The Bears (8-4) will look to rebound from last weekend's overtime road loss to the Giants when they return home to host the Los Angeles Rams (11-1) Sunday night at Soldier Field. The game had been scheduled for noon (CT), but was flexed to 7:20 p.m.
The Bears enter Week 13 with a game-and-a-half lead atop the NFC North over the Vikings (6-5-1), who visit the Seahawks (7-5) Monday night in Seattle.
The Rams have already clinched their second straight NFC West title and own the best record in the NFL. After winning their first three games by a combined 66 points, six of their last eight victories have come by seven points or less (7, 2, 3, 2, 5 and 3). Their only loss came Nov. 4 when they fell to the Saints 45-35 in New Orleans.
Monitoring Mitch
The main storyline of the week again figures to be the status of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who has missed the last two games with a right shoulder injury he sustained Nov. 18 in a win over the Vikings. Trubisky returned to practice last week on a limited basis, throwing for the first time last Friday and again before the Giants game at MetLife Stadium Sunday.
Speaking to the media Monday, coach Matt Nagy said that Trubisky is "getting better and he's feeling better" but couldn't say for sure that the quarterback would practice without restrictions.
"It's only fair for today, tomorrow and the next couple of days to go by that we just keep seeing him throw and see how he feels and then he tells us," Nagy said. "And if he feels like and we feel like it's an opportunity for him to go out there and he's going to be good and safe and our team is good and safe with him in there, then that's what we'll do."
In two starts in place of Trubisky, Chase Daniel has completed 53 of 76 passes for 515 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 90.6 passer rating while being sacked nine times.
Strength against strength
Two of the NFL's best units on their respective sides of the ball will square off with the Bears' No. 2-ranked defense facing the Rams' No. 2-ranked offense. Los Angeles is led by quarterback Jared Goff, who has completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,754 yards with 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 109.9 passer rating that ranks fifth in the NFL. Rams running back Todd Gurley leads the league in rushing with 1,175 yards and 15 touchdowns on 233 carries.
Numbers game
The Bears enter Week 14 ranked 20th in offense in the NFL (16th rushing and 19th passing) and 4th in defense (2nd against the run and 11th versus the pass. The Rams rank 2nd in offense (4th rushing and 4th passing) and 18th in defense (18th against the run and 17th versus the pass).
Talk show
Nagy will address the media Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; Trubisky will speak Wednesday; and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and special-teams coordinator Chris Tabor will talk Thursday.
Series history
The Bears lead the series 53-36-3 and have won five of the last six meetings between the teams. The Bears won the last matchup 37-13 on Nov. 15, 2015 in St. Louis. Tight end Zach Miller turned a short pass into an 87-yard touchdown and running back Jeremy Langford transformed a screen pass into an 83-yard TD, both from Jay Cutler. Subbing for the injured Matt Forte, Langford rushed for 73 yards and 1 TD on 20 carries and caught seven passes for 109 yards.
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