The NFC West champion Rams were in for a game they have not quite frankly seen in a while after being on the opposition of a dominating performance.
Los Angeles coach Sean McVay certainly did not shy away from questions after the Rams (11-2) suffered a 15-6 statement loss against the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears (9-4) Sunday night at Soldier Field.
“Really, consistently over and over I continue to put our players in bad spots,” Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said. “Certainly, a humbling night, but it’s one you get a chance to look at yourself critically, find a way to get better and move forward accordingly and that’s exactly what we’re going to do and that’s all I know how to do. And I have to be better for our football team. This loss is on me. I didn’t do a nearly good enough job for us today. I trust we will respond the right way.”
For a team that suffered only its second loss of the season, a panic button still seems light years away. However, home field advantage throughout the playoffs can be entirely questioned between the Rams and New Orleans, being that the Saints (11-2) have the tie-breaker over the Rams with only three games left in the regular season.
Los Angeles totaled 483 yards against the Saints in their only other loss of the season back in November in New Orleans, 45-35.
Against the Bears, the Rams were held to 214 total yards and a season low 3-for-12 on third down efficiency.
“Our play on defense… all I can say is wow,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said. “For them to go out and do it (against) a team that had only one loss all year long is so powerful for our guys now because it helps us grow. It helps us grow with confidence. It helps us grow togetherness.”
The Bears defense which ranks fourth in the NFL, sacked Rams signal caller Jared Goff three times, as he simply had one of his worst games of his career, going back to his rookie campaign in 2016.
“It’s definitely tough to play in a big-time game like that and not play well and not win and not do what you want to do,” said Goff, who threw four interceptions and completed 20 of 44 passes for 180 yards. “But at the same time, we’re 11-2, won the division with three weeks left and have everything in front of us.”
Rams MVP caliber runner back was neutralized as well, finishing with 11 carries on 28 yards.
“We all played bad,” Gurley said, “coaches down to the players.”
For Chicago, offense was hard to come by, second year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky threw three interceptions and completed 16 of 30 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.
The Bears tailbacks proved to be one of the key factors in the game with giving Chicago a dominant 36-to-23 time of possession margin. Jordan Howard finished with 19 carries for 101 yards, while Tarik Cohen had nine carries for 69 yards.
In the third quarter, the Bears defense continued to pound the Rams offensive line and sacked Goff for a safety to give Chicago an 8-6 lead over the Rams.
Looking to put the game away early, Chicago used trickery at the two-yard line to catch Los Angeles off guard. Trubisky faked a handoff to defensive end Akiem Hicks and then rolled right and connected with backup offensive tackle Bradley Sowell for the sole touchdown of the game, 15-6.
“We needed a play, so they gave it to the play-maker,” Sowell said.
Up next, the Rams are looking ahead to their Week 15 Sunday night matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) at the Coliseum at 5:20 p.m.
“We know what’s up,” Gurley said. “We ain’t losing back to back.”
