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znModeratorAdam Grosbard@AdamGrosbard
Rams QB Matthew Stafford has been named NFL MVP by the Pro Football Writers AssociationznModeratorThe Rams defense sure had some stout plays throughout the game that helped lead to 4th down turnovers (on downs) and simply momentum shifting plays. Jared Verse & Nate Landman highlighted here
In tough climate games like this, max effort is needed! The hungry dog gets the bone pic.twitter.com/EnEz2c8mzc
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) January 21, 2026
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 am in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161529znModeratorYep. I thought the game was over when Williams turned his back to the line of scrimmage and ran the other way. The most talked-about tying TD pass of all time didn’t trigger a sinking feeling in me at all. I couldn’t even be mad about it. It was too spectacular to respond negatively.
And, anyway, the Rams won in large part because Williams got greedy the next time he had the ball. He had the RB open as a safety valve that would have moved the Bears 5 or 6 yards to make it 3rd and 2 or 3. Instead, Williams threw the ball to where only Curl could catch it. Williams believed he was magic. He learned that he is not.
I agree with those 2 observations. Or, as the kids like to say, “+1”
I included CW’s stats from that game, but Stafford was not that different.
He too got 6.1 per throw, same as CW. He was 20 of 42 while Wms was 23 of 42, but then (I assume you saw the game), when Rams were in range for their first FG, he kept throwing it out of the endzone. I took it he was under orders to play it safe and not do anything that jeopardized the FG, so he just threw it away 3 times in a row. Stafford got 133 yards in YAC, CW got 134.
The cold got to them both,Then, though, CW’s WRs had 4 drops and the Rams had one (previously it was said the Rams had none but PFR has it as 1). Stafford was sacked 4 times–though he faced a lower pressure rate than CW (19.6% v. 24.4%). But the big deal was 3 INTs.
January 21, 2026 at 10:19 am in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161524znModeratorA birds-eye angle on the miracle-throw
The most talked-about tying TD pass of all time.
In that game CW was 23 of 42 for 257 yards and a 6.1 avg. per throw, w/ 2 TDs and 3 INTs, and a qb rating of 59.3. The cold got to him too. His season averages were 27 TDs & 7 INTs.
But he did throw the most talked-about tying TD pass of all time.
I of course acknowledge that play, and even in a perverse way am glad I saw it in real time because it really was spectacular, but as a Rams homer I also like that Stafford was clutch when it counted.
January 20, 2026 at 10:49 pm in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161518znModerator.@RamsNFL @ChicagoBears @_Nate_Landman in this new Netflix Special….Landman….from Zimbabwe to LA…the man in the middle….know how to find the ball….Ya gotta binge watch this guy. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/yHFdH4ETx0
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 21, 2026
znModeratorMike Garafolo@MikeGarafolo
From The Insiders on @nflnetwork: John Harbaugh sometimes got players he wanted with the #Ravens and sometimes didn’t (he pushed hard for Puka Nacua in the Draft process)znModeratorYes, but you ignored the part where Kurt said “those goddamn rams.”
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vIt’s Kurt. He said “gosh dern Rams.”
znModeratorznModeratorKurt: “I believe the Rams pressure-plan in the Chicago game won them the game”
See this is what I mean. Those are all blitzes, and except for the first play, the one that pisses Warner off, they handle them all–they get yardage from Stafford seeing the “hot read” on blitzes. I mentioned one of these plays earlier–it’s the one where Puka is the hot read and catches it at about 7:14 into the vid.
znModeratorznModeratorAdam Schefter@AdamSchefter
The updated NFL head coach landscape:🏈Titans: Robert Saleh
🏈Giants: John Harbaugh
🏈Falcons: Kevin Stefanski
🏈Dolphins: Jeff Hafley
🏈Bills:
🏈Steelers
🏈Ravens
🏈Browns
🏈Cardinals
🏈RaidersznModeratorAt one point in the game, in which the Rams never trailed by more than three points, Los Angeles had 34 dropbacks and only 11 rush attempts. On Monday, McVay explained why the Rams were so pass-heavy against the Bears and attributed some of it to mistakes that were made by the offense.
“There were some instances where we did have runs called and we ended up getting to some other stuff, some of which we wanted, some that we didn’t,” he said. “Those are areas that I think at the end of the day, I have to be better. I have to be able to have some clarity. I think to your point, there were some instances where we weren’t able to do that at a high clip. I thought we did have success early on on that first drive. Then you start talking about the second series when we had three plays where we went three and out. We made a mistake that occurred on the third-and-four. Then on the third series we ended up having another mistake on the first-and-10 after we gained a first down after we ended up hitting ‘Ferg’ on the on the third-and-11. Then on the fourth series, again we had a mistake protection wise.”
znModeratorLos Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Puka Nacua passed Isaac Bruce (463) for the second-most receiving yards for a Rams player through five postseason games (489).znModeratorOr the Rams could trade Jared Goff and a couple of the Lions’ first round picks for him.
If they’re serious they should trade BOTH Goff and Bradford for him.
znModeratorFootnote to this: the Bears’ offense is set. It’s young, under contract, and going to improve.
Yeah the Bears fans should have a fun team for years to come.
Yes. It’s time for the Rams to institute their plan to “Josh Allen” Caleb Williams.
I know this plan, it’s diabolical. It will lead to a massacre of successive head coaches who “can’t turn the corner.”
Bwa-ha-ha. Evil grin.
znModeratorOh…and does anyone have an explanation/interpretation of WTF happened in the secondary on Caleb’s miracle-pass? Why/how did the Rams defenders end up so far away from the receiver?
The receiver, a Rams TE, physically pushed Durant away. Durant couldn’t keep his eyes on the TE and CW at the same time. Any decent clip of that play will include the TE pushing Durant after they hand fight a bit.
January 20, 2026 at 10:14 am in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161480znModeratorMina said Stafford did not complete a single pass when he was blitzed by chicago DBs.
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vIf true (and it’s not) it means that while each had a subpar completion percentage, CW’s was slightly better (MS 47.6%, CW 54.7%). Both threw 42, MS completed 20 and CW completed 23. The Bears had drops, Rams didn’t. Many of the incompletions came on a play inside the RZ where it was clear MS was ordered to throw it away if nothing was there and let the FG score. He just threw it out of the RZ 3 times in a row since each play was not optimal, and so Mevis kicked it.
I’ve seen analysts discuss a play where Nacua was the hot read on a Chicago DB blitz and both he and Stafford saw it coming before the snap, with PN allowing the blitzer through then catching a very quick one in the vacated space the blitzer left behind him. I don’t know how many other plays are like that.
Rams are playing Seattle this week. Kimes is becoming less and less of a reliable journalist when it comes to discussing Seattle’s opponents. She’s not just a fan, she’s a big fan.
znModeratorRobert Saleh is the first Muslim head coach in the NFL.
Not sure how ICE is going to deal with this.
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vHe’s actually the 2nd. The first was that Bob Saleh guy who was the Jets head coach from 2021 to 2023.
ICE handled it by finding ways to first undermine the Jets and then SF when he came back as their coordinator.
znModeratorThe Bear game was a bit like that. Anybody feel like the Rams ‘outplayed’ the Bears in that game? I dunno.
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vYes. The Rams outplayed the Bears. They went on the road into a bad day in January in Chicago facing all that that signifies, and made 4th down stops and a key goal line stand, got INTs, did not turn the ball over, did not have a single dropped pass on offense, had just 1 penalty to the Bears 3, and gutted out a tough game in tough conditions against an aggressive defense to score when they had to.
The Bears, though, of course, outgained the Rams. By about 77 yards, mostly in the run game. But then the Rams outgained Seattle in their last game (by 161 yards) yet lost by 1 point in overtime. Games like this happen.
The Bears absolutely gave the Rams everything they could on offense and defense, and the Rams gutted it out, played within what those conditions made them be, did not make mistakes, and in the end made the plays they needed to to win by a FG in OT.
znModeratorHe gets to the Rams at about 4:32.
…
znModerator.@RamsNFL @ChicagoBears @Kyrenwilliams23 the complete skillset of Kyren. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/G2RqvVOmFr
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 19, 2026
znModeratorJared Verse popping in the run game pic.twitter.com/5XtbnV8GpI
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 19, 2026
znModerator.@RamsNFL @ChicagoBears @BradenFiske_ read this play like he was in #Dabears huddle. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/fXiCyrdPVJ
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 19, 2026
znModeratorBTW Mevis is 7th in FG percentage w/ 92.3% (compared to those with 13 FG attempts or more).
znModeratorDaniel Leu@Leuzer6
Kyren Williams still has not fumbled since the OT loss to the 49ers btw…
ME: ie. that’s 14 games. For 2 this year, total.
He had 5 fumbles in 2024.
znModeratorNate Atkins@NateAtkins_
The Rams started the second half with Roger McCreary at outside cornerback opposite Darious Williams.znModeratorESPN sources: Titans are working to finalize a deal to hire 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their head coach. Saleh spent Monday in Tennessee with the Titans, and the two sides impressed each other enough to move forward together. pic.twitter.com/rXC94my62B
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2026
znModerator5 interesting stats from Rams’ divisional round win over Chicago: A one-sided turnover battle, unexpected offensive game plan and production
Wyatt Miller
A herculean defensive effort lifted the Rams over the Bears in the divisional round. Three interceptions and three fourth-down stops gave the Rams a chance to win it in overtime, despite middling offensive production and an unexpected game plan from head coach Sean McVay. Yet, when kicker Harrison Mevis’ 42-yard field goal sailed through the uprights, the Rams earned the right to play Seattle in the NFC Championship next week.
Here are five interesting stats from the Rams’ 20-17 overtime victory over the Bears.
This was just the fourth game all season where Chicago lost the turnover battle, and the first time they lost it by more than two, according to nflverse data
The Bears led the league in defensive takeaways (33) and turnover margin (+22) in the regular season, so it was rare to see them fall so far behind an opponent in that area. The Rams are the only team this year to win the turnover battle against the Bears by a margin of three or more, and they did so on the biggest stage.The Rams’ nine passes defended added 40.6% to their win probability, according to nflverse data
The nine plays that saw the Rams’ defense either break up or intercept a pass increased the team’s win probability by 40.6%. That’s the 11th-highest mark in the McVay era and second-highest this season after the Rams’ four-interception game against the Seahawks in Week 11. Safety Kam Curl defended two passes, as did inside linebacker Omar Speights, while Cobie Durant had three and safeties Kam Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough each got their hands on one.“It’s a game-ball worthy performance for the whole group,” McVay said.
Caleb Williams’ three interceptions set a new career-high
In the most important game of his career to date, the Rams gave Williams fits. Durant’s two interceptions and Curl’s diving pick in overtime led to 10 of the Rams’ 20 points on the ensuing drives. Durant now has three interceptions in these playoffs and four in his five career postseason games.“What I was so impressed with in these elements, was our guys’ ability to catch the ball,” McVay said postgame.
The Rams’ seven run plays in the first half tied for the 12th-fewest in a game in the McVay era, according to nflverse data
The Rams ran the ball seven times compared to 27 dropbacks in the first half. That split ended up being a bit more even by the end of the game (31 runs compared to 46 passes), but McVay wasn’t shy about criticizing his approach and gave the players credit for executing to make up for “bad coaching” on his part. The Rams often run the ball out of 13 personnel, but only seven of their 77 plays came out of that grouping (9.1%), their lowest rate of the season since before they started leaning into that approach in Week 6.
“I could have done a much better job (calling plays), and then I did think, once we were able to get some success, we settled into a little bit of a different approach,” McVay said. “… So I think overall, I did not like the feel for the flow of the game that I had outside of the first series.”
The Rams’ offensive success rate of 35.1% was their lowest of the season, according to Next Gen Stats
The Rams succeeded on just over a third of their offensive plays, but it was enough to get the victory. Coming into the game, the Rams’ lowest offensive success rate came against the Seahawks in Week 11 (38.0%), a game that Los Angeles also won. In fact, its four lowest offensive success rates of the season have all come in wins, a credit to the defense’s ability to pick up the slack when needed.znModeratorNate Atkins@NateAtkins_
Kam Curl admitted that he and the Rams DBs heard the national talk about their abilities to play and to handle the cold and took that personally.Best game for them collectively since the first Seahawks game.
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