Nov 24, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook (89) is tackled by Chicago Bears strong safety Major Wright (21) during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. St. Louis defeated Chicago 42-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
The NFC wild card picture is still a muddy mess with no clear favorites. That means a team can come from nowhere to steal a spot. It is this reality that the Chicago Bears (3-5) and St. Louis Rams (4-4) cling to as they prepare for a pivotal showdown that could mean the difference in a tiebreaker should they both make a run down the stretch. What do the NFL game picks say?
Backdrop:
These two teams are a fascinating study in contrast. One in the Rams seems to be underachieving while the other in the Bears seems to be overachieving. Indeed St. Louis has spent the past three years carefully cultivating a roster rich with young talent from their top five defense to breakout rookie running back sensation Todd Gurley. Yet they continue to struggle consistently winning.
Meanwhile Chicago has repeatedly been tagged as a team devoid of much talent outside of two or three notables like Alshon Jeffery, Matt Forte and Pernell McPhee but somehow have been in almost every ball game, winning three of their last five with all five being decided by three points or fewer. So are the Rams just not as good as everybody thinks? Are the Bears better than everybody thinks?
This game should provide some answers.
Matchup To Watch:
DE Robert Quinn vs. LT Charles Leno Jr.
With Chris Long ailing, the responsibility of the Rams edge rush falls squarely on the shoulder of Robert Quinn. He’s having another good season (5 sacks) but history shows he might struggle from time to time without Long on the field. Still, smart money says he should do well in this game.
Charles Leno Jr. is a former 7th round pick of the Bears who stepped in to replace the injured Jermon Bushrod a few weeks back. Since then he’s played well enough to keep the job, allowing just two sacks despite playing the likes of Aldon Smith, Khalil Mack, Justin Houston, and Ziggy Ansah. Quinn represents his latest proving ground for perhaps holding the position long-term.
No easy task.
Key Stat:
One thing that has been overlooked about the Bears this season is how much their defense has improved, especially against the pass. They rank 5th in that department, allowing just 220 yards per game and holding league leader Philip Rivers under 300 for the first time in six games. A remarkable job of coaching and roster rearrangement by the Bears brass.
St. Louis will face this challenge with a passing attack that is dead last in the NFL. Nick Foles is managing barely 177 yards per game through the air and has seven touchdown passes to five interceptions. The one saving grace for their offense has been Gurley and the running game. If Chicago finds a way to bottle that up, can Foles throw them to victory?
Prediction: Rams win 17-14
The Rams are 4-4 on the season but they are 3-1 at home. The last three teams to play them in the dome have managed 12, 6 and 6 points respectively. Don’t expect Jay Cutler and the Bears to go away without a fight. Still, in what should be a tight, defensive struggle the home team usually comes out with a few extra lucky bounces.