10, throws a football as he tailgates with friends and family before the game.

  • Daniel Brown gains a few yards against the 49ers during...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Daniel Brown gains a few yards against the 49ers during the third quarter.

  • Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee  takes the field before  the...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee  takes the field before  the start of the game.

  • Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd  chases down San Francisco 49ers...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd  chases down San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick  during the first half.

  • Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks, left,  with strong safety Harold...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks, left,  with strong safety Harold Jones-Quartey  after stopping the San Francisco 49ers on third down during the first quarter.

  • Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks  takes down San Francisco 49ers...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks  takes down San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde  during the first quarter.

  • Dave Gray sports a bear suit as he tailgates with...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Dave Gray sports a bear suit as he tailgates with friends and family.

  • Leonard Floyd celebrates with Tracy Porter after the sack of...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Leonard Floyd celebrates with Tracy Porter after the sack of 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert earned them a safety during the fourth quarter.

  • Jordan Howard runs while being chased by 49ers inside linebacker...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Jordan Howard runs while being chased by 49ers inside linebacker Gerald Hodges and cornerback Jimmie Ward during the third quarter.

  • San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick  hands off the ball...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick  hands off the ball to running back Carlos Hyde  during the first half.

  • Bears tight end Ben Braunecker celebrates the touchdown by running...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears tight end Ben Braunecker celebrates the touchdown by running back Jordan Howard during the second quarter.

  • Bears fans display the flag in the north end zone.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears fans display the flag in the north end zone.

  • Bears wide receiver Deonte Thompson warms up  before the start...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears wide receiver Deonte Thompson warms up  before the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers.

  • Bears running back Jordan Howard  scores a touchdown during the...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Bears running back Jordan Howard  scores a touchdown during the first half.

  • Bears quarterback Matt Barkley  before the start of the game.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears quarterback Matt Barkley  before the start of the game.

  • 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert gets up after being tackled in...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert gets up after being tackled in his own end zone for a safety during the second half.

  • San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Eli Harold, left, and quarterback...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Eli Harold, left, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneel during the national anthem before the start of the game.

  • Chicago Bears fans before the start of the game.

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Chicago Bears fans before the start of the game.

  • Jordan Howard gets pulled down during the second half.

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Jordan Howard gets pulled down during the second half.

  • Matt Barkley is sacked by 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Matt Barkley is sacked by 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks during the fourth quarter.

  • Bears cornerback Tracy Porter  walks off the field, after he...

    Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

    Bears cornerback Tracy Porter  walks off the field, after he tried to tackle San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the first quarter.

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PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:

Mercifully, the Our Fans Don’t Want Us to Win So We Can Get a Better Draft Pick Bowl is behind us. The Bears collected a 26-6 victory over San Francisco on Sunday, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Highlighted by rookie Jordan Howard’s three touchdown runs, the Bears offense looked as dangerous as it has all season. Although the Bears didn’t complete a pass until late in the second quarter, quarterback Matt Barkley lit up the 49ers when he had to for 192 passing yards.

“One thing about Howard is he’s always falling forward,” Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks said. “Even if he’s met at the line. You never see him get stuck and then driven back, and that’s an intangible for a running back that you can’t really quantify.”

The defense looked outstanding, too, punctuating a six-sack day with a safety by rookie Leonard Floyd.

The game also was entertaining in a weird way. Here are Sunday’s more unusual moments, ranked from least to most mind-boggling.

6. Wheeeee!

Sunday’s snow globe-like conditions at Soldier Field meant that whenever a receiver or running back hit the grass with any momentum, he slid at least 5 yards. Makes you feel like shutting off your TV, wrangling your friends and starting your own game.

Of course, it conjured other memories for Hicks, who had two sacks Sunday.

“It takes me back to Canada,” said Hicks, who played for the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada. “My last game in Canada before I left, it was negative-28 [degrees], so I’m no stranger to a little bit of snow. … That’s real football, know what I mean?”

5. Anything you can do, I can do worse

On the first play from scrimmage, Hicks was called for roughing the passer. Even if it was an iffy call—perhaps sealed when Hicks thrust his hands toward 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s helmet—it set an awkward tone. The Niners committed their own boneheaded play moments later when a 29-yard run was wiped out by a holding penalty. Not surprising, San Francisco eventually had to punt.

4. Tickets aplenty

What do you do if you’ve got free time and a little bit of money to burn on a picturesque December Sunday in Chicago? Not go to the Bears game, that’s for sure. There were more than 11,000 no-shows at last week’s home loss to Tennessee, but even more people stayed home this time around: 13,160 tickets went unused as attendance topped out at 46,622.

3. The two Josh Bellamys

You might recall that the Bears receiver dropped what would have been a game-winning touchdown pass against Tennessee last week. Credit where credit is due: He caught four balls for 93 yards Sunday, including several when a defender was all over him.

Which makes it hard to understand why he dropped two passes, one of which might have gone for a long touchdown, where there was no one around him. That said, he did get a vote of confidence from his coach.

“You take 20 of him,” John Fox said. “He has a huge heart. … I couldn’t be happier for him and how he responded. Those were some big plays he made today.

2. Far from special

To put it mildly, the Bears special teams had a rough day. Among their transgressions:

>> Bryce Callahan fielded a punt at the 5-yard line, a no-no for returners. Just let it hit the ground and hope it takes a fortunate hop into the end zone. End of story.

>> Three Bears surrounded a kickoff in the third quarter … and none of them could come up with it cleanly. Instead, Paul Lasike had to chase it down and scurry forward for a few yards.

>> The punt team incurred a delay of game penalty. That should never happen. Ever. The play is simple: Snap the ball, punt the ball.

>> The Bears had a punt blocked, leading to a San Francisco field goal.

>> Deonte Thompson had himself a 28-yard kickoff return in the second quarter … until he fumbled.

That’s five times when special teams did the Bears no favors. And they still won by 20 points. Weird.

1. And you thought Bears QBs were struggling

Through three quarters, San Francisco had minus-14 yards passing. Minus. Fourteen. Kaepernick had only one completion for a measly 4 yards, and he was replaced in the fourth quarter by backup Blaine Gabbert. He didn’t fare much better, going 4-of-10 for 35 yards.

“I was surprised [I was pulled],” Kaepernick said. “[But] it’s not my place to really argue on the sideline. I want to make sure I do what I can to help this team win, and that was the decision that was made. I’m going to support my teammates.”

@redeyesportschi | chsosa@redeyechicago.com