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Are the 49ers back? After a torturous three-game stretch that included losses to two playoff contenders and a blown lead over division leader Seattle, the 49ers regrouped and inflicted serious injury on the hapless Bears, defeating Chicago 38-13 .

That is a reason for relief in San Francisco, where the increasing frequency of injuries and the clearly uncontrolled style of play have characterized the season. But tonight the Niners took advantage of just about every opportunity that came their way, scoring five touchdowns on six red zone trips. Even the field goal they had to settle for came after QB Brock Purdy made a 5-yard TD run, but it was overturned due to a ticky-tack holding penalty. If you’re looking for touchdown highlights, you’re spoiled for choice, but I’ll mention this grab from Jauan Jennings that gave the Niners a three-point lead:

Jennings, who had 7 catches on 8 targets for 90 yards and two touchdowns, gave San Francisco the kind of swagger they had been missing for much of this year. After weeks of offensive toil, San Francisco returned with great success, surpassing its previous records for points (38 to 36) and touchdowns (5 to 4). Purdy was the driving force behind this slugfest, as he racked up 325 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 145.4, his highest season average. Almost half of those yards went to George Kittle, who reached historic territory with 151 yards.

If nothing else, such a display of dominance helps the 49ers look better toward the future with Purdy, whose poor performance this year despite serious injury issues likely won’t prevent him from getting a $50 million contract next year. While some storylines will remain in place next year – Deebo’s ineffectiveness, McCaffrey’s injuries, Pearsall’s lack of impact – it’s reassuring to know that when Purdy is in rhythm and controlling the game, he’s as deadly as any signal-caller in the NFL.

However, the future looks brighter than the present, where the Niners remain in last place in the NFC West and have little chance of making the playoffs. Even if the 49ers could repeat that performance four more times before the end of the year, they would still have to make up two games against the Seahawks and one against the Rams, both of whom have tied the season series and hold superior division records. That means San Francisco has everything to lose in Thursday’s game against the Rams, who just beat the same Buffalo team that reduced the Niners to a pile of melted cinders and broken ankles. If the Niners can’t translate this impressive performance to TNF, there’s a strong chance their season is officially and mathematically over.

In that sense, today’s loss brings the 49ers’ season into focus; If they can do what they had to do and beat the Rams in Week 3, they have a slim – but difficult – chance of making something of this torturous year. If not, they can stay home a little longer this Christmas and worry about the draft next year. A convincing win this year after such a brutal stretch might be too little, too late, but the Niners at least have a chance to make the next few weeks count.