The Rams have the first points and the first takeaway in Chicago on Sunday.
Running back Kyren Williams scored on a four-yard run on the team’s first offensive possession and the Rams lead 7-0 with 6:20 to play in the first quarter.
The turnover came on a fourth down pass from the Rams’ 21-yard line by Bears quarterback Caleb Williams over the middle. Rams cornerback Cobie Durant picked the ball off at his own 2-yard line, but was able to get the ball back to the 15 before being tackled.
Williams took a blow to the head from Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner on the play, but no flag was thrown for roughing the passer. Williams’ right hand also made contact with Turner and the quarterback was shaking it as he made his way off the field.
Matthew Stafford had 15-yard completions to Puka Nacua and Jordan Whittington to get the ball near midfield and then moved into Bears territory on a third-down catch by Nacua. Whittington added a 20-yard gain a couple of plays later and a pair of passes to Williams got the ball to the 4-yard line.
The Bears opened the game with a 34-yard pass to DJ Moore, but they faced the fourth down after a pair of D’Andre Swift runs and an incompletion left them two yards short of a first down.
The Bears are starting Joe Thuney at left tackle against the Rams, according to a source. He replaces Ozzy Trapilo, who is out for the season with a patellar tendon injury.
Jordan McFadden will make his first start for the Bears, playing left guard.
The Chiefs moved Thuney to left tackle late last season, with his last start at the position coming in Super Bowl LIX.
Thuney will become the fourth starting left tackle for the Bears this season, following Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet and Trapilo, who made six starts at the position before his injury.
McFadden, a fifth-round pick of the Chargers in 2023, has played only two snaps on offense this season after playing one snap on offense with the Chargers in 2024. He did make two starts and play 163 snaps of offense as a rookie.
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze will be in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Rams.
Odunze was listed as questionable to play due to the foot injury he’s been dealing with for over a month, but he avoided the inactive list for the divisional round of the playoffs. Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin is also active after being listed as questionable with a back injury.
On the Rams’ side, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is good to go after missing two days of practice because of his own back issue. Garoppolo will back up Matthew Stafford.
Tackle Braxton Jones, defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, cornerback Nick McCloud, linebacker Ruben Hyppolite, wide reciever Jahdae Walker, and quarterback Case Keenum are inactive for the Bears. Wide receiver Tutu Atwell, running back Jarquez Hunter, cornerback Derion Kendrick, safety Tanner Ingle, tight end Nick Vannett, offensive lineman D.J. Humphries, and quarterback Stetson Bennett are out for the Rams.
The betting public isn’t thinking the L.A. Rams will be bothered by the elements in Chicago.
The line has made a move, with the Rams shifting from 3.5-point favorites to 4.5-point favorites on DraftKings for Sunday night’s game against the Bears at Soldier Field. (The Rams remain 3.5-point favorites at FanDuel, and 4-point favorites at BetMGM, as of this posting.)
That matches the biggest spread for a road team in the divisional round of the playoff since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
And it could still move some more between now and Sunday night’s kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
The Rams will be playing in very cold conditions on Sunday in Chicago. The Rams have tried their damnedest this week to act as if it won’t bother them.
On Friday, coach Sean McVay was asked whether he’ll be wearing layers during the game.
“I’m going shirtless,” McVay said with a laugh. “No, you know what, I will say this, [quarterback] Matthew [Stafford] since he got here, he introduced me to the wetsuit stuff. I’ll wear that. Maybe I’ll have a heated vest. I’ve had some guys that have had that. Here’s what I do know, I can’t think about too many things. I trust whatever [senior director of equipment] Brendan Burger’s got ready for me. I’m going to actually get with him after we get done with practice today. He’ll show me everything that he’s got. Usually it’s a thumbs up. I don’t give a crap about me being warm or cold. That shit doesn’t matter at all. It’s about our players, but ‘Burg’ takes good care of me.”
The next question was an important one — will whatever McVay is wearing will keep him from running down the sideline.
“I’m an athlete,” McVay said, laughing again. “I’ll be in good shape, man. Don’t you worry about me. We’ll be good. Don’t worry. What do you think, I’m going to dress up like the Michelin man or something? No, we’ll be good. All kidding aside, ‘Burg’ has always done a really good job of outfitting me and it hasn’t been an issue. Now that I’m not being too stubborn to throw a beanie on after my mom and my wife ripped me, we’ll be in good shape there, too.”
It’s one thing to act like the cold won’t be an issue. It’s another thing to be out in the cold, for multiple hours. It takes a toll. It can be exhausting. It can overcome the desire to do whatever needs to be done, all in the name of getting the hell out of it.
At one level, it’s mind over matter. At another level, the human body reacts to it. The challenge for the brain is to ignore it.
Will it be a factor in the game? On Sunday night, we’ll all find out.
