6:02 PM - Welcome to my live blog from Candlestick Park in San Francisco! From now until the end of tonight's game between the Bears and 49ers, I'll bring you all the latest developments while also providing a behind-the-scenes look at what's transpiring both on and off the field. Knowing that not all of you out there will be able to watch tonight's game--NFL Network may be harder to find on some cable systems than a Mensa booth at a Packers fan convention--I will try to keep you abreast of the latest news with riveting detail and high entertainment value.

6:11 PM - I rode down the elevator at the hotel today with agent Drew Rosenhaus. On the way to the stadium, our team buses were escorted by policemen on motorcycles. I couldn't help but think of the old "CHIPS" television show with Ponch and John. If you have no idea what or who I'm talking about, you're probably at least 15 years younger than me!

6:14 PM - The inactives for tonight's game are in. Safeties Al Afalava (shoulder) and Kevin Payne (back), and running back Garrett Wolfe (back) will sit out with injuries. Other Bears inactives are receiver Juaquin Iglesias, guard Lance Louis, and defensive tackles Matt Toeaina and Jarron Gilbert. Also on the inactive list is linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who is out for the season following knee surgery. Josh Bullocks will start at strong safety in place of Afalava, while rookie cornerback D.J. Moore will suit up for the first time this season.

6:59 PM - I just returned from the field. It's pretty chilly down there with a fairly strong cross wind blowing from the Bears sideline to the 49ers sideline. But what would you expect? I remember watching baseball games on TV from Candlestick Park in the middle of the summer and seeing fans all bundled up in warm jackets and blankets.

7:03 PM - As the Bears and 49ers headed to their respective locker rooms following pre-game warm-ups, Anthony Adams hugged several of his former San Francisco teammates. But not everything was cordial. Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye and 49ers tight end Vernon Davis were yapping at each other as they left the field. Davis was quoted this week as saying that the 49ers would "destroy [the Bears'] front." The irony is that Davis said Ogunleye was the only Bears player "I like on their defensive line. I think he's doing a good job." That should be a fun battle to watch tonight.

7:19 PM - The Bears called tails and lost the coin toss. But the 49ers deferred until the second half, meaning that the Bears will receive the opening kickoff.

7:27 PM - The Bears went three-and-out on their opening possession, passing on all three plays. They opened with two tight ends and no fullback, with Greg Olsen splitting out like a receiver. After completing a 2-yard pass on first down, Jay Cutler looked for Olsen on second down. But Olsen was covered. Under pressure from linebacker Manny Lawson, Cutler threw high and incomplete to Desmond Clark. Cutler dumped off a 2-yard pass to Forte on third down after right tackle Chris Williams got steamrolled by a 49ers defender.

7:35 PM - It looks like Vernon Davis wins Round 1. The 49ers tight end caught a 6-yard pass, and ran over linebacker (and injuring) Nick Roach in the process. Bears trainers and doctors attended to Roach for a few minutes before he jogged off the field. He's been replaced by Jamar Williams.

7:41 PM - Hey, look ... it's a third-down stop by the Bears defense! Tommie Harris sacked Alex Smith after the 49ers quarterback slipped through Adewale Ogunleye's hands on third-and-seven. Joe Nedney followed by hooking a 39-yard field goal attempt wide right with 7:49 left in the first quarter. The Bears take over at their own 29.

7:44 PM - The Bears offense went three-and-out for the second straight time. Matt Forte mustered just one yard on two rushes before Jay Cutler unloaded under pressure from a blitz to Greg Olsen, who was tackled after a 5-yard gain.

7:45 PM - Nick Roach is back in the game on San Francisco's second possession, It appears that he has recovered from getting kicked in a place that may cause his voice to rise a few octives.

7:50 PM - The Bears defense forced a three-and-out on San Francisco's second possession as Charles Tillman tackled receiver Jason Hill about a foot short of the first-down marker on a 5-yard catch.

7:58 PM - The Bears are on the move as the first quarter ends. Greg Olsen has caught three passes for 43 yards on this possession, including gains of 20 and 7 yards on the final two plays of the period, resulting in second-and-three at the San Francisco 33. Matt Forte made a nice block on blitzing linebacker Patrick Willis early on the possession, allowing Cutler to complete a 16-yard pass to Olsen.

8:07 PM - More red zone problems for the Bears ... On third-and-goal from the 1, Jay Cutler faked a handoff and threw a pass right into the chest of nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, who returned the interception 10 yards to the 11. To say it was a horrendous decision by Cutler would be a gross understatement. If Franklin didn't pick off the pass, there were two 49ers right behind him that could have. All I can say is "Wow."

8:09 PM - Bears tight end Desmond Clark has aggravated a neck injury and his return to the game is questionable.

8:16 PM - The 49ers had marched 35 yards to their own 46-yard line when cornerback Zackary Bowman outleaped Michael Crabtree and intercepted an Alex Smith pass at the Chicago 19. It was Bowman's team-leading third interception this season and his second in five days.

8:26 PM - The 49ers took a 7-0 lead on Frank Gore's 14-yard touchdown run up the middle with 2:03 left in the first half. The TD came one play after cornerback Tarell Brown intercepted a Jay Cutler pass and returned it 51 yards to the Chicago 14. Cutler's second pick really wasn't his fault as intended receiver Devin Hester slipped to the ground as the ball arrived. Earlier on the possession, Hester was penalized on back-to-back plays for a false start and holding.

8:28 PM - The Bears take over at their own 17-yard line ... During a TV timeout, quarterback Jay Cutler and cornerback Dre' Bly exchanged unpleasantries.

8:29 PM - Niners linebacker Takeo Spikes has exited the game with a hamstring injury and will not return.

8:42 PM - Robbie Gould's 50-yard field goal drew the Bears to within 7-3 with :02 left in the half. Gould's kick came after the Bears drew a delay of game penalty as Gould lined up and drilled a 45-yarder.

9:00 PM - The Bears defense opened the second half with a three-and-out, and after a poor punt and a 15-yard penalty against the 49ers for illegal roughness, the Bears take over at the San Francisco 49.

9:01 PM - Cornerback Zackary Bowman is out of the game with an abdominal injury. He has been replaced by Corey Graham. Tight end Desmond Clark also will not return after aggravating a neck injury earlier in the game.

9:06 PM - Jay Cutler threw his third interception of the game on the Bears' first possession of the second half. On third-and-four, Cutler stepped up in the pocket and tried to dump the ball off short to Devin Hester. Cutler expected Hester to keep moving from left to right, while Hester stopped. Safety Dashon Goldson picked off the ball.

9:11 PM - Another huge mistake by the Bears ... Israel Idonije hits quarterback Alex Smith, and his pass flutters into the air and is intercepted by Lance Briggs. But the takeaway is nullified by an offside penalty against Adewale Ogunleye. The Bears do get the ball back, however, as Ogunleye and Briggs team up to stop Smith for no gain on a fourth-and-one sneak at the Chicago 46.

9:18 PM - Matt Forte's 31-yard gain on a screen pass set up Robbie Gould's 38-yard field goal, drawing the Bears to within 7-6 with 7:27 left in the third quarter. On three pass plays on the drive, Cutler threw a screen and two short passes along the line of scrimmage to Devin Hester and Earl Bennett. Are the Bears afraid to have Cutler throw the ball down the field? Just asking.

9:36 PM - Brad Maynard deadened a 33-yard punt at the San Francisco 6 after Jay Cutler bounced a pass over the middle to a wide open Johnny Knox on third-and-eight.

9:40 PM - The Bears are taking over at the 50-yard line early in the fourth quarter, They've started their second-half drives at the San Francisco 49, the Chicago 46, the Chicago 31 and now the 50.

9:45 PM - Jay Cutler threw his fourth interception of the game as safety Mark Roman shouldered tight end Kellen Davis away from the ball. Cutler was irate as he walked off the field, complaining that there was no pass interference penalty called.

9:47 PM - Jay Cutler is the first Bears quarterback to have two four-interception games in the same season since Bill Wade in 1962.

9:49 PM - The Bears defense forced the 49ers to settle for Joe Nedney's 21-yard field goal after San Francisco had first-and-goal at the 6. The 49ers now lead 10-6 with 10:11 left in the fourth quarter. But it could have been worse. Let's see if the Bears offense can awake from its horrible slumber and score a touchdown. Is one touchdown a game too much to ask?

9:55 PM - Left tackle Orlando Pace had the wind knocked out of him and has been replaced by Kevin Shaffer. Pace's return is questionable.

10:03 PM - I could be wrong, but you get the feeling the Bears could play all night and tomorrow as well and still not score an offensive touchdown. It's too bad, too, because the defense has played well for the most part.

10:08 PM - The Bears made a big stop. They'll start a crucial drive at their own 20 with 2:47 remaining in the game, down by four points.

10:10 PM - The 49ers are getting good pressure on Jay Cutler. Two incomplete passes will make it third-and-10.

10:12 PM - Jay Cutler threw incomplete on third-and-10, and the 49ers declined an illegal formation penalty to bring up fourth down. The Bears only have one timeout left, so they have no choice but to leave their offense on the field.

10:13 PM - The Bears were saved, at least temporarily, by an illegal contact penalty on fourth-and-10. It would have been a turnover on downs, but Dre' Bly was flagged, giving the Bears new life.

10:17 PM - Wow, flags are raining. Let me see if I can recap. Roberto Garza was flagged for holding on first down, creating a first-and-17 at the Bears' 18. On the next play, Cutler flipped it to Forte for a 12-yard gain. But after the play, Chris Williams was called for unnecessary roughness, which will move the ball back to the 15. We're at the two-minute warning now, and the Bears have a long way to go.

10:18 PM - On third-and-10, Cutler hit Matt Forte for 20 yards over the middle for a first down to the Chicago 45. Big play.

10:20 PM - Jay Cutler is coming to life. He just hit Devin Hester on a slant for 10 yards and another first down at the 49ers' 39. Cutler followed by spiking the ball to kill the clock with :52 remaining.

10:20 PM - Two more completed slants and a spike and the Bears have the ball at the 49ers' 22 with :17 to play and one timeout remaining.

10:21 PM - Jay Cutler hit Devin Aromashodu on a perfect pass to the right sideline at the 12. Aromashodu dragged his second foot just inside the sideline. The clock is down to 13 seconds.

10:25 PM - Bears lose. Jay Cutler threw his fifth interception on the game's final play. His pass intended for tight end Greg Olsen was picked off in the end zone by safety Michael Lewis. What a fitting way for the game to end.

10:33 PM - Hope you enjoyed the blog, even if you didn't enjoy the outcome. Stay with ChicagoBears.com for complete post-game coverage.