Rams beat Bears to reach NFC championship game despite Williams’s miracle throw

Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams survived an incredible throw by Caleb Williams that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 on Sunday night to advance to the NFC championship game.

Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT after Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford completed a 16-yard pass to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range and set up the 245lbs Mevis, known as the “Thiccer Kicker,” for the game-ending kick. He was mobbed by teammates while a crowd that was rocking earlier watched in near silence.

The Rams will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl.

Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-four from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left. Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

“It was crazy,” Stafford said. “It was back and forth. We didn’t play our best on offense. Our defense dominated the game. It was unbelievable to watch. Hell of a play on fourth down by Caleb to get his team to overtime. And just glad we got the ball back.”

Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times for the Bears, who pulled off a series of improbable wins under first-year coach Ben Johnson but came up short this time.

Stafford was 20 of 42 for 258 yards and took four sacks. Nacua had 56 yards receiving after going for 111 in the wildcard win over Carolina, and Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and two scores.

Williams completed 23 of 42 passes for 257 yards. Moore had a touchdown catch, and D’Andre Swift ran for 76 yards.