LOS ANGELES _ Two starting receivers did not play. The injury-depleted offensive line was largely inexperienced.
So Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay played it safe Sunday night against the Chicago Bears.
McVay put the ball in the hands of running back Todd Gurley and let the defense do the rest in a 17-7 victory before 70,758 at the Coliseum.
Too be sure, the Rams' victory lacked style points. But in improving their record to 6-4, the Rams averted falling out of playoff contention.
Gurley rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown in a season-high 25 carries, and cornerback Troy Hill intercepted a pass for a Rams defense that made one of the NFL's least-productive offenses look the part.
It was a productive homecoming for the Rams, who had not played at the Coliseum since an Oct. 13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. That loss had extended a Rams' losing streak to three games and appeared to put their hopes of a third consecutive playoff appearance in jeopardy.
They rebounded for two victories, however, before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks seemingly in control of the NFC West, the Rams needed a victory to keep alive their bid for a possible NFC wild-card spot.
They got it despite receiver Brandin Cooks sitting out while recovering from concussions, and Robert Woods sitting out because of what the Rams described as a personal issue.
The won despite Gurley losing a fumble on the Rams' first play, and quarterback Jared Goff having a pass intercepted on the second possession.
Goff mostly struggled through the first three quarters but found a rhythm in the fourth quarter, completing passes to receiver Josh Reynolds and tight end Gerald Everett during a game-clinching drive.
Goff completed 11 of 18 passes for 173 yards.
Goff's 50-yard completion to receiver Cooper Kupp in the second quarter set up Gurley's short touchdown run for a 10-0 lead.
The Bears cut the deficit to three points midway through the third quarter on Mitchell Trubisky's 14-yard touchdown pass to running back Tarik Cohen.
But Goff engineered a fourth-quarter drive that ended with Malcolm Brown's five-yard touchdown run, sending the Bears' to a defeat that dropped their record to 4-6.
Gurley, who signed a massive extension before last season, had not carried the ball more than 18 times this season. In the defeat to the Steelers, he did not touch the ball in the fourth quarter.
But McVay kept giving the ball to Gurley even after the Bears turned the ball over on downs with less than two minutes left and the outcome in hand.
It did not start well for the Rams.
Gurley lost a fumble on the Rams' first play, and Goff had a pass intercepted on the second series. But the Bears offense and kicking game was so ineffective _ they missed two-field goal attempts _ the Rams took a 10-0 lead on a Greg Zuerlein field goal and a short touchdown run by Gurley.
Gurley shook off his fumble and rushed for 64 yards in 12 carries and caught two passes for 30 yards in the first half.
Gurley carried four consecutive times during a late first-quarter drive that ended with Zuerlein's 38-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
With 5:23 left in the first half, Hill intercepted a pass, giving the Rams the ball at their 44-yard line.
Receiver Kupp appeared to handicap the drive when he was called for illegal procedure on a third-and-one play, but on the next play, Goff completed a 50-yard pass to Kupp to the Bears' one-yard line.
Gurley came on and carried the ball into the end zone for a 10-0 lead.
