Rams cannot take these Bears lightly, and here's how to avoid a trap game:

Both the Rams and the Bears are looking for their second win. Now, here's how the Rams can avoid a Week 4 letdown.

Chicago Bears v Los Angeles Rams
Chicago Bears v Los Angeles Rams | Ronald Martinez/GettyImages
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There is a lot of optimism with the LA Rams right now. After all, the distance between a team with a 1-2 record is huge compared to the alternative, an 0-3 record. And the Rams have played both NFC Championship competitors from last season. The Rams lost to the Detroit Lions in ovetime by a score of 26-20. And the Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers after trailing them the entire game by as much as 14 points by a score of 27-24.

But this team was blown out of the water by the lowly Arizona Cardinals. So either the Rams are not as good as fans originally thought, the Cardinals are much better than anyone thought, or the Rams simply did not take their Week 2 game seriously enough.

And here we are, back on the road to face the Chicago Bears (1-2) on the road. The Bears opened the 2024 NFL season with a win over the Tennessee Titans. But they have lost games to the Houston Texans (at Houston) and to the Indianapolis Colts (at Indianapolis). So they are excited to return to the friendly confines of Soldier Field.

The Bears are a young team, particularly on offense. This is a team that averages 17.6 points per game and allows 19 points per game. The Rams, ironically, are a team that can score points, but will allow plenty of points to be scored too.

While the Rams have a legitimate shot to win in Week 4, this game is by no means a lock to the win column. In fact, the Rams would do well to approach this game as though they are an underdog. Regardless of how the oddsmakers view this game, they are in many ways.

Therein lies the rub. The Rams need a win in many ways. Not only does it restore the Rams to .500, but this is an important NFC contest that could play a significant role in NFL Playoff tiebreakers at season's end. And as we all recall, the Rams lost a winnable game at Lambeau Field in 2023 that had the potential to play havoc with the team's playoff berth.

So every game is vital.

How can the Rams avoid a Week 4 trap game? Here are some ways:

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