Capping off a wild weekend of NFL playoff football, the Los Angeles Rams will face off with the Chicago Bears. With the final spot in the Conference Championship and a meeting with the Seattle Seahawks on the line, all eyes will be on this game.
The weather will be a factor in this game, with the forecast expecting temperatures in the teens and wind chills bringing the feel to zero at the time of kickoff. This will be quite a change from what Los Angeles is accustomed to, considering the sunny temperatures and dome it typically plays in. But there is sure to be plenty of emotions in this matchup with Sean McVay seemingly bothered by Ben Johnson’s antics following last week’s win over Matt LaFleur and the Packers.
Looking at the odds, the Rams enter as 3.5-point favorites and hold -198 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Bears hold +164 odds of winning outright, and the game total is set at O/U 49.5 points.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond just backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the NFC Divisional Round football matchup.
Rams at Bears Best Prop Bets
Caleb Williams Over 20.5 Rushing Yards (-109)
It has been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for Caleb Williams this season, but the flashes of talent are impossible to ignore. To his credit, he has been at his best whenever the moment is at its largest for the Bears this season. He has made plenty of big-time throws and leaned on his legs when the situation calls for it. While he will not be confused for Lamar Jackson, Williams is capable and willing to pick up chunks on the ground throughout the matchup. With the cold weather and massive stakes in mind, expect this to come into play tonight.
Across the regular season, Williams has rushed the ball 77 times for 388 yards and three rushing scores. He averaged 22.8 rushing yards per game, which is a slight step back from the 28.8 he averaged as a rookie. The USC product tallied at least one rushing attempt in every game this season and recorded over 20.5 rushing yards in eight of the 17 games in the regular season. During the opening playoff matchup against the Packers, Williams took off four times for exactly 20 yards.
Looking at this matchup, the Rams’ defense ranks 10th in points allowed and 17th in yards given up this season. They rank 19th in net yards per rush attempt conceded and allowed an average of 15.4 rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks this year. But this number is a bit watered down due to some matchups with pure pocket passers. In their opening playoff game, Bryce Young picked up 24 yards on three attempts, including scoring a touchdown on a 16-yard rush. Expect Williams to take what the defense gives him when he is forced out of the pocket and be willing to take matters into his own hands. The 20.5-yard line is a low enough rushing total that the 24-year-old could pick it up in just one attempt, so count on him escaping the pocket a few times in this matchup.
Puka Nacua Over 100.5 Receiving Yards (-113)
Puka Nacua has made a clear case for why he deserves the title of the best wide receiver in the NFL. He is an essential part of this Los Angeles attack. The BYU product led the NFL with 129 receptions and 107.2 receiving yards a game this season. Nacua finished with 1,715 receiving yards across the regular season and found the end zone 11 total times. He carried this momentum into the postseason, shredding the Panthers for 10 receptions for 111 receiving yards and a score in the team’s opening postseason matchup.
The 100.5 receiving yards is a high bar of expectation, but Nacua cleared this in six regular-season games. He also should be especially thrilled for this matchup with the Bears’ secondary, who have struggled to contain wide receivers of far inferior talent this season. Chicago finished the regular season ranked 23rd in points allowed and 29th in yards given up. Looking just at their pass defense, the Bears rank 22nd in total passing yards allowed, 28th in net yards per pass attempt and 28th in passing touchdowns conceded. In their opening playoff matchup, Romeo Doubs shredded them for 124 receiving yards on eight receptions, while Matthew Golden added 84 yards through the air of his own.
Nacua will be a much more difficult challenge for this Bears defense, with a diverse route tree and the ability to produce in a variety of ways. Count on Los Angeles to make a clear effort to put the ball in his hands and allow him to make plays, as well as have a few deep shots drawn up for him. Stars tend to shine the brightest in the postseason, and Nacua made quite a statement that he is ready for the moment with his play last week. Expect him to take full advantage of the weak Chicago secondary and record over 100.5 receiving yards for the second straight playoff game.
Colby Parkinson Anytime Touchdown (+235)
While Puka Nacua and Davante Adams headline the passing attack, Colby Parkinson has continually emerged as a legitimate weapon for the Rams this year. The standout tight end finished the regular season with 43 receptions for 408 receiving yards and a career-best eight receiving scores. Parkinson carried this into the postseason with 34 receiving yards and a touchdown last week. This touchdown was the game-winning score for Los Angeles, coming on a 19-yard strike with just 38 seconds remaining.
Parkinson will face the same advantage against this porous Chicago secondary. The Bears have also been specifically vulnerable against opposing tight ends this season. Across the regular season, they averaged 5.6 receptions for 49.6 receiving yards to opposing tight ends, with six tight ends finding the end zone against them.
You cannot cover everyone and expect Parkinson to benefit from the attention that Nacua and Adams will command. He has become especially valuable in the red zone as the season has progressed, scoring all eight of his touchdowns across the final nine weeks of the regular season. This carried directly over to the postseason matchup last week and proved that Los Angeles trusts him in big spots. The conditions should make check-down looks to the tight end even more likely. Count on Parkinson remaining involved in this matchup and taking a trip to the end zone for the 10th time across the past 11 weeks.
