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The San Francisco 49ers could catch a break in their Monday night showdown with the Chicago Bears.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has not been cleared to return to practice following a concussion he suffered in the team's 13-6 loss to the Houston Texans last Sunday, according to a report from John "Moon" Mullin of CSNChicago.com. It is likely the seven-year veteran signal caller will be listed as "out" if he is not cleared to take part in Bears practice on Thursday. Jason Campbell will start at quarterback for Chicago if Cutler is unable to play.
San Francisco is dealing with a concussed quarterback of its own. Alex Smith was knocked out of last Sunday's 24-24 tie with the St. Louis Rams, but was cleared for non-contact work in the team's practice on Wednesday. He is expected to be listed as "probable" for Monday night's game after he passes the rest of the league's concussion protocol.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT at Candlestick Park on Monday night. The game will be televised on ESPN.