The Chicago Bears look to stop the slide while the Rams look to build on a dramatic victory

CHICAGO— Los Angeles Rams (1-2) at Chicago (1-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, FOX

BetMGM NFL odds: Bears by 1.

Against the spread: Rams 1-1-1, Bears 2-1.

Series record: The Bears lead 54-39-3.

Last meeting: Rams beat Bears 34-14 on September 12, 2021 in Los Angeles.

Last week: Rams beat 49ers 27-24; The Bears lost 21-16 to Indianapolis.

Rams offense: Total (19), Rush (29), Passing (9), Scoring (20).

Rams Defense: Total (32), Rush (30), Pass (29), Points (31).

Bears offense: Total (30), Rush (31), Passing (25), Scoring (22).

Bears Defense: Overall (8-T), Rush (17-T), Passing (7), Scoring (10-T).

Turnover difference: Rams plus-1; Bears even.

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Rams player to watch

WR Tutu Atwell had four receptions for 93 yards against the 49ers, helping pick up the slack since Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) were unavailable. Despite his small size, the 5-foot-11 Atwell has typically performed well when targeted and should be an important part of the passing game as long as Kupp and Nacua stay out.

Bears player to watch

QB Caleb Williams. The No. 1 overall draft pick showed some improvement last week when he set a Bears rookie record of 363 yards. He completed 33 of 52 passes with the first two touchdowns of his career, but there were some sore spots. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California spent much of the game running behind a shaky line, threw two interceptions, lost a fumble and was sacked four times, bringing his total to 13.

Key match

RB Kyren Williams vs. Chicago’s defensive line. With Kupp and Nacua out, the Rams could try to soften Chicago’s defense by running the ball. Williams, who made his first Pro Bowl last season, scored two touchdowns and scored against San Francisco. He has thrown for a rushing touchdown in six consecutive regular season games, tied with Marshall Faulk for the longest streak by a Ram since 2000.

Major injuries

The Rams survived Sunday’s dramatic win over San Francisco without any new injuries, making their best day of the new season all the better. … Kupp remains out but will not be placed on injured reserve because Los Angeles has used up so many of its return-to-play spots. … The Bears could have all of their top playmakers available, with six-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen (heel) returning to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday after missing the last two games. … RT Darnell Wright (back), DE Darrell Taylor (illness) and CB Terell Smith (hip) all dealt with discomfort.

Notes on the series

Matthew Stafford made a remarkable debut for Los Angeles in 2021 against Chicago, throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams have won three straight times – all in Los Angeles – against the Bears since a loss at Soldier Field in 2018.

Statistics and stuff

Stafford needs 223 yards to pass Eli Manning (57,023) for 10th in NFL history. … The Rams’ defense held the Niners to 4 yards per carry after allowing 5.3 and 5.8 yards in their first two games. … DL Braden Fiske recovered a fumble in consecutive games, becoming the first Rams rookie to do so. … The Rams have yet to allow a kick return this season. … Chicago has suffered two straight losses since its season-opening win over Tennessee, losing in Houston and Indianapolis. … The Bears had 63 yards rushing on 28 attempts last week. … WR Rome Odunze, the No. 9 overall pick, had his first 100-yard game with six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Since Willie Gault in 1983, no Bears rookie has had consecutive 100-yard receiving games. … TE Cole Kmet set a career-high 10 receptions and had 97 yards and a touchdown last week. … DE Montez Sweat had his first sack of the season last week after combining with Washington and Chicago for 12 1/2 in 2023.

Fantasy tip

Despite the issues at stake, Williams could take another big step this week against a defense ranked near the bottom of the NFL.