The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Chicago Bears 20-17 in a nail-biting overtime victory during the NFC divisional playoffs [4]. The Rams' victory sends them to the NFC Championship to face the Seattle Seahawks [4]. The game, a captivating contest, drew record viewership, averaging 45.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock [3]. Viewership peaked at 52.6 million during the game's final moments, surpassing all of NBC Sports' 34 NFL Divisional Playoff games since 1988 [3].
Key Moments
The Bears' season ended in the NFC divisional playoffs despite exceeding expectations [5, 6]. They finished the season with an 11-6 record and won the NFC North [5]. The Bears were remarkably close to advancing further in the playoffs [2]. However, their inability to consistently stop the run and generate interior pressure on defense proved to be a significant weakness [1]. An early 2026 mock draft suggests the Bears will focus on bolstering their defensive line and secondary in the upcoming NFL Draft to address these issues [6].
Impact and Future Outlook
Despite the loss, the Bears showed significant improvement in the 2025 season [2]. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, set a Bears single-season passing record with 3,942 yards [7]. He also had an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 27-to-7, ranking fifth in the NFL [7]. Coach Ben Johnson was named a finalist for AP Coach of the Year, largely due to his instrumental role in Williams' development [7, 8]. Johnson instilled a mantra of continuous improvement within the team: "Good. Better. Best. Never let it rest. Until your good gets better. And your better gets best" [8]. Looking ahead, analysts suggest the Bears may target an elite free-agent pass rusher to further strengthen their defense [10]. One thing is certain: the Bears need to stop the run if they want to be a top team [1].
TL;DR
- The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Chicago Bears 20-17 in overtime in the NFC Divisional Playoff game, advancing to the NFC Championship against the Seattle Seahawks [4].
- The Rams-Bears game averaged a record 45.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, peaking at 52.6 million in the final minutes [3].
- Despite a strong 11-6 season and an NFC North title, the Bears' weaknesses in stopping the run and generating interior pressure were exposed in the playoff loss [1, 5].
- Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had a record-setting season, and coach Ben Johnson is an AP Coach of the Year finalist [7].