Rams Earn Shot at Redemption After Wild Overtime Win Over Bears

In escaping freezing-cold Chicago with a thrilling win, Los Angeles is one win away from the Super Bowl. To get there, it must go through the Seahawks at the site of the team's lowest moment of the season.

Rams kicker Harrison Mevis reacts with teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Bears during overtime at Soldier Field. Mandatory. | David Banks-Imagn Images

CHICAGO — Sean McVay stood at the postgame podium. Behind him loomed a white concrete block wall. Beyond it echoed the screams and cheers of 53 men elated to have a chance at something we all yearn for at one point or another in our lives: atonement. 

Not only did his Rams win 20–17 in overtime over the Bears at Soldier Field in the NFC divisional round on Sunday night, they earned the right to attempt redemption next weekend against the Seahawks. The same Seattle team that trailed McVay’s team 30–14 midway through the fourth quarter in Week 16 before winning 38–37 in overtime to propel itself to the NFC West crown and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. 

As McVay talked about the resilience and character of his team, the team itself exulted in triumph. High-fives could be heard through the din of unintelligible hollering, with players both thrilled and relieved after surviving one of the greatest plays in NFL history, a 50-yard prayer from Caleb Williams to Cole Kmet with 18 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. 

In the immediate aftermath of the win, McVay’s voice was hoarse and his hands were a purplish-red, gripping the sides of the lectern as if the game’s conclusion hadn’t quite set in. McVay, self-describedly “cold as s---,” was beaming. 

“We were hopeful,” said McVay of going back to Seattle. “Once those guys won [on Saturday night], I was hoping that we would be able to get a chance to go back. I thought this was possibly a scenario that could set itself up, and here we are.” 

Inside the locker room, the scene was jubilant chaos. In one corner, former Packers receiver Davante Adams told Puka Nacua he thought the real-feel weather of 6° was sweet to play in. Nacua, a Las Vegas native, didn’t agree. In another, general manager Les Snead was both accepting and giving out hugs and fist bumps. 

There was the 14-ounce bottle of McCormick Ground Cayenne Red Pepper that had been dispersed into some socks for the purposes of warmth. The proof was strewn on the floor in the way of sweaty crimson hosiery on the black-and-grey carpeting. The socks were joined by Juicy Fruit and Spearmint packages, Hot Hands wrappers and a metric ton of athletic tape. 

Then there was Jared Verse, clad in a red fabric trench coat with black dress shoes shined to the hilt. He held a black briefcase in hand. He was all business, with more business ahead. 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Seattle, the 49ers, anybody else,” said Verse of the NFC title game next weekend. “Whoever it is has to see us. We’ve got to go through them. They’re just another obstacle. Obviously, they’re a great team; we lost to them. We beat them [too]. It’s one and one. Now this is for all the chips to go to the bowl.”

Verse talked about needing to limit explosive plays, something the Rams struggled to do when allowing 38 points in their December loss to the Seahawks. On that Thursday night, Los Angeles’s defense permitted scoring plays of 26 and 55 yards, along with two other passes for 27 and 46 yards. That’s to say nothing of a 58-yard Rashid Shaheed punt-return score. 

Still, Verse is confident, noting that if Los Angeles plays its game, it won’t lose. 

“I like us. I like us against anybody in the league,” Verse said.

Nothing about Sunday night was perfect. Matthew Stafford completed fewer than half his pass attempts. As McVay noted time and again in his presser, his game management was poor. He called only 11 runs until the fourth quarter. Then he called a run in a most-curious spot, needing a first down to seal the game on third-and-10 from his own 14-yard line with 2:07 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

But perhaps that’s the reason Los Angeles should feel as good as it did in that locker room. 

The Rams weren’t their best selves all night, but they were when they needed to be. Since losing to Seattle a month ago, the Rams have struggled. They lost to the Falcons. They needed a second-half comeback to beat the three-win Cardinals in Week 18. They needed a last-minute rally a weekend ago in Carolina to topple the 8–9 Panthers. 

Curl celebrates with Kamren Kinchens after intercepting a pass in overtime. | David Banks-Imagn Images

If anything was going to jolt the Rams, this night was it. In overtime, after the ultimate haymaker from Williams, safety Kam Curl stepped up and made a diving interception at his own 22-yard line, providing the offense with another chance. For Curl, the defense’s ability to regroup wasn’t a surprise. 

“It felt good but it was expected because of the type of guys we have in this locker room,” said Curl of his overtime interception and the response of the defense. “We huddled after that touchdown in regulation and said we have to reset and play a whole ’nother game. I feel like that’s what we did and we make the plays to win the game.”

At the night’s outset, snow fell from the heavens onto the field-long American flag, bouncing along the stripes as Jim Cornelison belted out the national anthem. Moments later, the Bear Raid siren was blaring and 60,000 white towels were waving. 

For a moment, it appeared the Rams would be waving white towels of their own in surrender. Then they prevailed in the midst of impending disaster, earning a much-desired date with the Seahawks next Sunday. 

As McVay prepared to leave the postgame podium, he slapped his left hand on the side in exuberance as the sounds of elation filled the room to his back. 

It was the emotion of a man and a team which had earned something special.

A chance to atone. A chance to be the best version of themselves.