The Chicago Bears battle the Los Angeles Rams in NFL Week 1, with both teams welcoming new quarterbacks as Matthew Stafford and Andy Dalton make their regular-season debuts.
There are plenty of intriguing matchups that will shape this Bears vs Rams game and our preview examines game info, odds and predicts the outcome for Sunday Night Football.
Discover where the Bears and Rams land in our Week 1 NFL power rankings
Let’s dive into our Bears vs Rams matchup preview.
Chicago is sticking by its decision to start Andy Dalton. Maybe that’s because Matt Nagy really believes he is the best option and the veteran won the starting job this summer. Far more likely, Dalton is being thrown out on the field in Week 1 to get hit by the Rams’ defense.
Find out where the Rams and Bears land in our NFL defense rankings
On the other side, don’t expect Los Angeles to dominate quite as much as we saw in 2020. Brandon Staley is gone and that will have a negative impact on this defense. But the far bigger blows come in the secondary, a group that lost Troy Hill and John Johnson III.
Advantage: Los Angeles Rams
Everyone is familiar with McVay at this point. Hired out of the blue by the Rams in 2017, he’s proven to be one of the brightest minds in the NFL. At times, he made Jared Goff look like an MVP-caliber quarterback. With Stafford now leading this aerial attack, the Rams’ offense should be far more explosive than we saw the previous two seasons.
Desai is getting his first big opportunity as a coach. He joined the NFL in 2013, joining the Bears as a defensive quality control coach and held that role through 2018. Recognizing he had an eye for defense, the Bears promoted him to safeties coach and after two seasons, this regime is confident they have someone special.
Advantage: Sean McVay
This is the Bears vs Lions matchup that swings a one-score game into a potential blowout. Chicago’s offensive line is strong at guard, those two spots are anchored by Cody Whitehair and James Daniels. But any pressure coming off the edge or aimed directly at center Sam Mustipher, that spells trouble for the Bears’ offense.
Related: NFL QB Rankings – Check our top-20 quarterbacks, find out why Josh Allen is No. 1
Advantage: Los Angeles Rams
The bottom line: There’s a great case to be made for Justin Fields to start in Week 1. But it’s possible Chicago is trying to protect him, because this is a one-sided matchup that should be dominated by the Rams. After Dalton gets run over by a pack of Rams’ defenders, maybe a quarterback change happens for Week 2.