01/18/26 09:23:00
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01/18 21:22 CST Rams shake off wild TD pass by Caleb Williams to force OT, beat
Bears 20-17 to reach NFC title game
Rams shake off wild TD pass by Caleb Williams to force OT, beat Bears 20-17 to
reach NFC title game
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) --- 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 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 (14-5) 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. The Seahawks beat San Francisco 41-6 on Saturday.
Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 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.
Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times for the Bears
(12-7), who pulled off a series of improbable wins under first-year coach Ben
Johnson but came up short this time.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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