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The Rams, Super Bowl contenders riding a five-game winning streak, will navigate at least the next four games of the season without three veteran starters.

The Rams on Wednesday placed safety Quentin Lake, tight end Tyler Higbee and right tackle Rob Havenstein on injured reserve.

Lake, who had surgery Tuesday for a dislocated left elbow, Higbee (ankle) and Havenstein (knee/ankle) must sit out at least four games before they are eligible to return. The earliest return would be a Dec. 18 game against the Seahawks in Seattle.

“You don’t replace players like that,” McVay said of the experience and leadership that will be missing when the Rams play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. “You can’t expect others to be able to do that. You expect guys that are getting opportunities to step up to be the best versions of themselves.”

Lake, 26, was injured last Sunday in a victory over the Seattle Seahawks, a win that improved the Rams' record to 8-2. McVay indicated that if Lake returns, it would possibly be for the playoffs.

Josh Wallace played in Lake’s place as a hybrid nickel corner/linebacker. McVay said the Rams would continue to evaluate and formulate a plan to replace Lake moving forward, but they are expected to consider utilizing a combination that includes safety Kam Kinchens, Wallace and cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Roger McCreary.

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Higbee also was injured against the Seahawks.

The 10th-year pro has 20 receptions, including two for touchdowns, as the leader of a tight end group that includes Davis Allen, Colby Parkinson and rookie Terrance Ferguson, who is expected to get an increased role in Higbee’s absence.

Havenstein, an 11th year pro, played the first four games before he was sidelined for three games because of injuries. Third-year pro Warren McClendon played in his place.

Havenstein returned against the New Orleans Saints and has played the last three games, but McVay said time on injured reserve would enable him to work back to full strength.

“Both of those guys are obviously big-time leaders and catalysts on our team and our offense,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said of Higbee and Havenstein. “But we’ll just move forward with the guys that we have, and then hopefully those guys can heal up and be ready to go at some point.”

In corresponding moves, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to the active roster, claimed safety Chris Smith II off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders and signed cornerback Alex Johnson to the practice squad.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

NFL favorites dominated on the scoreboard in Week 11, winning 11 of 15 games, including five double-digit blowouts.

The results at the wagering window told a different story, though.

Yes, favorites cashed in all three prime-time affairs (and rather easily). Otherwise, underdogs went 8-4 ATS.

That continued a three-week NFL betting trend that has seen ’dogs pay off at a 58.1% rate against the number (25-18 ATS). And while sizable favorites — those laying 4 points or more — are a robust 57-18-1 this season straight up, they’re just 36-40 ATS.

Why mention that? Because eight of the 14 games on the Week 12 docket have consensus spreads of 6 points or more — including three double-digit favorites.

Translation: Oddsmakers aren’t anticipating much edge-of-your-seat drama this weekend. Which brings us to our latest NFL betting trends report that highlights all five — and the only five — Week 12 matchups in which both teams are at or above .500.

All listed odds are via BetMGM and subject to change.

Buffalo Bills (-6, 43.5) at Houston Texans

Kickoff: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Money line: Bills -285/Texans +230

• Houston is on a 5-2 roll (4-3 ATS) following Sunday’s 16-13 win at Tennessee. It was the second straight victory under backup quarterback Davis Mills, who continues to start in place of C.J. Stroud (concussion).

While the Texans are just 3-2 at home this season, both two losses were by a combined four points (20-19 to Tampa Bay in Week 2; 18-15 to Denver in Week 9).

That plays into an interesting NFL betting trend as it pertains to the point spread for this game: Since Week 4 of 2023, the Texans have played 23 home games (playoffs included) and only lost two by more than five points.

• Buffalo tallied 40-plus points for the third time this season in last week’s 44-32 home win over the Buccaneers as a 6-point favorite.

The Bills have scored at least 28 points in their seven victories (5-2 ATS) but just 20, 14 and 13 points in their three losses (0-3 ATS).

That’s noteworthy because Houston has held eight of 10 opponents to 20 points or fewer. The exceptions: a 36-29 Week 10 victory over Jacksonville and a 27-19 Week 7 loss at Seattle.

Buffalo has won eight consecutive Thursday Night Football games since 2019 (5-3 ATS), which includes a 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS mark as a visitor. Conversely, Houston is 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS on TNF during this decade.

• Including last year’s 23-20 win as a 1.5-point home favorite, the Texans are 6-2 SU and ATS against Buffalo since 2008 (5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS at home).

Additionally, the under cashed in seven of the eight meetings. All five contests in Houston fell short of the total (and fell short of 44 combined points).

Finally, the under is 7-1 in Buffalo’s last eight TNF appearances.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears (-2.5, 45)

Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Money line: Steelers +125/Bears -150

• Pittsburgh pulled away late for a 34-12 blowout win over the Bengals as a 5.5-point home favorite in Week 11.

It was the eighth consecutive time in which the straight-up winner covered the point spread in a game involving the Steelers.

Despite Sunday’s result, Pittsburgh is just 2-3 SU/ATS in its last five (0-2 SU/ATS on the road).

• Chicago stretched its winning streak to three in a row with Sunday’s last-second 19-17 victory at Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog.

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• Remarkably, the 7-3 Bears — who are on a 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS tear — are tied for the sixth-best record in the NFL despite having the league’s 18th-best point differential (minus-6).

Then again, Chicago has won and covered three straight home games, prevailing by point margins of 17, 12 and 4.

• Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has amassed 166 rushing yards in his last four games, with per-game totals of 24, 53, 63 and 26.

Williams’ rushing prop for Sunday against Pittsburgh: 23.5 yards.

• Pittsburgh QB Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken left (non-throwing) wrist against the Bengals. His status for Sunday’s game at Soldier Field was up in the air as of midweek.

If Rodgers does play, he and the Steelers will have an incredible NFL betting trend working in their favor: During his 18-year tenure in Green Bay, the four-time MVP went 25-5 SU and 23-7 ATS against the Bears (including a victory in the 2010 NFC championship game).

Rodgers is 12-3 SU and ATS all-time at Soldier Field, including 10-1 in his last 11 visits (9-2 ATS).

Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5, 50.5)

Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Money line: Colts +145/Chiefs -175

• Indianapolis traveled to Berlin in Week 10 and fended off the Falcons 31-25 in overtime as a 6.5-point favorite. That followed a 27-20 upset loss at Pittsburgh.

So the Colts — who started 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS — come out of their Week 11 bye looking to snap their first three-game ATS slump since Weeks 12-15 of last season (bye week included).

Indy is 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS at home, but just 2-2 SU and ATS as a visitor.

• Kansas City entered its Week 10 bye off a 28-21 upset loss at Buffalo, then emerged from the week off with Sunday’s 22-19 upset loss at Denver.

Those defeats followed a three-game SU and ATS winning streak (part of a 5-1 SU and ATS run).

On the bright side of the Chiefs’ NFL betting trends ledger, they’ve won and covered four straight at home. In fact, they’re 13-1 in their last 14 at Arrowhead Stadium (8-6 ATS).

• Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes has thrown an interception in three straight games (four total). He had been picked off in just three of his previous 16 regular season outings.

Mahomes’ odds to throw an interception Sunday: -105 (under -115). Total interceptions for the Colts in 10 games: 10.

• Indianapolis RB Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL with 1,139 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns and 17 total TDs.

Taylor has topped 100 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns in half of his team’s 10 games. His rushing projection for Sunday: 88.5 yards. His odds to score multiple touchdowns: +225 (and +750 to score three-plus TDs).

Taylor will face a Chiefs defense that ranks ninth in rushing defense (100 yards allowed per game) and has yielded 19 touchdowns (10 rushing, nine passing).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams (-6.5, 49.5)

Kickoff: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Money line: Buccaneers +260/Rams -325

• Tampa Bay is coming off back-to-back losses to the top two teams in the AFC East, falling 28-23 to New England at home in Week 10 and 44-32 at Buffalo last week.

The Bucs have followed a 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS start with a 1-3 SU and ATS slump. They’ve also dropped three of four as underdogs (both SU and ATS).

A couple of positive NFL betting trends for Tampa Bay: It hasn’t dropped three in row on the field since a four-game slump from Weeks 7-10 last year. Also, the Bucs haven’t endured an 0-3 ATS slide since a five-game funk from Weeks 12-16 in 2022 — a stretch of 46 regular-season contests.

• Los Angeles jumped out to a 14-0 lead in last week’s NFC West showdown against Seattle, then barely held on for a 21-19 victory.

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The Rams came up short as 3-point home favorites, ending a four-game spread-covering heater. Still, their 7-3 ATS mark trails only the Seahawks (8-2 ATS) for best in the NFL.

Furthermore, L.A. is 17-6 ATS in its last 23 regular season and playoff games, including 11-4 ATS as a favorite. Not once during this stretch did the team fail to cash in back-to-back contests.

• The under is 19-7 during this decade when Los Angeles plays in prime time (including three postseason games).

On the other hand, all four of Tampa Bay’s prime-time appearances in 2024 cleared the total (after 13 of the previous 19 stayed under).

Finally, the under has hit in five of the last seven Sunday Night Football games this season.

Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers (-7, 49)

Kickoff: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Money line: Panthers +275/49ers -350

• San Francisco welcomed back QB Brock Purdy from a lengthy injury absence in Week 11 and cruised to a 41-22 victory at Arizona as a 3.5-point road favorite.

That continued a quirky NFL betting trend that has seen the 49ers alternate wins and losses in nine consecutive games. They also have alternated covering the point spread in the last eight contests.

• Similarly, Carolina has alternated SU and ATS wins and losses in its last five outings, most recently upsetting the Falcons 30-27 as a 4-point road underdog.

Since Week 9 of 2024, the Panthers are on a 14-6 ATS surge, going 8-3 ATS as an underdog of 6.5 points or more. They also arrive in the Bay Area on a three-game SU and ATS road winning streak.

• The 49ers upset Carolina in the last two head-to-meetings (2019 and 2022).

Prior to that, the Panthers had been 13-7 SU and 17-3 ATS all-time against San Francisco.

• The Niners’ game at Arizona last week easily cleared the total. The over is now 7-3-1 in San Francisco’s games this season, including 6-1-1 in the last eight.

Carolina also is on a 19-9 over stretch since the 2024 season kicked off (9-5 on the road).

Lastly, this has historically been a high-scoring matchup, with the over going 15-3-1 in the last 19 Panthers-49ers clashes.