The Chicago Bears officially fell out of the playoffs on Sunday, January 18, with a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a 20-17 final score. As the game went into overtime, it almost seemed like destiny that the Bears would take it home, with quarterback Caleb Williams and the crew firing on all cylinders.
But, a late interception in overtime turned the course of the game around, and Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams were able to stay calm, cool and pull off the win.
But, Williams had a strong game, and Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been talking him up the latter part of the season.
“When he comes in the building, he’s all about football. He loves this game,” Johnson told reporters about Williams during a press conference on Friday, January 16. “He desperately wants to be good. He wants to be great. He wants to be one of the best to ever play. I think that has stood out to me from Day 1, and he’s going to be dedicated to achieve that goal.”
Johnson added, “It’s our job as coaches to help him get there, but I love how he’s wired as a person, as a competitor. I think he’s going to continue to get better in this league. He’s a big reason why we’re where we are today, been able to make all these plays that he has over the course of the season, and I think he’s going to be leading this franchise for a long time.”
Williams isn’t just getting the respect of Williams. He also has the respect of Stafford, which is something that was no lost during this game.
Matthew Stafford Talks Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams
So, what does Stafford think of Williams? The way he talks, it’s obvious he has respect for his fellow signal-called. During the “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray before the game, Stafford said that that Williams makes plays outside of the pocket better than most quarterbacks in the NFL.
“It’ll be a big test for our defense, a big test for our team, really just going there and trying to come away with a victory,” Stafford said. “But what he’s doing is pretty special. And especially the late game stuff and his ability to make plays off schedule is second to none in the league right now if you ask me.”
Well, the Rams’ defense stepped up, especially Rams safety Kam Curl. In overtime, Los Angeles went three-and-out on the opening drive and had to punt. On the next drive, the Chicago Bears reached midfield, but Williams’ overthrown pass was intercepted by Curl with 6:47 left.
So, the Rams got the ball back at its own 22, then were able to make it downfield to the Chicago 24. Los Angeles had three straight incompletions, but they got far enough to allow for Rams kicker Harrison Mevis’s game-winning, 42-yard field goal.
NFC Championship Game
Well, the Bears won’t be in the NFC championship game, but if you still want to watch, note that the Rams will take on the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, January 25. That same day, the AFC Championship will take place at 3 p.m., with the Denver Broncos going up against the New England Patriots. The Super Bowl is scheduled for February 8 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on NBC.
The Seahawks are a doozie of an opponent for the Rams. The team beat the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the NFL divisional round on Saturday, January 17.
The Seahawks are playing with first-year quarterback Sam Darnold, who was last with the Minnesota Vikings. After the game, Darnold said winning the team’s playoff game against the 49ers was “huge.”
“I don’t take it for granted whatsoever. It’s just a special group,” he said in a postgame presser. “I think that’s the biggest thing, and that’s why it means so much. Just the way those guys are in the locker room, ever since I got here.”
The Seahawks are No. 1 in the NFC West and, of course, No. 1 in the NFC conference. They had a 14-3 regular season record.
Matthew Stafford’s Message About Caleb Williams Stands Out After Bears-Rams