Top Passing Matchups
LA Rams at Chicago
The big question heading into this game is the health of Matthew Stafford, who is dealing with a right finger injury. He’s been a full participant in practice all week, but how much it will impact him in the cold weather in Chicago remains to be seen, as it is projected to be around 15 degrees at game time. Stafford has had a career season and has continued to come up in the clutch when the Rams have needed him, as it took all of his 304 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Panthers to survive the 34-31 victory. The good news for the Rams is that Davante Adams looked as close to 100% healthy as possible and was not listed on the injury report this week. The big news for the Rams is that they should get Kevin Dotson back this week at right guard, which is a massive upgrade to this offensive line, as Dotson has consistently been one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL.
Chicago has been able to survive back-to-back 300+ yard passing performances, as they allowed 323 passing yards and four touchdowns to Jordan Love in the Wildcard round. The issue for the Bears has been injuries. They lost linebacker T.J. Edwards, who is the heart of this defense, in the Green Bay game, and since cornerback Jaylon Johnson returned from injury in Week 13, the Bears are allowing 257 passing yards per game. Johnson has been one of the most reliable corners in the NFL over the last two seasons, but in 2025, he’s been a liability, likely indicating that he’s still playing injured. Opposite of Johnson is Nahshon Wright, who should be better than he is with his 6’4’’ frame. He takes too many chances, which is a big reason he has five interceptions on the season, but by taking those chances, he often gets burned in coverage. The key to Chicago having success in this game will be the pass rush and whether they’re able to get some pressure outside of Montez Sweat. The Bears are tied for the seventh-fewest sacks on the season, and given the prolific passing offense of the Rams, they’re going to need to find a way to get pressure.
Chicago vs LA Rams