2026 NFL divisional round odds, predictions, start time: Rams vs. Bears picks by expert on 28-10 run

The 2026 NFL divisional round concludes on Sunday when Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears host Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams on the NFC side of the bracket. Both teams are coming off a thrilled win in the wild-card round as Chicago stormed back to beat the Packers and the Rams went on the road as 10-point favorites and held off the upset bid from the Panthers. 

Kickoff from Soldier Field in Chicago is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. Los Angeles is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Rams vs. Bears odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 48.5 via DraftKings Sportsbook. L.A. is at -198 on the money line. Before making any Bears vs. Rams picks, check out the NFL playoff predictions from SportsLine's Larry Hartstein.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He enters the divisional round of the 2026 NFL playoffs on a 42-33 run on NFL spread picks, and he's been especially locked in on his picks involving the Rams recently as he's on a 28-10 run, returning +1701. Anybody following his NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.    

Now, Hartstein has set his sights on Rams vs. Bears. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NFL odds and trends for Bears vs. Rams:

Why the Bears can cover

Chicago brings momentum into this matchup after an improbable comeback to knock off the rival Packers last week. The Bears outscored Green Bay 25-6 in the fourth quarter to erase a three-score halftime deficit. Williams shook off two interceptions and finished with two touchdown passes and 361 passing yards, including some clutch fourth-quarter passes that got Chicago back in the game. While the Bears have some deficiencies on defense, they boast a top-10 scoring offense as Williams has spread the ball around to DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III and others. They are getting more than a field goal at home this week against a Rams squad that was shaky at Carolina this week, giving them a great chance to cover. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Why the Rams can cover

Despite failing to cover in the wild-card round, Los Angeles has been one of the best NFL teams against the spread this season. The Rams are 12-6 ATS overall and 11-5 ATS as the favorites. Stafford leads the league's best scoring offense as the Rams are the only team in the NFL that averages more than 30 points per game. They also have a top-10 scoring defense, giving up just 20.9 points per game. Stafford has been in the MVP conversation this season, and he has an extremely strong supporting cast. Running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have combined for nearly 2,000 rushing yards, while receiver Puka Nacua led the NFL in receptions (129) in the regular season and ranked second in receiving yards (1,715). See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Rams vs. Bears picks

Hartstein is leaning Over on the total. He's also found a critical x-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can only get his pick at SportsLine. 

So who covers in Rams vs. Bears, and what critical x-factor do you need to know about? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert who is on a sizzling 28-10 run on Rams picks, and find out.