Why didn’t John Fox just let the 49ers score?

The Bears considering letting the 49ers score a touchdown once they converted third-and-2 to get to the Bears’ 7 with 1:34 to play Sunday.

Instead, up two, the Bears used their final timeout to stop the clock after Carlos Hyde’s four-yard run got the 49ers to the 3. The 49ers ran once, took a knee and kicked the game-winner.

Had the Bears simply let Hyde score on his first-down run, the Bears would have gotten the ball back with about a minute-and-a-half left, down either four or six — depending on if the 49ers had made their two-point conversion.

“We talked about it, but it would have had to be done at 1:36 or 1:40, whatever it was,” coach John Fox said. “We felt good about the block we had on the potential field goal. Neither one of those are great options at the 5 and 4 yard lines.”