How Rams-Bears Could End Up Going Off-Script

The Los Angeles Rams are set to take on one of the hottest teams in the NFL in the Chicago Bears. Can they avoid a nail-biter against an upstart Cinderella?

Sep 12, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks for an open receiver in the end zone in the first half of the game against the Chicago Bears at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams are taking on the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL playoffs. At this stage in the postseason, there are no favorable matchups anymore. Sure, a team might be better suited to go up against certain schemes and roster constructions, but any squad that's made it this far has earned its keep.

LA is slightly favored on the road, with a much smaller spread than its first matchup against the Carolina Panthers. We all saw how that turned out, though. The Rams are laying 3.5 points in Chicago. The sportsbooks are expecting a closely contested, relatively low-scoring game for a few different reasons.

What if this game isn't close at all?

Sep 29, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) greets fans after the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

1. Over 55.5 total points +200

When the Los Angeles Rams take on the Chicago Bears, it'll be a meeting between two high-powered offenses. LA ranked first in points per game this season at 30.5. The Bears came in ninth with 25.9. The Rams and the Carolina Panthers combined for 65 points in Wild Card Weekend, while Chicago and the Green Bay Packers put up 58 total.

FanDuel isn't expecting many offensive fireworks in this one, setting the line at 48.5. The Bears' defense hasn't been stellar this year, and the Rams' has been vulnerable down the stretch. However, the weather forecast in Chicago for Sunday features a low in the single digits with wind chill, gusts, and a 65 percent chance of snow flurries. That's dragged the projected scoring total down, but there's certainly a chance that these two teams will overcome the conditions and get hot anyway.

Sep 29, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) warms up before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

2. Rams -9.5 +200

The weather isn't just suppressing the scoring total in these lines; it's also playing a role in the Rams' odds on the road. As a team that plays out of Southern California in a covered stadium, LA is expected to struggle in the brutal outdoor conditions, while the Bears should be significantly more comfortable playing in the Midwest winter setting.

There are stats out there supporting the basis of indoor, warm-weather teams struggling on the road in the cold. However, that could simply be a result of home-field advantage in general and the fact that the high-seeded teams are the ones hosting, rather than a product of the actual weather. Matthew Stafford played in a dome during his time with the Detroit Lions, but he still featured in plenty of frigid games. Puka Nacua played at BYU in college.

Davante Adams spent seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Maybe the Rams don't struggle in the cold at all, and just take care of business against a weaker overall roster.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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