The Rams are headed back to the NFC Championship Game, but the path there was anything but smooth.
In a snowy, chaotic divisional-round battle at Soldier Field, Los Angeles survived a stunning late touchdown, steadied itself in overtime and leaned on its defense just long enough to set up Harrison Mevis’ game-winning kick. The 42-yard field goal capped a rugged night and sent the Rams back to Seattle on Jan. 25 with a Super Bowl berth on the line.
What many expected to be a high-scoring showcase between explosive offenses instead turned into a physical, mistake-filled grind. Los Angeles struggled to find offensive rhythm for long stretches but stayed composed enough to tie the game before halftime and avoid unraveling after a late breakdown in regulation.
With 18 seconds left, Cobie Durant bit on a play fake on fourth down, allowing Caleb Williams to loft a desperation touchdown to Cole Kmet and force overtime. Rather than fold, the Rams regrouped, tightened defensively and got the break they needed when Kam Curl intercepted Williams in the extra period. From there, Los Angeles moved the ball just far enough for Mevis, who shook off the memory of his lone miss this season, to deliver the season-saving kick.
For Chicago, the magic that carried it through much of the season finally ran out. Down 17-10 late, Williams authored another jaw-dropping moment, spinning under pressure and firing a 14-yard touchdown pass that traveled more than 50 yards in the air to Kmet on fourth-and-4. It was a fitting encapsulation of a season filled with improbable plays.
But overtime proved unforgiving. After converting a fourth-down run to keep the Bears alive, Williams threw his third interception of the night, a mistake the Rams immediately turned into the winning drive. Williams flashed brilliance but was undone by inconsistency, visibly affected by a sore right hand in the freezing conditions. The Rams converted his three interceptions into 10 points, a decisive edge in a game with few scoring chances.
Los Angeles ultimately steadied itself by leaning on the run game when it mattered most. Sean McVay largely abandoned the ground attack early, calling just 11 runs through three quarters as Matthew Stafford labored through an uneven night. With the game hanging in the balance, McVay flipped the script, calling 19 runs in the fourth quarter and overtime. The production wasn’t pretty, but the cumulative effect wore down a Chicago defense that had controlled much of the game. The Rams opened the fourth quarter with a run-heavy touchdown drive that included a critical fourth-down conversion by Puka Nacua, and they stayed committed to the ground in overtime, mixing in timely throws to Nacua and Davante Adams to reach field-goal range.
The Bears will be left to rue a series of missed opportunities. Chicago moved the ball effectively, outgained Los Angeles and dominated time of possession, but failures in short-yardage and fourth-down situations proved costly. Williams’ first interception came on fourth down in the opening quarter, and another promising drive stalled when Kyle Monangai was stuffed on fourth-and-1 in Rams territory. Chicago failed on three fourth downs in scoring range, was repeatedly stopped in short-yardage situations and dropped a potential early touchdown when Rome Odunze couldn’t secure a pass in the end zone. The Rams’ defense recorded 13 “stuffs,” consistently winning in high-leverage moments.
After a shaky first half, Los Angeles’ defense saved its best for last. The Rams missed tackles early and were fortunate to be tied at halftime, but they emerged from the break with renewed energy. They forced punts, generated an interception and delivered a goal-line stand at the 2-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, highlighted by Quentin Lake’s crushing hit on D’Andre Swift. Even after surrendering Williams’ miraculous game-tying touchdown, the unit regrouped once more, responding to a brief offensive stumble in overtime by producing the interception that sealed the Bears’ fate.
It wasn’t clean, and it wasn’t comfortable, but the Rams survived. In a game defined by resilience rather than style points, Los Angeles did just enough to advance, earning another trip to the NFC Championship Game and keeping its Super Bowl hopes alive.
