Sean McVay gets full NSFV on the state of play against the Bears

The Los Angeles Rams going to the NFC Championship, but getting there was anything but comfortable. A cold 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 on on the brink before escaping with a 20-17 overtime victory.

The weather dominated the conversation all week leading up to the divisional round matchup, and McVay later made it clear he played a major role without using it as an excuse. Speaking after the win, the Rams head coach earlier praised the resilience of his defense roughly summarizing the conditions.

“I thought they were great. Kobe (Turner) made a bunch of moves earlier in the game,” McVay said. “I wish we had taken advantage of the choice he made — we ended up with a three-and-out, and that’s not good complementary football. But again, I’m really excited because I can dive into this and get better for us, and next week we’re going to have to be against a phenomenal defense. The guys just kept fighting. They kept believing in what they’re in for, and that it’s about style. To survive and thrive, and we were able to do that in a tough, hostile environment, and today was cold as s**t.”

McVay later admitted that the cold affected 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 led 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 dramatically when Caleb Williams converted a desperation fourth-down touchdown To Kol Kmet in the last seconds of regulation. However, the Rams’ defense came through again in overtime when Kamren Karl intercepted Williams, setting up Harrison Mavis’ 42-yard game-winning field goal.

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

Now, McVay is preparing for his third NFC Championship Game since 2018 and first since the 2021 Super Bowl-winning season. The weather will calm down next week in Seattle, but the challenge won’t. After surviving the cold and chaos of Chicago, McVay knows his team needs to be tougher.