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Bears vs. Rams: Odds, Spread, Over/Under and Prediction for NFL Week 1

By Peter Dewey

The Rams will try to shut down the Bears on Sunday Night Football.
The Rams will try to shut down the Bears on Sunday Night Football. / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
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There’s nothing like having to face the NFL’s top-ranked defense from the previous season in your first start with your new team. That’s what Andy Dalton will be faced with when the Chicago Bears take on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football in Week 1. 

Dalton will have to hold off promising rookie Justin Fields and the large circle of Bears fans that would prefer to see Fields under center in Los Angeles in Week 1 than the veteran Dalton. Matt Nagy has been adamant that Dalton is his guy, but he was also quick to switch off of Mitch Trubisky in favor of Nick Foles in 2020 when the Bears fell behind the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. 

Chicago began the 2020 season with a 5-1 record, but it finished at just 8-8, narrowly sneaking into the final wild card spot in the NFC. 

The Rams, on the other hand, upgraded at quarterback this year with Matthew Stafford after making it to the divisional round in the NFC last season. Sean McVay should have a lot more in store for his offense with Stafford under center and not Jared Goff, but there may be some Week 1 growing pains after Stafford didn’t play in the preseason. 

Sony Michel and Darrell Henderson will replace the injured Cam Akers in the running game for the Rams, but Los Angeles’ defense makes it a heavy favorite to start the season 1-0 against Dalton’s Bears.

Here’s a look at the odds at WynnBET Sportsbook for Sunday night’s matchup:

Bears vs. Rams Spread, Odds and Over/Under

Spread: 

Bears +7.5: (-115)

Rams -7.5: (-105)

Moneyline: 

Bears: +275

Rams: -360

Over/Under: 44.0 (Over: -110/Under: -110)

Rams vs. Bears Betting Trends

  • The Rams were 10-8 against the spread last season.
  • The Bears are 54-38-3 against the Rams all time, but the Rams have won the last two meetings. 
  • Chicago was 8-9 against the spread last season.
  • Chicago was the best team in the NFL against the spread in 2018 and the worst team in the NFL against the spread in 2019 under Nagy.
  • The Rams were 12-6 on unders in 2020 by an average of 4.1 points. 

Bears vs. Rams Prediction and Pick

Call me crazy, but I’m not a believer in Andy Dalton. 

I know, that’s not even a lukewarm take, never mind a hot one. 

The Rams return their core from last season’s top-rated defense, although Troy Hill and John Johnson III are no longer in the secondary. Still, Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller are more than capable of filling in, and the addition of Stafford immediately makes the Rams one of the league’s better teams. 

I’m going to take the Rams moneyline in this one, even at the -360 juice, because I can’t see Dalton leading Chicago’s offense to a win against this unit, especially with the Bears’ offensive line issues. 

I also like the under because of Los Angeles’ defense, and I think there are going to be some kinks that Stafford and McVay will have to work out on offense in Week 1. 

If Dalton somehow pulls off the upset, we all are going to owe him, Nagy and Ryan Pace a major apology. 

Can the Rams dominate Dalton and company? Or do you want to fade this pick? Get in the action on the WynnBET app.

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