Bears vs. Vikings is the kind of matchup that draws attention beyond Chicago and Minnesota, so many around the country will be scanning their TV channels Sunday afternoon to find this Week 4 game. Thanks to the schedule allowing Bears vs. Vikings to be CBS' game of the week, the majority of the country indeed will be treated to this rivalry.
The roots of this NFC North matchup run deep, with the Vikings holding the all-time series lead at 60-53-2. But even in this rivalry, rarely does a meeting so early in the season carry so much weight.
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The reason, as explained by SN contributor and former Vikings general manager Jeff Diamond this week: Against Chicago, Minnesota will find out whether the offensive overhaul around Dalvin Cook it went through in the offseason was worth the trouble. The Bears forced the Vikings into changes last season when they dominated both meetings and stole the division title. The question now: Can Minnesota run the ball on Chicago?
The Bears still boast one of the NFL's best rush defenses, but Cook is on fire this season in his team's revamped rushing attack. He has recorded at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown in each of his first three games, and his 375 rushing yards lead the league. With at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown Sunday, Cook would become the fifth player in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first four games to begin a season.
Diamond also considers this game a litmus test for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has thrown for more than 200 yards in just one game thus far after doing it in 14 of 16 games last season. He'll get a big challenge from a Bears defense led by Khalil Mack, who is tied for first in forced fumbles (18) and tied for second in games with 2-plus sacks (13) in the NFL since his rookie season in 2014.
Below is all the info you need to watch Bears vs. Vikings on Sunday, including the TV channels and kickoff time.
What channel is Bears vs. Vikings on today?
- TV channel (national): CBS
- TV channel (Chicago): WBBM
- TV channel (Minneapolis): WCCO
- Live stream: fuboTV (regional)
Bears vs. Vikings, CBS' game of the week, will share the network's late Sunday afternoon spotlight with Jaguars vs. Broncos. Fox also will present two late Sunday afternoon games.
Jim Nantz will call the Bears vs. Vikings play-by-play action for CBS, and Tony Romo will provide analysis. Tracy Wolfson will report from the sidelines.
For those who wish to find Bears vs. Vikings on the radio, the Chicago call can be heard on Sirius channel 82 and XM channel 227, and the Minnesota call can be heard on Sirius channel 108 and XM channel 384.
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Bears vs. Vikings schedule: What time is kickoff?
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 29
- Start time: 4:25 p.m. ET
The 4:25 p.m. ET start time for Bears vs. Vikings is the second of three such start times for Chicago this season. The Bears beat the Broncos in the same time window in Week 2; they are scheduled to play the Saints at home in Week 7 with a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff, too.
As for Minnesota, Sunday's game in Chicago is the only 4:25 p.m. ET start time on its schedule.
NFL TV schedule for Week 4
Thursday, Sept. 26
| Game | Time | TV channel |
| Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers | 8:20 p.m. | FOX, NFL Network |
Sunday, Sept. 29
| Game | Time | TV channel |
| Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Washington Redskins at New York Giants | 1 p.m. | FOX |
| Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Oakland Raiders at Indianapolis Colts | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans | 1 p.m. | FOX |
| Kansas City Chiefs at Detroit Lions | 1 p.m. | FOX |
| Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams | 4:05 p.m. | FOX |
| Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. | FOX |
| Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
Monday, Sept. 30
| Game | Time | TV channel |
| Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |