RAMS (1-2) at CHICAGO BEARS (1-2)
When: Sunday, 10 a.m. PT
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago
TV/radio: Fox (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 227, 383
Line: Bears by 3½
Notable injury designations
Rams: OUT: WR Cooper Kupp (ankle); QUESTIONABLE: TE Davis Allen (back).
Bears: OUT: TE Stephen Carlson (collarbone), DT Zacch Pickens (groin), CB Terell Smith (hip); QUESTIONABLE: WR Keenan Allen (heel), DT Andrew Billings (knee), S Kevin Byard (neck).
What’s at stake? For teams hoping to be in contention for an NFC wild-card spot, there’s a big difference between being 1-3 and 2-2 after four games. Both teams are looking to avoid the former; and a win Sunday would keep alive the Rams’ hopes of being above .500 when they hit their Week 6 bye.
Who’s better? Between the two teams and their current injury situations, the Bears’ defense is probably the best unit on the field. They limit opponents to 4.9 yards per play (5.2 per pass attempt), have forced six turnovers in three weeks and have limited opponents to points on 28.9% of drives this season. How much Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay can negate that advantage remains to be seen. But the deficiency of the Bears’ offense – a line that’s struggling to block for quarterback Caleb Williams and the struggling running game – plays into the Rams’ strength in the front seven of their defense.
Matchup to watch: Rams’ pass rush vs. Bears’ offensive line. Even with Williams’ elusiveness, the Bears rank 29th in the NFL with 4.3 sacks allowed per game. Could this be a breakout weekend for Rams rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske?
Related Articles
Rams WR Tutu Atwell earning trust and opportunities
Rams’ pass rush looking to close the deal against Caleb Williams
Rams rookie Justin Dedich makes most of first opportunity
Rams look to build off exhilarating first win
Alexander: Somehow, the Rams keep hope alive, top 49ers
Rams win if: They average more than four yards per carry and take pressure off the passing game to string drives together. … The defense sacks Williams at least four times and hold him to fewer than 30 rushing yards. … The Rams convert all their red zone appearances into touchdowns.
Fantasy sleeper: WR Jordan Whittington. No one is going to be a consistent week-to-week option in the Rams’ passing game without Kupp and Puka Nacua, but expect the Rams to try to get the ball out quickly to Whittington and let him pick up yards after the catch.
Prediction: Rams 21, Bears 17. Beat reporter’s record: 1-2 overall; 2-1 against the spread.