MNF PREVIEW: CHICAGO BEARS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS

BY ADAM GREENE

Any complaints over the Monday Night Football schedule in recent years is a thing of the past in 2020. While there might have been some lackluster match ups so far thanks to injuries and horrid coaching hires (I’m looking at you, Dallas Cowboys), the NFL has done its best to put solid games in its former crown jewel. It’s no different this week as the Chicago Bears travel to the west coast to take on the Los Angeles Rams in what has become an annual affair.

CHICAGO BEARS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (-6, O/U: 45)

Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.

Kickoff: Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. EST

Broadcast: ESPN

THE HISTORY

The rivalry between the Bears and Rams goes all the way back to 1937 when the Rams still played in Cleveland. Those old George Halas Bears dominated the match up pretty much until the Rams moved out to Los Angeles and the 1950s began. In spite of streaks of Los Angeles success, Chicago still leads the all time series handily, 54-37-3.

Since both teams hired new coaches, the Rams with Sean McVay and the Bears with Matt Nagy, they’ve met twice with similar scores, but opposite results. In their first contest, the Bears won 15-6 in 2018. Last season, LA won 17-7 with Jared Goff completing 11 of 18 passes for 173 yards and a pick. Todd Gurley, now with the Atlanta Falcons, rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell Trubisky, currently riding the Bears’ bench, finished 24 of 43 for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The two teams have met in the playoffs only once, but it was for all the marbles. The Rams won the 1950 NFL Championship over the Bears 24-14. They wouldn’t hook up again in the postseason until 1985, when Chicago dominated LA to the tune of 24-0 in the NFC Championship game before blowing out the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Something the Rams would have done as well, so that game too was basically for the title.

CHICAGO BEARS (5-1)

Since tossing the keys to quarterback Nick Foles, the Bears are 3-1, with their lone loss to the solid and possibly playoff bound Indianapolis Colts. As much as that one might have stung, I’m sure they were happy to trade it for their 20-19 win over the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers the very next week.

Last week Chicago knocked off a plucky Carolina Panthers squad, 23-16. Foles finished 23 of 39 for 198 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-2)

The Rams picked the wrong week to have their worst team performance of the season, falling to the slumping San Francisco 49ers 24-16 in a game that never felt in doubt. Jared Goff finished 19 of 38 for 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on a desperation fourth down throw. Everybody’s favorite fantasy football wire pickup Darrell Henderson ran for 88 yards.

The Rams defense was relatively silent, recording no sacks and no interceptions in the game.

THE PICK

Recent history between these two teams says this one will be close. The difference in this year’s match up is that McVay brought over one of the Bears’ guys that caused him so much trouble, Brandon Staley, as his defensive coordinator. Staley coached outside linebackers for the Bears in 2018. The real X-Factor here is Foles, who is 2-0 against his former team that drafted his replacement a year after trading for him. I think that streak ends, but it’ll still be tight. Rams 20, Bears 17

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