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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — How do you game plan for Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Kyren Williams with likely-MVP Matthew Stafford responsible for getting them the ball?
It sounds like an impossible task, but it’s Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s duty with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line on Sunday.
“Just like they’re trying to get to their spots, we have to get to our spots,” Allen said Thursday at Halas Hall. “Understand where those spots are on the field that we’ve got to make sure we defend. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, but I think that’s probably the biggest part of it is trying not to let (Stafford) manipulate you with his eyes and understanding the spots that you have to get to.”
That’s easier said than done with a defensive backs group recovering from several injuries. Kyler Gordon played 62 percent of the Bears’ defensive snaps in his return to the lineup last Saturday. Jaylon Johnson played 82 percent.
Their endurance will be tested again on Sunday despite getting C.J. Gardner-Johnson back in the mix after he missed the Bears’ wild-card win with a concussion.
The Bears haven’t had many opportunites to deploy Gardner-Johnson and Gordon together. Sunday will be just the second time the nickel backs have been available in the same week. The first was the Bears’ 24-15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.
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“Both of them will have a role, and we’ll see how the game plays out,” Allen said. “But we’ve got a plan in place for both those players to have a role in all down-and-distance situations.”
The key for the Bears against the Rams is replicating their second-half performance against the Packers for the entire game against Stafford and the Rams, eliminating the run game and making third downs less manageable.
“I think we played more aggressively, and so we were better on first and second down,” Allen said. “We got off the field on third down, so that was the biggest difference.”
The Rams, against the Carolina Panthers, struggled on third down, finishing 3-for-13. They were, however, 1-for-2 on fourth down.
That brings us to our predictions for the NFC Divisional Round…
Adam Hoge
2025 record: 13-5
Taking the weather out of it, the Rams have the best unit on the field and could be getting a big boost if right guard Kevin Dotson returns to action. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will be targeted early and often and get their fair share of catches. But it also feels like the Bears got over an emotional hump with last week’s win over the Packers and I wouldn’t be surprised if they finally get off to a better start on offense.
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I think this would be a tight game even in Los Angeles, but when you throw the cold temperatures and wind into the mix, you have to think there will be 2-3 crucial plays that the Bears handle better than the Rams. The turnover margin and special teams should tilt in the Bears favor in this one and that should be enough to carry them to the NFC Championship Game.
Bears 24, Rams 23
Mark Carman
2025 record: 13-5
There are a plethora of reasons to pick the Rams to win on Sunday. Matthew Stafford has been dominant all year long. Puka Nacua is a problem all over the field, Davante Adams in the end zone. The Rams also run the ball extremely well. Sean McVay is not going to have a strong game plan alongside offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Can you believe there is another LaFleur for Ben Johnson and company to deal with? But the weather. The Bears’ magic. The Rams’ special teams. The Ben Johnson-Caleb combo. Gimme the Bears.
Bears 28, Rams 27
Adam Jahns
2025 record: 12-6
This just doesn’t feel like it’s supposed to end yet. It really doesn’t. So how will this game play out on Sunday? Probably like many other games this season. The Bears can and will play better late in the game, especially quarterback Caleb Williams in the fourth quarter. Safety Kevin Byard III, defensive end Montez Sweat and the rest of the Bears defense will make enough stops to survive everything that Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay throw at them. And the weather will be a factor, particularly on special teams, where the Bears have the distinct advantage.
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Bears 30, Rams 26
[READ | How Ben Johnson’s growing bond with Caleb Williams is changing the Bears for the good, better, best]
Greg Braggs Jr.
2025 record: 12-6
Bears 24, Rams 23
Jerry Azumah
2025 record: 12-6
TBD
Patrick Norton
2025 record: 11-7
I’m cold just thinking about Sunday night.
Our bodies adjust. It’s why we froze our behinds off on Wednesday in the Chicagoland area. We’d grown accustomed to the cold back in December but were treated to milder temps over the last few weeks.
Then the snow, wind and temperature combination hit me like a semi truck walking from the parking lot at Halas Hall to the media room. It was genuinely one of the more unpleasant winter memories I can recall.
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How do the Rams even prepare for that? Even turning the air down in the facility, the coldest it’d get is probably high 40s. Wind chill at Soldier will feel like -1º at game time.
It’s Bear Weather. It was fun to joke about last week when the Packers came to town, but it’s a real thing when you’re hosting a team that plays in a stadium with a roof in a warmer-weather climate.
I should probably pick a close score, but I have no idea what to expect out of the Rams. Maybe they weather the storm better than anticipated. Maybe Caleb Williams and the offense figure out how to start early, though.
Bears 29, Rams 23
Corey Wootton
2025 record: 11-7
TBD
Lance Briggs
2025 record: 10-8
TBD
Stephen Nicholas
2025 record: 9-9
TBD
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