Key Takeaways
- The History: The last time the Rams won a Divisional Round game (Jan. 2022), Matthew Stafford led a game-winning drive to dethrone Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
- The Matchup: The Rams (Seed 5) travel to Soldier Field to face the NFC North champion Chicago Bears (Seed 2) on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
- The Stakes: This showdown features the largest age gap of the playoffs: 37-year-old Stafford against Bears sensation Caleb Williams, who just led a historic comeback win over Green Bay.
CHICAGO — The NFL isn’t subtle about its storylines. As the Los Angeles Rams prepare for a frozen showdown at Soldier Field this Sunday, the league is reminding everyone exactly what happened the last time Matthew Stafford left a Divisional Round game victorious.
He retired a legend.
The official NFL account dropped the clip on Wednesday: Stafford, cool under chaos, launching a deep ball to Cooper Kupp to set up a 30-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. That victory ended Tom Brady’s repeat bid and vaulted the Rams toward a Super Bowl title. Now, four years later, Stafford faces a new kind of test not a G.O.A.T., but the future of the NFC in Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Stafford’s “Unfinished Business”
Stafford enters Sunday fresh off a 34-31 Wild Card thriller against the Carolina Panthers, where he threw for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns. At 37, he is playing some of the most efficient football of his career, earning first-team All-Pro honors this season.
While the Rams reached this same stage last year, they fell short in a 28-22 loss to the Eagles. The “last time he won” narrative circulating on social media isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a reminder of the barrier this team has struggled to break since their Super Bowl LVI run.
The Rookie Phenom: Caleb Williams
If Stafford is the steady hand, Caleb Williams is the live wire. The Bears’ quarterback threw for 3,942 yards this season shattering a franchise record that stood for 30 years.
Williams’ playoff debut last week was nothing short of cinematic. Trailing the Green Bay Packers by 9 points late in the fourth quarter, he orchestrated an 18-point comeback, capped by a “historic” throw to Rome Odunze on 4th-and-8 that analysts are calling the play of the year.
“Williams can make throws other quarterbacks can’t make… his pulse chills all the way out in the moments that send the pulses of others through the roof.” — ESPN Analysis
Key Factors to Watch
- Rams Clutch Factor: Stafford connected with tight end Colby Parkinson for the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute remaining against Carolina. The Rams will need that same red-zone efficiency against a Bears defense that thrives at home.
- The Soldier Field Element: The Bears are 11-6 and captured the NFC North title under head coach Ben Johnson. Home-field advantage is real; this is the first time since 2010 that Chicago has hosted a Divisional game.
- Weaponry: Rookie Puka Nacua continues to dominate, racking up 111 yards on 10 catches last week. He will be the focal point for a Chicago secondary tasked with stopping the league’s most dangerous duo.
What’s Next?
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The winner will advance to the NFC Championship Game to face either the San Francisco 49ers or the Seattle Seahawks.
