Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: 3 Bold predictions for Week 14

The vaunted Los Angeles Rams offense meets the touted Chicago Bears defense on Sunday Night Football in Week 14. Bold predictions for the primetime matchup.

Barring something catastrophic for the latter team mentioned, the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears will be in the 2018-19 NFL Playoffs. Coming down the stretch of the regular season, though, these are two teams posturing both for postseason seeding and for any kind of mental edge that they can potentially get.

That, in itself, makes the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Rams and Bears at Soldier Field highly intriguing for Week 14. However, making it even more intriguing is the Rams, arguably the best offense in the NFL, taking on the Bears defense that has a claim for being the best in the league in their field.

This is a dream-type matchup for primetime in Week 14. But what will transpire? Here are a trio of bold predictions for the contest.

3. Bears defense holds Rams to 21 or fewer points

Considering how bad the Lions have been this season, the Rams playing them as closely as they did in Week 13 came as a bit of a shock. However, not only was LA on the road, but they also had a tough defensive opponent that’s playing well right now. The Bears, however, are a better overall unit than Detroit’s defense and have the same amount of discipline it takes to slow down the Rams explosive offense.

Not only does Chicago possess the personnel and coaching to do positive things against this immensely praised LA offense, but this game will be played at Soldier Field in December. That’s not an environment that we’ve seen Jared Goff be great in to this point, nor is it one where he’s familiar with playing in it. When you combine those things, this Bears defense will hold the Rams to their lowest point total of the season.

2. Khalil Mack held without a sack

With nine sacks, five force fumbles and an interception (returned for a touchdown) this season, it’s safe to say that Khalil Mack has been worth the price of the trade to acquire him. He’s been a near unstoppable force this season that has truly taken the Bears defense from being good to great in the 2018 season. However, the Rams are going to put the clamps on him in this matchup.

As good as Mack has been, there are two things of note in this game. The first is that the LA offensive line has been one of the best units in the league this season, and the second is that Sean McVay is going to do everything he can to negate the impact of Mack.

This isn’t to say that Chicago’s defense won’t be heard from in this game. However, it won’t be their best and loudest performer on the season that does much. Mack will be held without a sack on Sunday Night Football and won’t make the impact in this game like he has in so many others this season.

1. Mitchell Trubisky returns, leads Bears to upset victory

Though the Bears were able to pick up a Thanksgiving win behind Chase Daniel and put up 27 points in the loss to the G-Men in Week 13, the Chicago offense has not been at full force with Mitch Trubisky sidelined. As he makes his return for this primetime matchup, though, it’s going to be a huge boom for the Bears as they need their quarterback at the helm to pull off an upset.

Despite how good the team as a whole has been, the Rams defense has been suspect this season. According to DVOA, they have the 17th-ranked defense in the league, ranking eighth against the pass and 25th against the run.

The Bears, with Trubisky, can attack with the run and then utilize all of their weapons in the passing game. I think the second-year signal-caller comes back and leads the way to a monster victory.