Game Of The Year? LA Rams vs. Chicago Bears Divisional Round Preview
This year’s playoff picture just keeps getting better! After a bunch of great matchups in the Wild Card round, specifically from these two teams, we have a potential game of the year candidate coming up here.
After opening as 3.5-point road favorites, LA’s spread jumped to 4 points flat… on the road… where it’s (at best) going to be 16 degrees at the 5:30 PM kickoff.
A stat has recently been blowing up on X/Twitter: teams with a domed home stadium are 1-15 in the playoffs when the weather is below 40 degrees.
Before seeing that, I’d been thinking this game should be at even odds, with the (potential) MVP playing against the clutchiest team in the league. Both teams have looked great but have had some recent hiccups. We’re in for a genius playcalling matchup between Sean McVay, who can draw up route concepts as good as anyone in the league, and Ben Johnson, whose run game schemes are fantastic.
Last week, LA ran a bunch of their offense through Puka Nacua, who had 10 catches on 18 targets for 2 scores and 125 yards. Expect Puka to have his usual high, 20+ fantasy point usage rate, with WR Davante Adams still being iffy. Adams caught only 5 of 13 balls last week, though it was his first game back after his hamstring injury.
Adams is no stranger to the cold, playing 8 seasons in Green Bay to begin his career. If he’s a full go on Sunday, he could very well be the key to LA winning and breaking the streak in these cold-weather games. But you never know how long these things can last, especially for older receivers like Adams.
Keys to the Game
LA: Don’t let Caleb get hot. The Bears are a CLUTCH second-half team—one of the clutchest we have seen in a while. You have to keep your foot on the gas and not let them get into a rhythm, especially late in the game. You don’t want to end up as Green Bay did.
Chicago: Trust your defense: Stafford isn’t the best against pressure, so you’re going to have to blitz him. With guys like Jaylon Johnson, Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, and Nahshon Wright, you can at least occasionally put those guys on islands and blitz.
Prediction:
Give me Chicago +4 here. They can go out there and at least hang in the game, and I think they can win outright. Granted, Carolina was once again a little lucky vs. the Rams, but they made it a close game after sneaking into the playoffs. Now, Chicago is playing with house money as well – no one expected them to be this good going into the season. In the second week in a row as home dogs, they will be the gritty team we saw last weekend.
I think this game is going to be one for the books, though. I think the winner of this game will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.