New quarterback Matthew Stafford will face a familiar foe in his debut for the Los Angeles Rams, with the longtime Detroit Lion taking on the Chicago Bears in the Week 1 Sunday Night Football matchup. The Rams are listed as 7-point home favorites, and Stafford has gone 11-9 straight up against the Bears in his 12-year NFL career.
- Date/Time: September 12, 8:20 p.m. ET
- Stadium: SoFi Stadium
- TV Coverage: NBC
- Sportsbook Odds: Rams -7 | O/U 45 (Line History)
- Bears vs Rams Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Los Angeles opened as a 7-point favorite and has remained there at most sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark, with 7.5 a real possibility at more of them leading up to kickoff. Chicago’s decision to start veteran Andy Dalton at quarterback opposite Stafford certainly does not help the underdog’s case, especially considering how he played in the preseason. The Rams beat the Bears 24-10 as 6.5-point home chalk in last year’s Week 7 Monday Night Football game, and that QB matchup was Jared Goff vs Nick Foles.
Chicago News & Notes
Chicago fans are eagerly anticipating the debut of rookie Justin Fields, and his presence under center instead of Dalton would certainly give bettors more to like about the road underdog in this situation.
Unfortunately for them and the Bears, it will likely take an injury or an extremely poor performance to make that a reality in the season opener, although both are possibilities against a defense as good as the Rams’.
The sight of Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and his teammates chasing Dalton around could lead to either possibility, and Chicago’s offensive line will definitely be tested on Sunday night. Foles was picked off twice and sacked four times last year, and that could happen again here.
Los Angeles News & Notes
There should not be any real pressure on Stafford to perform given the team around him, which is already better than any of his previous squads in Detroit. That along with his familiarity with the Bears from his time in the Motor City makes him an excellent option to go OVER any passing props with regard to yardage and touchdowns.
That said, the expectations are higher for the Rams because Stafford is seemingly an upgrade over Goff. In addition, the only negative of a shortened preseason is that Stafford did not take any snaps with his new teammates in real game scenarios, as rookie Bryce Perkins played almost exclusively in an effort to earn a spot on the roster, which he did.
Staff Betting Pick: UNDER 44
While the point spread has not really budged, the total has already dropped a point to 44 and may fall even more. The betting trends favor a low-scoring affair, with the UNDER cashing in eight straight home games for Los Angeles and in six of the past eight meetings. The defenses are very good in this one, and points should be at a premium even if Stafford has a solid game in his debut as expected.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Los Angeles is 8-2 SU in its last 10 home games.
- Chicago is 2-4 SU and ATS in its last 6 road games.
- The UNDER is 6-2 in the past 8 meetings.
