The clock struck midnight.
Rams kicker Harrison Mevis swept his leg and sent the football through the uprights, ending the Chicago Bears’ season in an overtime Divisional Round defeat. A gut-wrenching end to a truly magical year.
A year that featured twelve wins, including seven fourth-quarter comebacks, a division title, and the team’s first playoff win in fifteen years, cut short with one kick.
But as the players trudged off the white field with their heads low, knowing they were just a handful of plays away from victory, they weren’t met with silence or boos. They were met with applause.
The 60,000 die-hard fans at Soldier Field stuck around on a cold, flurry-filled night to give their team a standing ovation. A thank you to the team for giving them a season they will always remember.
THE LEADUP
Going into the match, the Chicago Bears came off a miraculous Wildcard victory over their rival Green Bay Packers, 31-27. They trailed 21-3 at halftime and stormed back to take the win, a win unlike any other the city had seen before.
Their opponent in the next round, the Los Angeles Rams, were believed by many to be a Super Bowl contender, but had barely escaped Carolina with a 34-31 win against the Panthers.
With this in mind, and the fact that a team from warm California was coming to frigid Illinois, where the temperature would be in single digits, there was much optimism that the Bears could keep their Cinderella run going all the way to the NFC Championship for a date with the Seahawks in Seattle.
FROZEN IN ICE
Early on, though, this optimism appeared to be misplaced. On their opening possession, the Bears moved quickly down the field with a big catch-and-run from receiver D.J. Moore, but the drive immediately stalled as quarterback Caleb Williams sailed a pass that wound up in the arms of Rams defensive back Cobie Durant for a fourth-down interception.
The Rams used this momentum to glide down the field with precision passes from MVP candidate Matthew Stafford. They capped off the drive with a touchdown run from running back Kyren Williams that gave them the first points of the night.
Chicago managed to bounce back, however, as they drove down the field once again and scored on fourth down this time. Williams connected with Moore on a strike to the endzone, evening the contest at seven apiece.
But after those drives, the scoring slid to a halt. The icy winter air coated the field with a thin layer of snow that stopped both offenses in their tracks. Chicago’s defense finally stepped up after being gashed all season, keeping a high-powered Rams offense in check.
Sideline view of Soldier Field during the NFC Divisional Round game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Michael Reaves / Getty Images).
The Rams pulled out all the stops to ensure they were prepared for the weather. They brought 2,000 pounds of cold-weather equipment, had copious amounts of hot chocolate and chicken broth on the sideline, and some players even jammed cayenne peppers into their socks. Whatever it took to get the win. Despite these efforts, they scored only a field goal for the rest of the half.
Unfortunately for Chicago’s defense, the other side of the ball couldn’t do much better as the hands of Bears receivers turned into solid ice, letting numerous balls fall to the grass. The offense also only managed a field goal, making the score 10-10 at the half.
BACKS AGAINST THE WALL
The second half was much of the same, a defensive showdown. Punt after punt after punt, neither offense could gain much traction.
Even after Williams threw another pick at midfield, Los Angeles still punted, unable to gain a single yard.
For most of the game, Chicago’s defense successfully put pressure on Stafford with defensive backs blitzing off the edge, leading to four sacks and a multitude of errant throws. But in the fourth quarter, they found a way to exploit it.
Chicago Bears defensive back Kyler Gordon (6) sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during the second quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Matt Marton / Imagn-Images).
Through short, quick passes, the Rams marched 91 yards down the field and took back the lead with another touchdown run for Kyren Williams.
The pressure was back on the Bears to mount a scoring drive. They answered the call with a big scramble from Caleb Williams and several bulldozing runs from the duel threat of running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
But as they got to the goal line, they could not bulldoze through the Rams’ wall of defenders. Another failed fourth-down conversion from just two yards out. Rams football with 3:06 on the clock.
With their season on the line, the Bears’ defense matched the Rams’. They forced another punt that gave the Bears’ offense one last shot with 1:50 to play at the 50-yard line.
Once again, a few good plays got the Bears close to paydirt until they got stuck. They faced a 4th and 4 at the Rams’ 14-yard line with 27 seconds remaining. Eerily similar to the end of the second game between the Bears and Packers, in which the Bears faced a 4th and 4 at the North endzone down by seven in the final minute.
This play was even bigger than that one. The division wasn’t on the line, the season was. Last time, Williams managed to loft a pass to wide-open receiver Jahdae Walker in the endzone for the game-tying score.
In a year full of miracles like that one, the Bears needed another to keep their hopes alive. The crowd was quiet, nervously waiting.
Williams took the snap and dropped back. Pressure in his face immediately. He scampered backwards as four Rams charged after him.
Not until he reached the 40-yard line did he finally heave the pass into the endzone. The ball hung in the air for what felt like forever.
In the corner of the endzone, there were only two players with a shot at the ball. Bears tight end Cole Kmet and Rams defensive back Cobie Durant, who already had two picks on the night.
In a 50/50 battle, Kmet came out the winner.
Absolute pandemonium.
The Chicago Bears had done it again. Another last-second score. With the extra point from kicker Cairo Santos, the game was tied at 17.
The Rams took a knee, and this game was headed to overtime.
A QUIET END
Chicago won the coin toss and elected to kick, meaning Los Angeles would get first crack at scoring points. But yet again, they failed.
Chicago got the ball back, only needing a field goal to win. They sauntered toward the endzone, piling up short passes and runs to midfield again.
But they got a little too greedy. Williams’ deep pass was intercepted by Rams defensive back Kamren Curl, making a diving catch. On the play, it appeared as though Moore stopped running his route on the play, but regardless of fault, the Rams had the football back, and they made no mistake.
A couple of dimes from Stafford led the Rams into field-goal range, where kicker Harrison Mevis sent his team to the NFC Championship with a 42-yard boot. A bittersweet climax to an emotional playoff battle and a remarkable season for the Chicago Bears.
Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis (92) celebrates with his teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times).
A TIME TO REFLECT
As the year comes to a close, there is much to be happy about in Chicago. The team had accomplished more than even the biggest of fans expected them to and has a bright future ahead with a plethora of stars in the making.
Quarterback Caleb Williams improved greatly under first-year Head Coach Ben Johnson and young talents such as receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland showed flashes of promise, leading the offense to be one of the best in the NFL.
The defense under first-year Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, while giving up plenty of yards and points, also led the league in takeaways with veteran safety Kevin Byard tallying a league-leading seven interceptions and young cornerback Nahshon Wright having eight takeaways of his own.
Johnson stated after the game that, “They all believed all year long that we could find a way to win each and every week.” Even though they could not find a way to win against the Rams, it is clear that a winning culture is beginning to come back to Chicago. The city is hungry. And only time will tell whether this new fire will result in the ultimate prize: the Lombardi trophy.