7 key players for LA Rams vs Bears on the SNF season opener

The LA Rams are heading for the first game of the 2021 season. Is it a must-win situation already? Well no, not exactly. This is still a game that can carry huge weight in calculating the NFL Playoffs berthing. The Chicago Bears factor in as a 2020 NFL Playoff team just as the Rams do.  The Bears are not an NFC West opponent but it’s a lot better first step toward the playoff if the Rams win this one.

The Chicago Bears have been a nemesis for LA Rams head coach Sean McVay. Even as he currently boasts a 2-1 record against them, these games are infamously close and low scoring. For an offensively minded head coach, that illustrates that this is a challenging contest each time the Rams have faced them

This is the fourth consecutive season where the LA Rams facing the Bears, and over time both teams have become familiar with one another. So familiar, in fact, that the 2020 game plan used by the Rams employed some household names at Johnny Mundt, Josh Reynolds, and Gerald Everett. Of that group, only tight end Johnny Mundt remains on the Rams roster and he continues to be featured primarily as a blocking tight end.

LA Rams head coach Sean McVay was all business in this one. McVay talked about A’Shawn Robinson being on track for this one. McVay also responded to the fact that Sony Michel is progressing well on his crash course of learning the team’s playbook and being useful in the week one contest.

The Rams would love to win this one. But perhaps part of the hope in this one is not just to emerge with a win, but to ensure that the team is synched up between the offensive line, the veteran quarterback, the receivers, the running back(s), and even the center to quarterback presumed automatic snap.

There is much more at stake in this one than the first game of the NFL season. Unlike past seasons for LA Rams head coach Sean McVay, there is a new quarterback under center named Matthew Stafford. Since this will be the team’s first live-action scenario of Stafford working in the Rams offense, I would expect a bit of everything in the playbook to be involved with this one.