Los Angeles Rams‘ high-powered offense while shuffling their way to a surprising victory over the team that came in with the NFL’s best record.In a season of huge strides L.J. Collier Jersey , this might be their biggest one yet.Eddie Goldman led a dominant effort by the defense and the NFC North-leading Bears beat the NFC West champion Rams 15-6 on Sunday night.Article continues below ...“Our play on defense — all I can say is wow,” coach Matt Nagy said.The Rams (11-2) missed a chance to secure a first-round playoff bye and fell into a tie with New Orleans for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.Goff threw a career-high four interceptions and was sacked three times, with Goldman getting to him for a tiebreaking safety early in the third quarter.Bradley Sowell became the first Bears offensive lineman in 11 years with a touchdown reception when he caught a 2-yarder from Mitchell Trubisky in the third quarter. And after four straight last-place finishes in the NFC North, Chicago continued to close in on its first division title and playoff appearance since 2010.“For them to go out and do it (against) a team that had only one loss all year long … is so powerful for our guys now because it helps us grow,” Nagy said. “It helps us grow with confidence. It helps us grow togetherness. When you teach that and you talk about it over and over and over — as a culture, as a building, everyone together as a family — and then they do it, it lights a fire. It puts us in a great position. We do talk about one game at a time. They’re gonna enjoy tonight and then we’re gonna get right back in it and get ready for next week.”Coming off a shaky outing against Detroit, Goff was 20 of 44 for 180 yards with a 19.1 rating. NFL rushing leader Todd Gurley ran for a season-low 28 yards on 11 carries, and the Rams’ three-game win streak came to an end.The Rams’ only other loss was at New Orleans. But against the Monsters of the Midway, they managed just 214 yards.“Really Johnathan Abram Jersey , consistently over and over I continue to put our players in bad spots,” Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said. “Certainly a humbling night, but it’s one you get a chance to look at yourself critically, find a way to get better and move forward accordingly and that’s exactly what we’re going to do and that’s all I know how to do. And I have to be better for our football team. This loss is on me. I didn’t do a nearly good enough job for us today. I trust we will respond the right way.”The Bears (9-4) bounced back from a wild overtime loss at the New York Giants and won for the sixth time in seven games.Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks had sacks. Roquan Smith, Prince Amukamara, Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller had interceptions, helping Chicago come away with the win despite a shaky effort from Trubisky.“All 11 guys collectively going against the offense, it was going to be a big challenge for us,” Mack said. “We stepped up to the challenge.”The Bears needed it with Trubisky struggling about as badly as Goff.After missing the previous two games because of a right shoulder injury, he was 16 of 30 for 110 yards and three interceptions.“It’s hard to be down when you get such a big win like that,” Trubisky said. “You’ve just got to put your own selfish thoughts about how you played aside. … I’m just very proud of the way the team had my back.”PULLING AHEADGoldman broke a 6-6 tie in the opening minute of the third quarter when he sacked Goff for Chicago’s first safety this season.The Bears then used a trick play they call “Santa’s Sleigh” to make it 15-6 Maxx Crosby Jersey , when Sowell hauled in a 2-yarder from Trubisky on a play-action with defensive end Hicks. That made him the first Bears offensive lineman with a TD reception since John St. Clair against Kansas City on Sept. 16, 2017.“We needed a play so they gave it to the play-maker,” Sowell said.The Rams had a big opportunity late in the third when John Johnson III returned an interception 35 yards to the Chicago 27. But Fuller picked off a wobbly pass from Goff intended for Josh Reynolds on the next play.Los Angeles’ Greg Zuerlein missed a 40-yard field goal off the right upright in the opening minutes of the fourth after making a 50-yarder earlier in the game.INJURIESRams: CB Dominique Hatfield was taken from the field on a cart with an ankle injury in the third quarter. He was hurt on the kickoff following Sowell’s TD. … C John Sullivan was evaluated for a concussion after being shaken up blocking on a run by Gurley late in the first quarter. But he returned in the second half.Bears: CB Bryce Callahan left the game with a foot injury late in the first half.UP NEXTRams: Host Philadelphia on Dec. 16.Bears: Host Green Bay on Dec. 16.
The strength of a contending club often isn’t determined by who plays every day, but who plays only every few days. Or every few weeks. Or even every few months.

The Milwaukee Brewers were concerned when they began their Friday night game in Cincinnati with two injured starting outfielders, Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich, then lost the other starter, Ryan Braun, to lower back tightness in the seventh inning.

But manager Craig Counsell plugged in exactly the right pieces, and a spare outfield group that probably should be called “The Replacements” keyed an 8-2 victory over the Reds.

How’s this for a couple of fills-in, who did nothing except fill up the box score: Keon Broxton was 3-for-4 with two homers, four RBIs Foster Moreau Jersey , a run stolen by some alert baserunning and an exceptional sliding catch.

And Hernan Perez, who came in after Braun was hurt, contributed a two-run double to start a five-run ninth inning.

“They (the Brewers outfield) have been the workhorse of this team, so I’ve got to come in and fill their spot while they’re down. It was a good night,” said Broxton, who played in only his third game this season.

Because their bench came through yet again — on Thursday night, part-time starter Eric Thames hit his third consecutive game-winning homer against the Reds — the Brewers can assure them of winning the four-game series by taking Saturday’s game at Great American Ball Park.

“It speaks to our depth again … we’ve had a couple of games like that where (bench players) make meaningful contributions,” Counsell said. “With Yelich down, we’re counting on Keon, so it’s got to be a good feeling for him.”

The last-place Reds had won nine of 10 coming in to the series, but still can’t seem to solve the Brewers Joey Bosa Jersey , who have won seven of eight games against Cincinnati. Milwaukee owns the National League’s best record at 48-33.

“These guys have been battling all year and they’re in a good spot right now, so I’m trying to do my best to keep them right there,” Broxton said.

Milwaukee will send out right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (6-3), who has lost his last two decisions, on Saturday to face Reds right-hander Tyler Mahle (6-6), who has won his last three decisions during a span of six starts.

“We’ve got to play better. … Their pitching kind of stifled us the last two nights,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “We’ve got to turn it back on … crank it up again with our bats.”

Yelich sat out with a lower back issue. He’s listed as day to day — and so Broxton made his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Tuesday.

Broxton had an RBI single in the second against Sal Romano (4-8), then hit the first of his two homers to make the score 2-0 in the fourth. Then, with Milwaukee up 2-1 in the eighth after reliever Michael Lorenzen’s homer for the Reds, Broxton appeared to be caught off third by Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart.

But he eluded a tag by falling down, then scored as Orlando Arcia distracted the Reds by allowing himself to be tagged off second.

Broxton finished quite an evening’s work with a two-run homer in the ninth and a stretched-out catch of Scooter Gennett’s drive into the right-center field gap with two runners on base.

“He’s been up and down (from the minors) a little bit Tony Pollard Jersey , but he’s very talented,” Riggleman said of Broxton, who hit only .220 while spending most of last season with Milwaukee. “He can do a lot of things — he can hit with power, he can run and he plays great defense.”

The Reds didn’t do much against Brewers starter Chase Anderson, who limited them to one other hit besides Lorenzen’s homer in six innings, and relievers Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress and Dan Jennings.

Now, the Brewers would like to get Chacin straightened out. His ERA jumped from 3.18 to 3.82 as he gave up eight runs, nine hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings during an 8-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Chacin is 2-3 in nine career games against the Reds. He didn’t get the decision during a 6-5 Brewers win on April 30.

In Mahle’s only previous start against the Brewers, Thames beat him with a two-run homer in a 2-0 Milwaukee win on April 18.