Everything You Need to Know About Bears vs. Titans Week 1

The moment Bears fans have anticipated for months is finally here. This Sunday, No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams will make his regular-season debut, and all eyes will be on the rookie quarterback as he tries to turn around a franchise that has long needed a superstar at its helm.

Williams will inherit a Bears team that went 7-10 last season, finishing 4th in the NFC North and failing to make the playoffs for a third consecutive year.

This time around, the Bears will welcome the Tennessee Titans to Soldier Field to begin the new season - one in which both teams are in desperate need of a strong start.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about Sunday's kickoff:

The Nuts and Bolts: Start Time, How to Watch, Etc.

• Venue: Soldier Field, Chicago, Ill.

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024

• Time: 12 p.m. CT (1 p.m. ET, 10 a.m. PT)

• TV/Streaming: FOX (free), NFL+ (subscription), YouTube (subscription, NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone), YouTube TV (subscription)

• Radio: ESPN Chicago 1000 AM

Bears vs. Titans prediction: A Curse is Broken

If you've been keeping up with all the chatter leading up to Williams' first NFL start, then you've probably seen the pessimistic outlook for No. 1 picks: the last 15 quarterbacks to be selected first overall have gone 0-14-1 in their debuts. David Carr was the most recent No. 1 overall pick to win on his debut, doing it for the Houston Texans back in 2002.

The list of debut losses is quite a star-studded one: Eli Manning (who didn't start until Week 11 in 2004), Matthew Stafford (2009), and Jared Goff (2016) are just a few who have gone on to have successful NFL careers.

But expect things to be different this time: Williams will have an eager home crowd backing him for his first start, and he also has an incredibly talented receiving corps that includes D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and fellow rookie Rome Odunze. The run game will be just as potent, led by offseason addition D'Andre Swift as well as Khalil Herbert who is coming off a breakout season.

The Bears' defense can cause trouble for Titans quarterback Will Levis, who has limited experience after he platooned with Ryan Tannehill last season. Levis now has the starting job after throwing for 1,808 yards last year including eight touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Bears have plenty of backing from national analysts thus far: ESPN's Matt Bowen, CBS Sports' Pete Prisco, and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and Chris Simms have all selected Chicago to come out on top.

Bears vs. Titans Injury Report: Concerns in Chicago

As of Wednesday, the Bears had six players on limited practice, including marquee offseason addition Keenan Allen. The severity of the veteran wide receiver's heel injury is unknown but the fact that he is not completely ruled out can provide Bears fans with at least some relief.

2024 Pro Bowl DE Montez Sweat, who came to the Bears midseason last year and subsequently signed a four-year, $98 million extension, was also limited by a toe issue. However, Sweat told reporters on Thursday that he was "excited" to get his hands on Titans quarterback Will Levis - so Bears fans should expect Sweat to be good to go by Sunday.

The Titans have a smaller list but it includes one DNP in safety Jamal Adams, who is dealing with a hip injury.

Weather Report

It's set to be a picture-perfect afternoon in Chicago: sunny and a high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit with only a 4% chance of rain.

Bears vs. Titans Betting Odds

Spread: CHI -3.5 (-118) | TEN +3.5 (-104)

Moneyline: CHI (-198) | TEN (+166)

Total: 44.5 - Over (-114) | Under (-104)

FanDuel Sportsbook has the Bears tapped as a slight favorite to win. The Bears went 8-8-1 against the spread in 2023 according to StatMuse.

Bears vs. Titans Matchup History

The Bears have a 6-7 record all-time against the Titans, dating back to 1973 when the latter was the Houston Oilers. Tennessee has the edge in points scored in the matchup with 296 to the Bears' 276.

The two teams most recently met on Nov. 8, 2020, in Nashville, which saw the hosts take a 24-17 win over the Bears. Nick Foles was the Bears' starting quarterback in the matchup.

The Titans' last win at Soldier Field came back in 2016 when quarterback Marcus Mariota led his offense to a 27-21 victory.

On Sunday, the Bears will look to grab their first win over the Titans since 2012 - and they have all the tools to do so.

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