Rams vs. Chicago Bears: Who has the edge?

RAMS (0-0) vs. BEARS (0-0)

When: 5:20 p.m. Sunday

Where: SoFi Stadium

TV/Radio: Channel 4, 710-AM, 93.1-FM, 1330-AM (Spanish)

Line: Rams by 7-1/2

Notable wounded designations: Rams: RB Cam Akers (Achilles) is connected injured reserve; nary different starters are retired this week.

Bears: NT Eddie Goldman (doubtful; knee, ankle), WR Darnell Mooney (questionable, back), OLB Khalil Mack (questionable, groin), OLB Robert Quinn (questionable, back), S Tashaun Gipson (questionable, back); S Eddie Jackson (questionable, wrist).

What’s astatine stake?: Amid changes, the Rams effort to proceed their knack for starting seasons fast. They haven’t been beneath .500 astatine immoderate constituent successful Sean McVay’s clip arsenic coach, acknowledgment to their 4-0 grounds successful opening games. A almighty showing against the Bears, whom they bushed 17-7 and 24-10 the past 2 years, would accidental bully things astir the Matthew Stafford-led offense.

Who’s better?: The Rams. Like them, the Bears person a caller backmost successful Andy Dalton and antiaircraft coordinator successful Sean Desai. While the Rams travel disconnected a 10-6 play and first-round playoff win, and anticipation Stafford takes them farther, the Bears were 8-8 and mislaid 7 of 10 earlier a speedy playoff exit, and Dalton could replaced soon by 11th wide draught prime Justin Fields.

Matchup to watch: Rams CB Jalen Ramsey vs. Bears WR Allen Robinson. A top-10 receiver, Robinson has been contained successful some games since Ramsey joined the Rams successful mid-2019,  catching 4 passes successful each of those defense-oriented L.A. victories. Ramsey’s skills let him to play each implicit the field, wherever he’s needed, but Robinson should beryllium a focus.

Rams triumph if …: If Stafford and his wide assortment of receiver options look arsenic successful sync successful their archetypal existent crippled arsenic they usually person successful signifier and scrimmages. If Aaron Donald tin enactment unit connected Dalton; the Rams sacked him 5 times successful their 24-10 triumph implicit the Bengals successful 2019, and sacked then-Bears QB Nick Foles 4 times past year. If Rams fans retrieve erstwhile to marque sound and erstwhile to beryllium quiet.

Fantasy pick: Rams RB Sony Michel. His grasp of the playbook and his eventual relation are unclear 18 days aft helium was acquired from the Patriots. But 1 happening McVay knows Michel tin bash close distant is people touchdowns successful goal-line situations (see Super Bowl LIII).

Prediction: Rams 27, Bears 13. McVay’s Rams aren’t conscionable 4-0 successful play openers, they’re 4-0 against the constituent dispersed successful those games. Stafford’s Rams debut, SoFi Stadium’s archetypal existent crippled with a crowd, and a triumph would marque for a joyous beginning.