The Chicago Bears play the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday at Soldier Field.
After coming back from an 18-point deficit to beat the Packers, the Bears now face the number one offense in the league. Head Coach Ben Johnson and several players spoke at Halas Hall on Monday about the upcoming matchup.
Coach and Player Comments
Head Coach Ben Johnson
- On the matchup: “Once you get to round two, round three, there are no weak links. I have nothing but respect for the opponent because they’re good. Their quarterback is playing at an MVP caliber level.”
- On the weather: “I like the cold. I do like the cold… I know this will be the coldest game they’ve played this year.”
- On Matthew Stafford: “He’s one of the more supremely talented throwers of the football I’ve ever been around. What is second to none with him is his physical toughness.”
- On the Rams defense: “The interior, they are relentless. Not only talented, but just the fact that they do it, play in and play out and they don’t take any plays off, that makes it very difficult.”
QB Caleb Williams
- On late-game pressure: “I feel calm in those moments. I feel my conditioning is the best in those moments. I’m the best when I’ve got the other 10 guys around me that are fighting for me.”
- On Matthew Stafford: “He has what everybody calls ‘snake eyes.’ Just knowing defenses, knowing the offense and being able to move people where you want to move them is something he’s been able to do very well.”
OL Drew Dalman
- On the Rams front: “I’ve got a lot of respect for them and we’re going to have to be on our ‘A game’ to be able to run it on this crew.”
- On center-QB chemistry: “A couple of [snap issues] popped up. Nothing that I’m going to lose sleep over though. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Caleb and I being able to get that connection right.”
LB Tremaine Edmunds
- On the Rams offense: “They are a well-oiled machine. They get into really good football plays against whatever defense you are in.”
- On the preparation: “It comes down to the fundamentals and the details. We have to be accountable to each other in these big playoff games.”
RB D’Andre Swift
- On the run game: “It feels like it’s dipped a little bit. Late in the season, you want to be able to lean on your run game. We need to find both efficient and explosive runs.”
- On the opponent’s front: “I think the front is their strength. These guys at the line of scrimmage are really good football players. I think they shed blocks at an elite level.”
DB Kevin Byard III
- On Puka Nacua: “He does everything. They throw him screens, intermediate routes, deeper routes. We’re going to have to know where he is on every snap.”
- On Matthew Stafford: “He throws probably one or two no-look passes a game. He’s a very talented quarterback who has been in this league a long time and seen a lot.”
Game Outlook
The Bears are focusing on starting faster this week to avoid playing from behind. While the Rams have a high-scoring offense, the Bears are counting on the cold weather at Soldier Field and their recent defensive adjustments to keep the game close.
Kickoff: Sunday, January 18 at Soldier Field.
