Los Angeles Rams vs Chicago Bears Divisional Playoff Prediction & Odds - 1/18/2026
Updated January 12, 2026
Updated January 12, 2026
The Los Angeles Rams will travel to Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday for an NFC Divisional playoff contest against the Chicago Bears. Both teams earned thrilling Wild Card victories over the weekend, as the Rams survived a late surge by the Carolina Panthers and the Bears rallied from an 18‑point deficit to defeat the Green Bay Packers. With both teams riding high, who will advance to the NFC Championship Game? Continue reading to find my Rams vs Bears prediction below.
Pick: | Rams -3.5 |
Confidence: | 4/5 |
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Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
Rams -3.5 | Rams -192 / Bears +160 | 51.5 |
The Rams enter this playoff battle with one of the league’s most explosive offenses led by quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford topped the NFL in passing yards with 4,707 and tossed 46 touchdowns during the regular season. Stafford, an All‑Pro selection this year, played through a finger injury during the Wild Card win and is listed as questionable, but X‑rays revealed no fracture, suggesting he should be able to play.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua continues to be Stafford’s primary target with a massive 129 receptions and 10 scores in the year, and running back Kyren Williams has been effective in the ground game with 1,252 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. The Rams needed their explosive offense to beat the Carolina Panthers in a 34-31 game over Wild Card Weekend and it will be up to the LA defense to step up in this game on the road.
The Bears got the job done in the Wild Card round despite trailing the Green Bay Packers 21-3 and by 15 points in the fourth quarter. The Bears rallied back to win that game thanks to a huge night from quarterback Caleb Williams, who threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns, along with two interceptions. Williams has to take better care of the football early in this game to avoid putting the Bears in another hole.
The question will be which version of the Bears defense shows up in this contest. Chicago's defense was dreadful in the first half against the Packers, but they shut down Green Bay for the majority of the second half. That kind of Jekyll and Hyde performance would likely lead the Bears to a loss against a team as explosive as the Rams, and Chicago will need 60 minutes of solid defending to have a chance here.
Score Projection: Rams 27 – Bears 23
Win Probability: Rams 58%, Bears 42%
Both of these teams showcased some concerning play during the Wild Card round, but managed to power through and get wins anyway. In this game, I think the Rams will be a slightly more consistent football team. I'll lay the points with LA on the road, as they should get to the NFC title game to face either the 49ers or Seahawks in an NFC West rivalry game with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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