The first Sunday nighter of the new campaign features an all NFC affair as the Chicago Bears visit the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Despite the Bears holding the overall advantage in this matchup, recent years have beeh much kinder to the Rams. Los Angeles has prevailed in the two most recent meetings between the teams, including a 24-10 result in October 2020 that saw Jared Goff easily best Nick Foles in the quarterback duel.
Chicago will have a different QB in Sunday's game, but the question is whether that will be Andy Dalton or Justin Fields. Dalton was signed to be the starter at Soldier Field after a one-year stint in Dallas and nine seasons as Cincinnati's No. 1, but rookie Justin Fields has captured the imagination of the Bears' fan base and will put immense pressure on the veteran.
A bad start against LA for Dalton could convince the Bears to give Fields a try — and Foles is still on the roster, as well — so the 33-year old knows he's expected to perform straight out of the gates.
“That’s the worst thing you can do, is look over your shoulder,” Dalton told reporters Wednesday. “So, understanding that is key. We’re talking about tuning out the stuff you don’t need to focus on and knowing where you need to put your time and effort and all that kind of stuff. I think that’s just where I’m at. You don’t worry about all the other stuff.”
On the other side of the field, the Rams will also be starting a different QB from last season's meeting as Goff was dealt to the Detroit Lions in an offseason transaction that included Matt Stafford heading to LA. The longtime former Lions pivot looks to earn the hearts of the Rams fans from the jump, and a good performance at home in Week 1 would go a long way toward accomplishing that.
“I just want to play meaningful football and get to know these guys as well as I can and play for as long as I can here,” Stafford said late last month.
Here's more info about Sunday's matchup, plus everything to know about how to watch "Sunday Night Football."
Who plays on "Sunday Night Football" this week?
- Matchup: Bears at Rams
- Location: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The Bears lead the all-time series, 54-38-3.
What time is the Bears vs. Rams game?
- Date: Sunday, September 12
- Kickoff time: 8:20 p.m. ET
The 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff time is standard for Sunday night games.
How to watch "Sunday Night Football" in Canada: TV, live stream
- TV channel: CTV2, TSN
- Live stream: DAZN
Bears vs. Rams — like every NFL game during the 2021 season — is available on DAZN Canada.
DAZN Canada is the only place to watch NFL Game Pass, with access to every regular-season NFL game (including Monday, Thursday, Sunday afternoon via NFL Sunday Ticket, and Sunday night games) and every playoff matchup. Each game is available live and on demand.
DAZN Canada is also where NFL fans can watch RedZone — every touchdown, every game, every Sunday.
The "Sunday Night Football" game between the Bears vs. Rams is also available on CTV2 and TSN.
How to stream Bears vs. Rams for free
In Canada, DAZN offers new customers a 30-day free trial period. You can learn how to sign up for a free trial here.
The free-trial period would include the Bears vs. Rams, plus access to all of DAZN's live and on-demand programming, which includes not only NFL games but Premier League, Champions League and more.