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Sarah Barshop
CHICAGO — The Los Angeles Rams are advancing to the NFC Championship Game to face the Seattle Seahawks, despite what coach Sean McVay referred to as “some bad coaching” during Sunday night’s 20-17 overtime victory against the Bears.
The Rams’ offense, which topped the league in offensive DVOA throughout the regular season, had difficulty finding its rhythm for a significant portion of the game.
“Offensively, man, I did not perform well for our team tonight,” McVay stated after Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in overtime to seal the win. “But I felt our guys managed to overcome that.”
Following an initial touchdown on their opening drive — a 14-play, 85-yard effort — the Rams only amassed 174 yards by the end of the third quarter. Per ESPN Research, this marked their lowest total at that point in any game this season.
“Outside of the first series, I wasn’t pleased with the game flow I sensed,” McVay commented. “Defensively, we stayed competitive despite my poor performance. But I’m truly thankful for this group and their ability to fight, maintain focus, and rise above some subpar coaching from me tonight.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns in the regular season, completed 20 of his 42 attempts for 258 yards against the Bears. This marked just the second time in his playoff career that Stafford didn’t throw a touchdown, according to ESPN Research, and it was the first instance of him failing to record multiple TD passes in a playoff game for the Rams.
“I definitely didn’t find my rhythm today,” Stafford acknowledged. “That’s for sure. I had some chances in the passing game, but things made it challenging. There’s definitely room for me to improve.”
“in the end, playoff football is about securing the victory. I had a great game last year in harsh weather conditions but came away empty-handed, which is frustrating. I’m just glad to have played less impressively today and still come out victorious. We’ll take that.”
Stafford had 11 misfires on Sunday, equal to his highest total since joining the Rams, per ESPN Research.
although the offensive inconsistencies, Stafford orchestrated his 55th career winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, a total that is 11 more than the next closest player since he entered the NFL in 2009. Kam Curl set up the winning series by intercepting a Caleb Williams pass with 6:47 remaining in overtime. The Rams then orchestrated a 54-yard, 10-play drive to clinch victory thanks to Mevis’ field goal.
This win propelled the Rams to the NFC title game for the first time since their Super Bowl LVI triumph in the 2021 season. They will face the top-seeded Seahawks, who triumphed over the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 on Saturday to advance.
“We’ve got to perform at our best,” McVay emphasized. “After watching last night’s game, they’re firing on all cylinders. They look impressive, and I’m eager to review the tape and identify how we can improve.”
The Rams ended the season series against Seattle with a split, winning 21-19 at home in Week 11, while losing 38-37 in overtime during Week 16, where they led 30-14 in the fourth quarter.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua, who caught five passes for 56 yards on Sunday, remarked on the significance of returning to Seattle next week for an opportunity to reach the Super Bowl.
“I think the football gods couldn’t have orchestrated it better than for us to return there and face the All Father [Cooper Kupp], giving us a chance to rectify our mistakes,” Nacua stated. “It’ll be a formidable challenge for us, and we’re looking forward to it.”
