Bear Digest

Chicago Bears denied key break they hoped for ahead of NFC Divisional game vs. Rams

So much for the Chicago Bears catching a lucky break vs. the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday's playoff game.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears fans who were hoping they'd catch a break against the Los Angeles Rams and a potentially Matt Stafford-less offense will be very disappointed by the latest update from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Stafford injured the index finger on his throwing hand during the Rams' Wild Card win over the Carolina Panthers, leaving his status for Sunday's game against the Bears in doubt.

According to the league insider, Rams coach Sean McVay confirmed Monday that Stafford will be OK for the NFC Divisional matchup. So much for that huge advantage.

Perhaps the biggest assist the Bears will get in stopping Stafford this weekend will be from Mother Nature. It's expected to be frigid at Soldier Field, which should shock the system of a Los Angeles team, and for a quarterback whose finger is already in pain.

Hopefully, Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has a better plan than just the forecast to slow Stafford and his lethal combination of wide receivers, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Matthew Stafford is a legitimate 2025 NFL MVP candidate after throwing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Weather alone won't be enough to slow his torrid pace.

For a Bears team that's never experienced a 4,000-yard passer, facing a QB who has 10 of those seasons on his resume, including a 5,000-yard season in 2011, is a harsh reality. And with Sean McVay calling plays, it'll be on Allen to do a much better job than he did in the first half against the Green Bay Packers and Jordan Love in the Wild Card round.

We still don't know what time the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams game will be this weekend, but we do know it'll kick off on Sunday. Hopefully, the NFL will make this the late-afternoon game. If so, Mother Nature really will have a chance to be the 12th man for the Bears.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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