Rams Beat Bears in OT

The game-winning 42-yard field goal in overtime by Harrison Mevis was set up by a crucial interception. Rams safety Kam Curl picked off a deep pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, giving Los Angeles the ball and the opportunity to win. Matthew Stafford then completed three passes for 43 yards to position the Rams for the winning kick. Chicago forced overtime with a stunning, "miracle" touchdown on fourth-and-4 with just 18 seconds left in regulation. Caleb Williams, scrambling backward under heavy pressure, launched a pass from the 40-yard line that traveled over 50 yards in the air to find tight end Cole Kmet in the back of the end zone. The completion had a probability of just 17.8%. Despite the heroic comeback attempt, it was a tough end to a surprising season for the Chicago Bears. Under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, the team won the NFC North for the first time since 2018 and secured their first playoff victory since 2010. The overtime loss marked the end of a season where the Bears won an NFL-record seven games in which they were trailing in the final two minutes of regulation. For the Rams, the victory was a hard-fought battle in snowy conditions where their high-powered offense was contained. Running back Kyren Williams was the offensive star, scoring both of the Rams' touchdowns. Matthew Stafford finished the game with 258 passing yards, completing 20 of his 42 attempts with no touchdowns or interceptions. Looking ahead, the Rams will face a familiar foe in the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship. The two teams split their regular-season series, with both games being decided by a razor-thin margin. The Rams outscored the Seahawks by just one point, 58-57, across the two contests. The newly announced 2026 NFL salary cap of $301.2 million will give the Rams significant financial flexibility moving forward. Projections show the Rams having approximately $42 million in cap space, the ninth-most in the league. This will provide them with ample room to re-sign key players and add talent in the offseason. The salary cap situation is more challenging for the Chicago Bears. The new figure leaves them slightly over the cap, necessitating some roster moves. The team will likely look to restructure contracts for key players like DJ Moore and Montez Sweat to become cap compliant before the start of the new league year on March 11.