The Los Angeles Rams will be back at home on Monday night for the final game of Week 7. Coming off a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in prime time last week, the Rams would love to avoid a two-game losing skid, which would drop them into a tie for last in the NFC West.
Monday night’s matchup will be no cakewalk, though. In fact, it’ll be arguably their toughest test yet, right there next to the Bills in Week 3. The 5-1 Chicago Bears are next on the schedule, and although they don’t have much stability or eye-popping talent at quarterback, the defense is one of the best in the league.
In the Rams’ last two games against the Bears, they’ve split them with one win and one loss. They only outscored Chicago by one total point in those two games, 23-22, with the Bears limiting Sean McVay’s offense to fewer than 20 points both times.
Nick Foles has taken over at quarterback for the Bears, replacing the struggling Mitchell Trubisky. Foles’ numbers aren’t great – he has six touchdowns and four interceptions in four games (three starts) – but he’s been more consistent than Trubisky, even if less mobile and athletic.
Neither quarterback got much help from the Bears’ rushing attack, which ranks 31st in yards and 28th in yards per attempt. David Montgomery has been inefficient, averaging 3.7 yards per carry, and he’s really the only running back Chicago uses now that Tarik Cohen is injured.
Defensively, Chicago has an abundance of talent. Kyle Fuller is playing some excellent football at cornerback, Roquan Smith is athletic enough to get to the edge when the Rams utilize outside zone runs and Khalil Mack is, well, Khalil Mack. Akiem Hicks is disruptive on the interior, and Robert Quinn gives them yet another pass rusher opposite Mack.
The Rams aren’t short on playmakers, of course, but their offense has struggled in recent games against the Bears. Jared Goff has no touchdowns and five interceptions in two games against Chicago, so he’d love to finally throw for a score on Monday night.
Ultimately, the Rams offense will do enough to beat the Bears, overcoming a stingy defense and a great pass rush. L.A.’s defense will also pressure Foles into a couple of mistakes, which the Rams almost always capitalize on with points on the ensuing drive.
Los Angeles will move to 5-2 and keep pace in the highly competitive NFC West.
Final score prediction: Rams 24, Bears 20