With only eight games left and the 49ers pulling away in the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams need as many wins as they can get right now. Winning the division is quickly becoming an extremely difficult task, and the Rams don’t currently own a wild-card berth, either.
They’ve gotten things back on track by winning their last two games, but the Steelers come into this Week 10 matchup having won each of their last three. They might be the hotter team right now, but the Rams are undoubtedly the better (and healthier) squad.
Pittsburgh will be without James Conner and Benny Snell Jr., as well as Ramon Foster. JuJu Smith-Schuster suddenly has a foot injury and is questionable for Sunday’s game, only adding to the Steelers’ injury concerns.
The Rams are surprisingly just 3.5-point favorites, but they should win this game by more than just a field goal. All things considered, they should leave Pittsburgh with a two-score victory.
The fact that they’re on the road does give the Steelers a slight advantage, and Pittsburgh’s defense has been one of the best in the NFL this season, but the Rams aren’t missing any key players besides Brandin Cooks and are fresh off their bye.
Expect Los Angeles to set the tone early by running the football and using its three-headed monster in the backfield. Todd Gurley should see a good number of touches in this one after having a week to rest, and running the ball should help negate the Steelers’ pass rush early on.
Defensively, the Rams simply have to take away JuJu Smith-Schuster. Luckily, they have a guy named Jalen Ramsey roaming the secondary who has a knack for shadowing teams’ No. 1 receivers and limiting their production.
If the Rams can keep Smith-Schuster in check, Mason Rudolph will have a hard time moving the ball consistently. Pittsburgh simply doesn’t have the playmakers on offense to outscore the Rams if Smith-Schuster doesn’t get fed consistently.
Again, the Rams should win this game by two possessions, but Pittsburgh’s defense will keep things interesting. Still, Los Angeles will leave with a win and a 6-3 record.
Final score prediction: Rams 27, Steelers 20
