Rams vs. Bears: 4 key matchups to watch on Sunday night

[Riverumbbq]

Cameron DaSilva

30 minutes ago

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The Rams will get a shot at redemption on Sunday night against the Chicago Bears, trying to avenge their ugly loss at Soldier Field last season. This game comes with far fewer playoff implications as both teams are falling out of the postseason race, but the winner will keep their slim hopes alive.

The Rams have been the better team this season and have more talent on paper, but they’re banged up and Chicago is coming off a much-needed win over Detroit.
With injuries and lineup changes impacting the game, here are four key matchups to watch on Sunday night.


Jalen Ramsey vs. Allen Robinson

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Robinson is far and away the Bears’ biggest threat at wide receiver, and it’s not close. He’s been targeted 80 times, which is 25 more than the next-closest player (Tarik Cohen) and 49 more than the next wide receiver, Taylor Gabriel. The Bears try to get him the ball often, and while they’ve had some success doing so, it does make them one-dimensional when throwing the ball.
Ramsey has the ability to take him away and force Mitchell Trubisky to use his other receivers more often. Robinson leads the team with 618 yards receiving, with the second player in that category (Gabriel) posting 277 yards in seven games. The Rams have to limit Robinson’s production because he has the potential to go off.


Bobby Evans vs. Khalil Mack

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

This matchup could very well decide whether the Rams win or lose. If Evans gets run over by Mack throughout the game, Jared Goff and the passing attack won’t be able to move the ball. If Evans holds up well and manages to limit Mack’s impact, Goff will have far more success. Goff is a different quarterback when under pressure and few players are better at rushing the passer than Mack.

Evans has only played three NFL snaps in his career and looked out of place during the preseason. This is the definition of trial by fire because there isn’t a tougher matchup in football in your first start than Mack.


Aaron Donald vs. James Daniels

Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Daniels is expected to stay at left guard after moving from center, and he’ll face the best interior rusher in football plenty on Sunday night. Daniels has given up just one sack this season and has a PFF grade of 63.2, though he has a tendency to commit penalties. He’s been flagged four times, ninth-most at his position.

Donald forces more holding penalties than possibly anyone in the NFL, so expect to see at least a flag or two fly when he’s rushing against Daniels. Donald rushing against even the best offensive guards is a matchup that favors the Rams, and he’ll win often on Sunday night. But what might be even more important is commanding double teams and freeing up the Rams’ other pass rushers.


Cooper Kupp vs. Buster Skrine

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kupp was shut out by the Steelers on Sunday, catching zero passes in a game he finished for the first time in his career. You can bet the Rams will try to feed Kupp early and get him involved against Skrine in coverage. Skrine is having a decent season, allowing 25 catches on 45 targets (55.6%) with one touchdown and a passer rating of just 72.5.

Skrine has been better than Kyle Fuller, who has allowed a league-high 55 completions in coverage, as well as 584 yards with three touchdowns. Kupp is a key player on offense for the Rams and getting him the ball typically leads to success. He has to be better this week than he was against Pittsburgh when he was being doubled often and dropped one pass, too.

Rams vs. Bears: 4 key matchups to watch on Sunday night

Jalen Ramsey should be matched up with Allen Robinson throughout this game.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Jacobarch]

We better chip mack on most plays

 

[fearsomefour]

Evans is in deep.
He will need help.
TE on his side or a TE lined up in the back field to help. Better to hold than give him a free runner.
McVay has to help the OL with play calling.
Don’t have a ton of confidence McVay won’t lose the script part way through the game.
He can’t succumb to the Martzian habit of calling plays that I’m sure made sense except for one thing....if the OL is not capable of executing those plays will fail.
Not a missed assignment or whatever, but, physically not capable of holding up.
The Rams D has to play nearly perfectly.
They D gave up 10 points last week and scored 8 and still managed to lose.
I think the Rams can win and very well may beat the Bears.
But margins have become Jeff Fisher era thin.

 

[fearsomefour]

We better chip mack on most plays

More than chip.
He is going to likely require double teams.
Although I don’t know that McVay will be willing to take a receiver (TE) out of the routes.

 

[Jacobarch]

More than chip.
He is going to likely require double teams.
Although I don’t know that McVay will be willing to take a receiver (TE) out of the routes.

He better. That's what gotten us into trouble

 

[Riverumbbq]

Rams to start rookie Bobby Evans at RT vs. Khalil Mack, Bears

Cameron DaSilva

3 hours ago


Rob Havenstein’s knee injury could not have come at a worse time for the Los Angeles Rams, and it’s going to be very easy to see why on Sunday night. With Havenstein out at a couple weeks, the Rams will be forced to replace him with an unproven player at right tackle.
That player will apparently be rookie Bobby Evans, who told Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic that he’ll be the starter on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.


The Bears have one of the best defensive players in the NFL with Khalil Mack, and it just so happens that Mack typically lines up across from the right tackle. With Evans making his first career start, you can bet Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano will be putting him across from Evans as much as possible.
That’s not exactly a recipe for success for the Rams. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. This has a chance to be a disaster for the Rams and Jared Goff. Mack is one of the best edge rushers in the league and makes even the best offensive tackles look foolish on a weekly basis.
It’s scary to think what he’s going to do against a rookie like Evans, who has played just three snaps in his NFL career. It doesn’t help that Evans looked terrible in the preseason lining up at everywhere from guard to tackle – and that was against second- and third-stringers.
The Rams could have opted to go with David Edwards at right tackle and plug Evans in at right guard. Or put Coleman Shelton at center and Austin Blythe back at right guard. None of the solutions to replacing Havenstein are good ones, but Edwards was exclusively a right tackle in college and has looked good in three starts this season at guard.
It’s understandable that the Rams would prefer not to move him from guard, but he’s a more experienced player and likely a better fit at right tackle than Evans is. Again, there’s no easy way to replace someone like Havenstein, but Evans could be in for a long night on Sunday.

Rams to start rookie Bobby Evans at RT vs. Khalil Mack, Bears

The Rams are gambling by putting rookie Bobby Evans at RT against the Bears.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Riverumbbq]

Jared Goff prepared to play behind makeshift O-line: 'It's part of the job'

Cameron DaSilva

2 hours ago


In the last two years, the Rams had the same four offensive linemen start all 32 games. The fifth position was occupied by Jamon Brown in 2017 and Austin Blythe last year, meaning the Rams only started six different players up front in two years – a truly remarkable feat.
This season, they’ve already started six different players in nine games, and that number is going to rise by two in Week 11. With Brian Allen and Rob Havenstein both out, the Rams will thrust two new faces into the starting lineup.

Here’s how the offensive line is expected to look on Sunday night against the Bears:

• LT Andrew Whitworth
• LG Austin Corbett
• C Austin Blythe
• RG David Edwards
• RT Bobby Evans

Corbett and Evans will be making their first starts for the Rams, while Blythe will be playing out of his normal position (guard). The only remaining starter at his original position in Week 1 is Andrew Whitworth.
Against a defensive front like Chicago’s, Jared Goff could be in for a beating. He’s not concerned about it, though, and will just try to do his job.
“I trust those guys, I feel good with them and they’ve done a great job. Outside of Corbett, we have experience with all of them,” Goff said Wednesday. “Austin, I thought, did a great job last week with his limited time. It’s part of the job. It’s not always going to be perfect back there and if it’s not, I’ll be just fine. If it is – as I do expect them to play well – it’ll be great as well. It’s part of the job description and when you play quarterback, at times, it’s not always going to be like we had the last couple years. I think we had probably 32-straight games with the starting five, and that’s really unheard of. This is more closer to reality and just going to prepare for it.”
Sean McVay expressed similar confidence in the Rams’ new starters on the offensive line, specifically talking about Corbett playing well in limited action on Sunday and Edwards making a seamless switch between guard and tackle.
“To see Austin Corbett seamlessly step in, do a nice job at the left guard spot. To see David Edwards start the game off playing really well at the right guard spot and then transition outside. I think it’s unfortunate, you hate to see your guys get injured. Anytime that occurs, you never like that. When it does occur, you get the chance to really evaluate guys and I thought they took advantage of those opportunities to be evaluated and to step up,” McVay said.
The Rams can do nothing but proceed with the current players they have. They just have to hope to survive the absence of Havenstein for a few weeks until he can return.

Jared Goff prepared to play behind makeshift O-line: 'It's part of the job'

Jared Goff isn’t worried about playing behind the Rams’ patched-together offensive line.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Ellard80]

More than chip.
He is going to likely require double teams.
Although I don’t know that McVay will be willing to take a receiver (TE) out of the routes.

They were doubling and chipping Watt last game... sometimes though that still wasn't enough.

 

[Angry Ram]

I'm not really worried. Khalil Mack is a stud, but ever since Akiem Hicks got hurt, he and the rest of the Bears' D has struggled. They aren't good against the run, and Khalil has only had a whopping 1 sack over that time. That has effected their secondary and they can be beat.

Now can the Rams take advantage of that? After last week there's no where to go but up.

 

[Riverumbbq]

We better chip mack on most plays

Make our 325 lbs. Chandler Brewer into a TE who then becomes our reverse Edge spy that follows and levels Watt whenever he crosses the LOS ? alm:

 

[fearsomefour]

They were doubling and chipping Watt last game... sometimes though that still wasn't enough.

True.
Partly because Havenstein was basically defenseless against his dip move.
Hav has always had a bit a struggle against speed guys but it was bad. Watt would low and have leverage. Hav was too slow footed to do anything but sort of touch him as he went by. Honestly, he should have held more.
A chip either has to direct the rusher back to the T or just stay with a dedicated double team.
Also expect a lot of stunts (cunning stunts) and disguised blitzes against such an inexperienced line.

 

[RedRam]

Anybody want to buy a couple tickets to the game? They're good seats! This game being at night complicates travel. My scheduled flight home doesn't land until 12:05am. That gets me home around 1:30am. Monday morning alarm goes off at 4:30...

 

[BonifayRam]

We better chip mack on most plays

Time for for the 6-6 260 lbs Tyler Higbee to start real early on earning his near $9 million 2020 paycheck Sunday evening.

It sure would help me a lot on why the Rams Org. Invested so much valuable &
scarce 2020 cap funds on an average NFL TE???

Higbee needs to take care of business in helping rookie RT Bobby Evans with his first NFL start with pass rusher Mack.

 

[AZRams]

True.
Partly because Havenstein was basically defenseless against his dip move.
Hav has always had a bit a struggle against speed guys but it was bad. Watt would low and have leverage. Hav was too slow footed to do anything but sort of touch him as he went by. Honestly, he should have held more.
A chip either has to direct the rusher back to the T or just stay with a dedicated double team.
Also expect a lot of stunts (cunning stunts) and disguised blitzes against such an inexperienced line.

A cunning array of stunts...

 

[BonifayRam]

I am guessing from what I see thus far that Kromer has decided on 2nd yr Austin Corbett LG & rookie David Edwards @ RG as his starting duo OG's with Chandler Brewer as the top swing OG reserve from this point on.

Kromer going with Bobby Evans as the starting RT with Havenstein out just follows through on what Evans has been doing since Edwards became a starter. Not sure who will the top reserve swing OT other than Brewer. I would think that Demby might be activated this Sunday as the swing OG.

What do you all think?

LT- Whitworth
LG- Corbett
OC- Blythe/ Shelton
RG- Edwards/ Demby
RT- Evans/ Brewer

 

[fearsomefour]

A cunning array of stunts...

Exactly.