CHICAGO BEARS VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — September 29, 2024

CHICAGO BEARS VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — September 22, 2024 — Greetings, football fans. Welcome back to our NFL coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of several games on Sunday’s slate features the Chicago Bears (1-2 SU, 1-1-1 ATS) hosting the Los Angeles Rams (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Kickoff

When: Sunday, September 29, 2024 @ 1:00 PM ET

Where: Soldier Field,  Chicago, IL

TV: FOX

Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams – In-Season Stats & Betting Trends

The Bears dropped to 1-2 following their 21-16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3. Let’s start with the positives first. Caleb Williams threw the first two touchdown passes of his NFL career, giving the team one more offensive touchdown than it produced in the first two weeks combined. He completed 33 of 52 passes for 363 yards, a career-high for the moment.

However, Williams also threw two interceptions. He was sacked four times, one of which led to a turnover that helped Indy put the game out of reach. Also, the Bears produced just 63 yards on the ground against a defense that gave up over 260 rushing yards against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. So, despite the fact the Colts recorded 15 first downs, held the ball for just 24 minutes, and were 3-for-12 on third down, they still did enough to squeak by Chicago.

Meanwhile, the Rams were winless through their first two games. They were coming off a horrific 41-10 loss against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Furthermore, they were down 14-0 early and trailed 24-14 in the fourth quarter of their Week 3 contest against the San Francisco 49ers. But, in an odd twist of fate, the Rams rallied from that double-digit deficit to escape with a 27-24 victory against a team that had won nine of the previous ten meetings between these franchises.

Matthew Stafford finished with 221 yards and one score, while Kyren Williams rushed for 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 24 carries. Tutu Atwell led the receiving corps with four catches totaling 93 yards. After knocking off a Niners squad that dominated them in nearly every statistical category, getting a win against the Bears is not out of the realm of possibility, even if they are down two receivers.

Now that we have set the stage for this matchup, let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

The Spread

Although they dropped their last two games, the Bears opened as a one-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has moved to three points for the home team (via OddsShark.com). Let’s see how both teams have fared against the spread.

• The Bears are 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games against Los Angeles.
• In its last six matchups against NFC opponents, Chicago is 1-5 against the spread.
• The Rams are 8-3 ATS in their previous 11 outings.
• Los Angeles is 4-2 ATS in its last six matchups against the Bears.
• The Rams have covered the spread only twice in their last nine “road” contests against Chicago.

Prediction: Los Angeles Rams (+3)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup is 40.5 points (via Bleacher Nation). Here is why going with the “under” is the intelligent choice.

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Bears’ last five games overall.
• The UNDER total is 6-3 in Chicago’s previous nine Week 4 contests.
• In the Rams’ last nine matchups against Chicago, the UNDER total has prevailed six times.
• The total has gone UNDER four times in Los Angeles’s last five “road” outings against the Bears.

Prediction: UNDER 40.5 points

Player Prop Bet

DJ Moore is the key player to watch for the Bears in this matchup. He currently has -120 odds of exceeding 57.5 receiving yards and -110 odds of finishing with less than 57.5 yards (per DraftKings). Here’s a look at how his numbers stack up against the estimated points total.

• During the season, Moore has averaged 55.7 yards per outing.
• Moore has 10 catches for 83 yards (41.5 YPG) in two career matchups against the Rams.
• The Bears have played just one of their three games at home this season. In that contest, Moore finished with five catches for 36 yards.
• Moore has averaged 78 yards per game across his previous five outings, exceeding the yards total for this matchup three times during that stretch.

Prediction: DJ Moore OVER 57.5 receiving yards