Sunday Night Football Week 2: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Bears vs. 49ers

After starting the new season with a victory, the San Francisco 49ers will begin life in the brand-new Levi's Stadium in a prime-time showdown with the Chicago Bears. In addition to the pomp of opening a new home, this is a huge early-season matchup between two teams with lofty expectations in the NFC. 

The Bears are staring an 0-2 hole in the face traveling to the west coast for San Francisco's home opener. They missed a golden opportunity to get off to a fast start against an inferior Buffalo team in Week 1, turning the ball over three times, including two Jay Cutler interceptions. 

Speaking of turnovers, the 49ers forced four of them, including three Tony Romo interceptions, against Dallas to get off to a good start and quiet any doubts about the preseason. Despite the win, no one still knows what to make of Jim Harbaugh's team, because the assumption is Romo handed them the victory on a silver platter. 

There are so many intriguing storylines and directions this game can take that it's no wonder the NFL wanted to make it the Sunday night game. We've got all the information you need to know about where to watch the game, injuries and everything in between. 

When: Sunday, September 14 

Where: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California

Start Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBCSports.com

Spread: 49ers (-7.5); Over/Under: 48.5

Odds via Oddsshark.com

Bears	Status	49ers	Status
C Roberto Garza (Ankle)	Out	CB Tramaine Brock (Toe)	Questionable
WR Brandon Marshall (Ankle)	Questionable	T Anthony Davis (Hamstring)	Doubtful
WR Alshon Jeffery (Hamstring)	Questionable	C Marcus Martin (Knee)	Out
WR Josh Morgan (Groin)	Doubtful	CB Chris Culliver (Concussion, Stinger)	Questionable
G Matthew Slauson (Ankle)	Out	-	-

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

This game is fascinating because of what both teams could be without at kickoff. The Bears have already lost two offensive linemen, with Roberto Garza and Matthew Slauson already being ruled out. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are also dinged up and don't seem likely to be 100 percent. 

The 49ers will likely have to play without Anthony Davis for the second straight week, though Jonathan Martin did a solid job filling in last week. It's the secondary that's a real concern for Harbaugh. Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver both sustained injuries against Dallas, leaving their already-thin secondary in a lurch. 

Perrish Cox and Dontae Johnson did an admirable job filling in. Dez Bryant was held to 55 yards on four catches and Jason Witten had two catches for 14 yards, but will they hold up against Marshall and Jeffery if both receivers play?

Of course, the key to the Bears offense is Jay Cutler not turning the ball over. He had two bad interceptions in Week 1, prompting David Fleming of ESPN.com to write a scathing critique of Chicago's quarterback:

"

Cutler has a nearly flawless, smooth and compact throwing motion and a crazy once-in-a-lifetime canon of an arm. It is so remarkable, in fact, that with it Cutler has managed to seduce even the wise and hardened fan base of Chicago for more than six years. But we all know playing quarterback in the NFL is about so much more than passing the ball and then screaming at your subordinates when things go poorly.

Which means, given his track record of leadership, the only franchise Cutler should be running is a Denny's.

"

Last year, with Marshall and Jeffery on the outside, as well as Matt Forte in the backfield, Cutler looked like a different quarterback. The interceptions were still high with 12 in 11 games, but he had 19 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 63.1, his highest since 2007. 

But when Josh McCown comes in after Cutler gets hurt to throw nine touchdowns and one interception during a four-game stretch in November and December, you can be forgiven if you assumed Cutler was just benefiting from a league where defenders can't touch anyone and better weapons to play with. 

Cutler will also be staring down Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Ahmad Brooks with two offensive linemen out. That's not a good combination for a player who has always been skittish on the field. 

LM Otero/Associated Press

The 49ers didn't quell all the doubts about their offense or defense in Week 1. They did score 28 points, 21 in the first 10.5 minutes, and all of them on a short field or on defense thanks to Dallas turnovers. It's not fair to say that what they did last week by winning a game told us nothing, but it was the kind of win that didn't directly answer the questions we had. 

There were bright spots, to be sure. Rookie running back Carlos Hyde looked fantastic spelling Frank Gore, racking up 50 yards and one touchdown on seven carries.

Colin Kaepernick threw the ball well, completing 16 of his 23 attempts for 201 yards and two touchdowns. His best pass came eluding Dallas' pass-rush, then flicking the ball to Vernon Davis in the end zone for a touchdown, prompting this tweet from Kevin Seifert of ESPN:

This week, the 49ers figure to follow Buffalo's template against Chicago and run the ball a lot. The Bears were the worst run defense in the NFL last year and allowed 193 yards to the Bills in Week 1. With Gore and Hyde combining for 116 yards on 23 carries, expect a lot of ground and pound. 

If the Bears are going to win the game, they have to control the clock and exploit the secondary. DeMarco Murray ran well against San Francisco's defensive line with 118 yards on 22 carries. Matt Forte is no slouch out of the backfield, though Dallas' offensive line is much better than the wounded unit Chicago will have. 

Ultimately, while the oddsmakers are giving the 49ers too much love, this is a game where the home team has enough of an advantage in all the critical areas and will want to christen their new home with a victory. 

Prediction: 49ers 27, Bears 23

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