Bear Digest

Former first-overall QB makes baffling prediction for Bears-Rams game

Something went terribly wrong for the Chicago Bears if this prediction comes true.
Pete Martuneac|
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Chicago Bears

Against all hope, the Chicago Bears' season remains alive as we head into the Divisional Round weekend of the 2025 NFL playoffs. Fresh off a comeback victory for the ages, the Bears now face arguably their toughest remaining obstacle to a Super Bowl appearance: Super Bowl LVI champion head coach Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams.

On paper, the Rams have the much better team. They also have the benefit of extensive playoff experience. It's no surprise then that national experts are lining up against the Bears in their picks for this game. And yet, we've seen way too many miraculous come-from-behind wins to ever count Chicago out. No matter how you feel about how sustainable their methods are, everyone acknowledges that these Bears have a puncher's chance of winning on Sunday.

Well, almost everyone. David Carr, a former quarterback who was drafted first overall in the 2002 NFL draft, is an analyst for NFL Media, and when giving his bold prediction for the Divisional round, Carr picked the Bears to lose. Specifically, he picked them to lose by a lot.

"Rams head coach Sean McVay and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur scheme up a game plan for the ages to beat the Bears by 21 at Soldier Field," Carr writes. "It's Mike who ousts Ben Johnson from the playoffs and sends him home with his own frosty handshake, getting revenge for his brother, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur."

The Bears have proven too good to be blown out at home

First things first, this handshake drama has gone on long enough. This is the NFL, not Days of Our Lives. Could Ben Johnson have been a bit more restrained in his handshake with Matt LaFleur? Sure, but I'm not going to fault a first-year head coach being overly jubilant immediately after winning his first playoff game. LaFleur is a grown man; he doesn't need some coach from another team to beat the Bears to move on from that.

Secondly, has Carr watched either of these teams recently? The Bears are averaging 27.6 points per game over their last five games, and the Rams are giving up 30 points per game in that same stretch. Unless he expects the Rams to drop 60 points on the Bears on a freezing cold, windy night at Soldier Field, this prediction is utter nonsense.

Maybe Carr is just playing into the handshake drama, which, as aforementioned, has gone on long enough. But this prediction is wild, even for a list of bold predictions. The Bears could very well lose this one, but if they do, it likely won't be by more than one score. Not so long as Caleb "The Iceman" Williams has anything to say about it.

Caleb William
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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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