Los Angeles @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 15, 2015 ) Chicago 37, Los Angeles 13

The Los Angeles Rams are back in the driver's seat for the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, but they face a major road test when they visit the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears on Sunday night. The Rams have won three in a row since their lone loss and will face a Chicago squad that had its five-game winning streak snapped last week.

Los Angeles (11-1) became the first team to clinch a division, wrapping up its second straight NFC West title with a 30-16 victory at the Detroit Lions a week ago. "It's a great feeling," Rams quarterback Jared Goff said. "I think it was kind of definitely different than last year. It was a bit more expected this year. It happened earlier on in the year and this is something that we put as a check mark early on in the year, and are able to mark that off now and it feels good." While the Bears' stingy defense will be tasked with slowing down Los Angeles' potent offense, Chicago also will receive a boost with the expected return of starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky from a right shoulder injury that sidelined him for two games. The marquee matchup also will feature the NFL's two highest-paid defensive players -- Bears linebacker Khalil Mack and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Rams -3. O/U: 51.5

ABOUT THE RAMS (11-1): Running back Todd Gurley had one of his worst games of the season before the Week 12 bye but he showed fresh legs against Detroit by rushing for 132 yards and putting the game away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Goff is 246 yards shy of reaching 4,000 for the first time and needs one touchdown pass to match last season's total of 28 for Los Angeles, which is tied for second in the league with an average of 34.9 points. Wideouts Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks are Goff's top two targets with 64 and 63 receptions, respectively. The Rams rank in the middle of the pack defensively, but reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Donald is having another monster season with a league-best 16.5 sacks.

ABOUT THE BEARS (8-4): Backup Chase Daniel was intercepted twice and sacked five times in last weekend's 30-27 loss at the New York Giants, but Trubisky is much more mobile and was not sacked more than twice in his last seven games. Trubisky, who has thrown for more than 300 yards four times but also has failed to surpass 200 in the same number of games, has rushed for at least 43 yards in five of his last seven contests. Jordan Howard heads an inconsistent running game while backfield mate Tarik Cohen leads Chicago in both catches (59) and receiving yards (659). Mack had 9.0 sacks for a defense that faltered against the Giants but ranks second against the run (85.8) and tops the league in interceptions (21) and touchdowns (5).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Donald can become the fourth player since 1982 to record at least two sacks in four consecutive games in one season.

2. Trubisky has 1,427 yards with 14 TDs and four interceptions in his last five at home.

3. Gurley has scored 18 touchdowns in his last eight games on the road.

PREDICTION: Rams 27, Bears 26