Chicago Bears vs. St. Louis Rams: What's the Game Plan for St. Louis?

The St. Louis Rams (4-4) will host the Chicago Bears (3-5) for an NFC showdown. The Bears started the season with a sloppy 0-3 record, but they've managed to win three of their last five. It'll take a strong game plan for St. Louis to secure the win. 

One thing working in St. Louis' favor is the fact Chicago has struggled against NFC West teams this year. The Bears lost to Arizona by a score of 48-23 and fell to Seattle 26-0. Those two games are Chicago's worst losses of the season—and it's worth noting they came against two teams the Rams have already defeated this year. 

Still, it's not going to be a simple win, and it's a game St. Louis needs to take. After suffering an emotional loss in Minnesota last week and falling back to .500, the Rams' window for error is beginning to shrink. If you count on 10-6 being the minimum record necessary for a playoff berth, the Rams—at 4-4—can only suffer two more losses. With Cincinnati, Arizona and Seattle still on the schedule, St. Louis cannot withstand an avoidable loss against a lesser team like Chicago. 

The players know the stakes, so it should be a hard-fought game. Here's what to look for. 

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Offensive Game Plan

The Rams passing game was once again abysmal against Minnesota. Quarterback Nick Foles was held to 168 yards on 33 attempts—marking the seventh straight game St. Louis has been held under 200 yards passing. 

The Tebow-like aerial incompetence has been a major drag on the offense. Thankfully, St. Louis signed veteran slot receiver Wes Welker, according to Yahoo Sports, which could eventually improve not only the passing game, but also the team's last-place third-down conversion rate (23.8 percent). 

Still, there's no guarantee Welker will even play this Sunday. Even if he does, it'll likely take some time before he's in sync with his new quarterback. If Welker makes an impact, it'll probably be a few weeks down the road. 

That said, we can expect to see the usual aerial game plan. Foles might take a few shots down field to keep the Chicago defense honest, but most of the passes will be at the line of scrimmage or under 10 yards. 

Fortunately, the Rams have two young, special playmakers at their disposal in Todd Gurley in Tavon Austin. Just like every week, the game plan will focus on getting them the football. 

Road grader Rob Havenstein will be returning to right tackle this week. That, combined with a mediocre Chicago run defense that ranks 24th (121.6 yards per game) should provide plenty of opportunities for Gurley on the ground. 

The Rams will run Gurley all afternoon. By the end of the game, it's possible Chicago's No. 24 ranking in run defense will be much lower. Expect another big performance for No. 30. 

St. Louis will supplement Gurley with a healthy dose of Tavon Austin. Chicago will have to watch the reverses, quick passes and jet sweeps. The Rams will also get Austin some reps at running back and probably send him deep once or twice. 

As long as the run lanes are there for Gurley, the Rams should get enough point production for a win.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Defensive Game Plan

The first component of St. Louis' defensive game plan involves stopping the run game. That shouldn't be too complicated this week.

Chicago running back Matt Forte is dealing with an MCL sprain, per NFL.com. If he's able to play this Sunday, it's safe to say he won't be 100 percent. If he's not good to go, Chicago will stick with backup Jeremy Langford, who was an asset in the Bears' Week 9 win over Chicago. 

Langford finished that game with 72 yards rushing, 70 yards receiving and a touchdown. He's a dual-purpose threat, which could complicate things for St. Louis' defensive front. The outside linebackers must keep him inside when he runs routes out of the backfield. 

Regardless of whom Chicago sticks with at running back, St. Louis must rebound from last week's debacle in Minnesota, where the defense allowed Adrian Peterson to rush for 125 yards. The Rams need better performances from the linebackers—particularly James Laurinaitis, who surprisingly struggled last week after a stretch of solid games. 

Along with successfully shutting down the backfield, the Rams must also contain receiver Alshon Jeffery.

At 6'3" and 216 pounds, Jeffery will be a handful for the secondary. Luckily for the Rams, cornerback Janoris Jenkins has been a shutdown corner this season. Few corners in the game are outperforming Jenkins, and Pro Football Focus has him rated as its No. 10 corner with an overall grade of 7.9.

If Jenkins can lock down Jeffery, the defense should be in good shape. 

As usual, the Rams must also bring a fierce pass rush. Jay Cutler's offensive line has been solid in protection this season, as he's been sacked more than twice in a game just once this season. If the Rams can rattle him and rack up the sack count, it's unlikely Chicago's offense will survive. 

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Prediction: Rams 20, Bears 10

The Chicago Bears are just a game behind the Rams with three wins, but it's important to consider the quality of the wins. 

Of Chicago's three wins—Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego—only Oakland is currently .500 or better. Meanwhile, two of St. Louis' wins—Seattle, Arizona—came against teams with a winning or even record, including a clutch road win over the 6-2 Cardinals. 

That's not to say the Bears don't pose a threat. They managed to take down a very competitive Oakland team, so the Rams need to be on high alert. Having said that, there's no question St. Louis is the more talented and battle-tested team. 

The Rams also have the benefit of the home-field advantage, which could be a crucial difference-maker. 

Unless the St. Louis defense implodes and doesn't show up, it's hard to visualize the Rams being bested by Chicago.