Bears vs. Rams Prediction: Must win for Bears |
It's hard to believe that we are roughly 25% of the way through the NFL season, but that will be the case once week four kicks off. For the Bears, it has been another frustrating start to the season. This team could be 3-0, yet they are sitting at 1-2.
At some point the would've, could've and should've needs to go out of the window as this team must back up all of the hype and talk that surrounded them this weekend. What better way for the Bears to start backing up that talk than by embarking on a very winnable stretch of games that begins this week. If the Bears have any hopes of making the postseason, they must win the games they are supposed to win, and this is one of those stretches where they should win some games. That all starts with the Los Angeles Rams this weekend, as they will make a rare trip to Soldier Field in an effort to upset the Bears. Yes, the Bears are favored to win this game, but that is mainly because the Rams are on the road. If this were played in California, the Bears would likely be underdogs. Here are some things to look for ahead of the game with the Rams:
No one will make excuses for a team that has injuries as every team goes through them. The Bears are currently dealing with plenty of their own injuries as Keenan Allen remains out with a foot injury and no timetable for his return. However, the Rams are not only bitten by significant injuries, but a pair of injuries to two of the better receivers in the game as Cooper Kupp and Puca Nacua will be out this week. Their losses are going to drastically impact Matthew Stafford and the passing game, which should play into the Bears' hands. If there is one thing that has remained consistent with the Bears this season, it would be that their defense continues to impress. This is a game where the Bears could make the Rams one-dimensional. If that happens, look for their opportunistic defense to get after it, as there could be some forced turnovers.
You can always look at specific portions of the schedule and point to those spots as a potential season-changing moment. The Bears are entering one of those moments right now as six of their next seven games are deemed winnable games where they should be the favorites. That starts with the Rams and will be followed by games with the Panthers, Jaguars, Commanders, Cardinals, and Patriots. The Cardinals game could be the one they are not favored in, as the Bears will be favored in the rest. Should the Bears go 6-1 or 5-2, you are putting yourself right in the middle of the playoff picture, which was the goal for this team when the season began. At some point, you need to start finding ways to win games and win the games you are supposed to win. This is the stretch where the Bears need to do that, as anything less than a 4-3 record over these next seven games will be deemed a massive disappointment.
It's almost comical how bad the Bears' rushing attack has been this season. They simply can't run the ball. What is even worse is that they couldn't even put up 75 yards against the worst run defense in football last week. The result was forcing Caleb Williams to throw 52 times, which is unfathomable when you have a rookie quarterback under center. Something has to change, and it needs to change now, as the Bears won't be winning many games if Williams has to throw 52 times. D'Andre Swift hasn't been the answer, and neither has Khalil Herbert, and those are the Bears' top two backs. Roschon Johnson, on the other hand, did show signs of promise last week, so it may be time for the Bears to use him a bit more to get the ground game going. Once the rushing attack starts to produce, the real Williams can come to play, as he will have less pressure on him. The pressure is on Shane Waldron right now, as he needs to figure out how to make his team's ground game successful.
As has been the case in all three of the Bears' games this season, expect this to be another tight one, as the Rams are down some of their elite weapons. Entering this game on a three-game winning streak against the Bears, they would like to make it four, as the Rams secured a massive win over the 49ers last week. This could come down to the fact that rushing attacks can do more damage, and based on what we have seen from the Bears, you have to give Los Angeles the edge there. However, with Kupp and Nacua both out, Stafford will have to be at his best to get the passing game going while also trying to avoid costly turnovers. As much as I want to go with the Bears in this one, this is still a Sean McVay team coming off a big win and playing with confidence as the Rams come into town and secure a 21-20 victory. Kick them when they are down
Time to make your move
Get the running game going
Prediction: Rams 21-20 over Bears
