Sunday Night Football Picks: Bears vs. Rams Odds & Predictions
The Los Angeles Rams are 7-point favorites as they host the Chicago Bears to kick off the first Sunday Night Football game of the 2021 season. Follow along as Nick Galaida previews Bears vs. Rams odds and gives you free NFL betting tips, along with SNF picks and predictions for Week 1.
Bears vs. Rams Odds — Sunday Night Football
| Bears Odds | +7 |
| Rams Odds | -7 |
| Over/Under | 44.5 |
| Date | Sunday, Sept. 12 |
| Time | 8:20 p.m. |
| TV | NBC |
These NFL Odds accurate as of Sunday at Caesars, where you can click here to claim your $5,000 Risk-Free Bet!
The first installment of Sunday Night Football in 2021 will feature the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams. Oddsmakers are expecting a comfortable win for Los Angeles, pricing them as a touchdown favorite on the spread.
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup to see where NFL bettors can find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Chicago Bears Preview
This past summer, the Bears traded up with the New York Giants to select quarterback Justin Fields 11th overall in the NFL Draft. However, General manager Ryan Pace and Head Coach Matt Nagy have decided to start veteran Andy Dalton in Week 1, despite Fields’ strong body of work during training camp and the preseason. Having Dalton under center hurts Chicago’s chances of winning this game for a couple of reasons. For one, the Bears offensive line is not that good outside of Cody Whitehair. In 2020, Mitchell Trubisky only had, on average, 2.72 seconds to throw, which was below the NFL average. Dalton is far less athletic than Fields, and thus, is not as capable of rolling out to extend plays when needed. Additionally, Dalton has graded 24th or lower amongst quarterbacks each of the last two years, according to Pro Football Focus. Bettors know what to expect from Dalton—nothing spectacular, and probably not even good enough to be mediocre.
Other than Khalil Mack, there was not much to like on the defensive side of the ball in 2020 for the Bears. Chicago allowed 344.9 yards per game, ranking 15th in rushing yards allowed per game and 12th in passing yards allowed per game. If they plan on improving on those numbers, they are going to need significantly better play from their defensive backs, including Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor. Some Chicago fans are hoping for a renaissance year from Robert Quinn, but he has not had an impressive season in the NFL since 2015. Getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks could be a weekly struggle again this fall.
Los Angeles Rams Preview
After back-to-back poor years from Jared Goff, the Rams completed a blockbuster trade this off-season to acquire veteran Matthew Stafford. Stafford did not have his best season in 2020, but playing behind a better offensive line with better weapons on the outside should help him tremendously in 2021. Stafford’s penchant for avoiding turnover-worthy plays, while simultaneously being a threat to complete deep passes down the field makes him a perfect fit for Sean McVay’s offense. On throws 20+ yards downfield last year, Stafford had a passer rating of 123.8, throwing for seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Expect him to have a big day against a very beatable Chicago secondary.
Last fall, Los Angeles allowed the fewest yards per game of any NFL team—and it was not even close. They had the third-best rushing defense and the best pass defense in football. If there is any concern on this side of the ball, it is due to the fact that defensive coordinator Brandon Staley and passing game coordinator Shane Waldron both left for new opportunities and expanded roles in 2021. Still, there is a tremendous amount of talent on this defense. This group should be able to make life extremely difficult for Dalton and company on Sunday night.
Bears vs. Rams SNF Picks
The Rams are better on both sides of the ball in this contest. It is possible that the Rams’ offense experiences some opening week rust with a new quarterback and some changes to the offensive coaching staff. However, there are clear matchup advantages in the passing game that should lead to quite a few scoring opportunities for Los Angeles. If anything, an early season lack of team chemistry might force this unit to settle for a couple of field goals in situations where they might get touchdowns later in the year.
The Rams stout defense should make life very difficult for Dalton in this one. If Los Angeles experiences any struggles offensively, the under could be an easy cash on Sunday night. For bettors convinced that the under is a smart play in this one, it is of paramount importance to wager now while the line is on the favorable side of 44. Unlike in the MLB and the NBA, where run and point scoring happens in even increments of 1, 2, and 3—NFL totals are biased towards numbers, such as 40, 41, 43, 44, 47, 50, and 51. Getting this number at 44.5 allows a bet to cash on any of the common low-40 total points numbers. Take the under at its current market price.
PICK: Rams -7 (-110), Under 44.5 (-110)
Image Credit: Imagn