Rams’ Sean McVay goes full NSFW on game’s condition vs. Caleb Williams, Bears

The Los Angeles Rams are headed to the NFC Championship Game, but getting there was anything but comfortable. A frigid night at Soldier Field, combined with relentless pressure from the Chicago Bears and a late surge led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, pushed Sean McVay and his team to the brink before escaping with a 20-17 overtime victory.

Weather dominated the conversation all week leading up to the divisional-round matchup, and McVay made it clear afterward that it played a major role without using it as an excuse. Speaking after the win, the Rams head coach praised his defense’s resilience before bluntly summarizing the conditions.

“I thought they were awesome. Kobe [Turner] made a bunch of plays earlier in the game,” said McVay. “I wish we would have capitalized on the pick he did make — we ended up going three-and-out right there, and that’s not good complementary football But again, I’m really excited because I can dive into this and be better for us, and we’ll have to be against a phenomenal defense next week. The guys just kept battling. They kept believing, and that’s what it’s about. There are no style points, it’s about being able to survive and advance, and we were able to do that in a tough, hostile environment, and it was cold as s**t today.”

McVay later acknowledged that the cold impacted both teams’ ability to throw and catch, reinforcing that neither side gained an advantage. Still, the Rams found enough offense when it mattered most. Kyren Williams powered Los Angeles with two rushing touchdowns, while Matthew Stafford battled through the elements to complete 20 of 42 passes for 258 yards without throwing an interception.

Chicago forced overtime in dramatic fashion when Caleb Williams converted a desperate fourth-down touchdown to Cole Kmet in the final seconds of regulation. However, the Rams’ defense delivered again in overtime when Kamren Curl intercepted Williams, setting up the eventual game-winning 42-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis.

Despite struggling to find rhythm for much of the night, Los Angeles leaned on experience. Stafford connected with Puka Nacua on a key third-down conversion during the decisive drive, keeping the Rams’ season alive.

Now, McVay is preparing for his third NFC Championship Game since 2018 and his first since the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning 2021 season. The weather will ease next week in Seattle, but the challenge will not. After surviving Chicago’s cold and chaos, McVay knows his team must be sharper.

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