LA Rams (11-1) at Chicago (8-4)
When: Sunday, December 9th 2018
Where: Soldier Field,
Chicago, Illinois
Time: 8:20 ET | TV: NBC
Opening Odds: Los Angeles -4.5/54
The NFL has done another good job of flexing out a potential boring Sunday night football game with a potential dandy in the Los Angeles Rams versus the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field. Both teams are well on their way to the playoffs, with the Rams holding a one-game lead over the New Orleans Saints for the top spot. The NFC postseason could very well go through the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum come January. While the Rams posses a potent offense, the Bears come in with one of the more feared defenses, setting up a great matchup in prime time. Chicago followed up three division games in 12 days with a loss at the New York Giants last week, as backup quarterback Chase Daniel threw two interceptions – including a pick six. The Bears sent the game to overtime with 10 points in the final minute-plus, but couldn’t complete the comeback. The Rams were sluggish in their 30-16 win at Detroit last week, leading 16-13 entering the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jared Goff completed just 17-of-33 passes for 207 yards, and interception and a lost fumble. Aaron Donald had two sacks and leads the league with 16.5, the most by a defensive tackle through 12 games since 1982. The teams haven’t met since 2015 (Chicago won 37-13) when both finished with losing records and the Rams were still in St. Louis. Chicago is 6-2 against the spread in the past eight meetings.
Running back Todd Gurley followed up a poor game in Week 12 with a 132-yard effort against the Lions, putting the game away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Goff is 246 yards shy of reaching 4,000 for the first time and needs one touchdown pass to match last season’s total of 28. With Goff and Gurley leading the way, the L.A. offense ranks tied for second in the league with an average of 34.9 points. Wide receivers Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks have 64 and 63 receptions, respectively to lead the team. The Rams rank in the middle of the pack defensively and had allowed 45, 31, and 51 points in their previous three games prior to last week.
Daniel was also sacked five times in last weekend’s loss at the Giants, but Trubisky will be back on Sunday night. Trubisky is much more mobile and was not sacked more than twice in his last seven games. He has thrown for more than 300 yards four times but also has failed to surpass 200 on four occasions and has rumbled for at least 43 yards in five of his last seven games. Jordan Howard may be the teams leading rusher, but backfield mate Tarik Cohen leads Chicago in both catches (59) and receiving yards (659). Khalil Mack has 9.0 sacks for a defense that ranks second against the run (85.8) and tops the league in interceptions (21) and touchdowns (5).
They say defense wins championships, but nowadays, its offenses that rule the NFL. I absolutely love this Chicago team and think they will be a dangerous playoff team, but I think the Rams will be able to score enough to win and cover this game.
Pick: Rams -3
Betting Trends:
- Rams are 30-63-1 ATS in their last 94 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Rams are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games in December.
- Rams are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
- Rams are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games in Week 14.
- Rams are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC.
- Rams are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
- Rams are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.
- Rams are 0-3-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Bears are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Bears are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Bears are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Bears are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NFC.
- Bears are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 home games.
- Bears are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Bears are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on grass.
- Bears are 7-15 ATS in their last 22 games in Week 14.
- Over is 6-1 in Rams last 7 games in December.
- Over is 5-1 in Rams last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 5-1 in Rams last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-2 in Rams last 7 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 4-0 in Bears last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-1 in Bears last 6 games in December.
- Over is 5-1 in Bears last 6 games on grass.
- Over is 4-1 in Bears last 5 games overall.
- Over is 4-1 in Bears last 5 home games.
- Over is 4-1 in Bears last 5 vs. NFC.
- Under is 6-2 in Bears last 8 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 5-2 in Bears last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Rams are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
