Mother Nature blocks Rams playoff path once more, and she's not fooling around

Bitter cold. The Los Angeles Rams do not face the bone-chilling winters that plague Chicago, Illinois. And yet, here we go again. If it's not blizzard conditions adding to the challenge of facing the Philadelphia Eagles a year ago, it's an arctic blast that freezes everything it touches as the team faces the Chicago Bears.

And brother, it's going to be cold. Worse still, the wind will push icy air through clothing and skin, making the game miserable for fans, coaches, and players alike.

The Bears are built for winter's worst. The Rams are not. In the cold and win, the football becomes as hard as a rock. Fingers quickly numb, making catching footballs an ever-more difficult task. Running backs, especially those who can carry the football between the tackles, are worth their weight in gold.

The Bears offense is built to run the football. The Rams offense is not. And thus, everything that got playoff teams to this point can be tossed out the window. Mother Nature has entered the fray.

LA Rams do not historically play well in bitter cold

The last time Los Angeles played in bitterly cold temperatures was a year ago, when the team overcame the bitter cold and the New York Jets to win the game by the score of 19-9. Curiously, wide receiver Davante Adams played for the Jets in that one.

And Chris Shula's defense was peaking at just the right time.

Thankfully, quarterback Matthew Stafford played for years in the NFC North Division and is all too familiar with the windy winters in Chicago. Still, he has been the starting quarterback for Los Angeles since 2021, so he hasn't exactly stayed proficient in numbing cold weather.

Rams players will no longer be entertained by former outside linebacker Michael Hoecht and his cold-defying shirtless pregame workouts. But the players will need to shut out any distractions caused by the cold and numbness. No matter who this team eventually faced, the plan had to know the risks of playing in cold weather in the postseason.

The front office certainly anticipated the risk. That's why the team made a point to sign nose tackle Poona Ford and inside linebacker Nate Landman. Both have helped this team shut down opposing running backs.

The defense improved from one of the worst run-stoppers in 2024 to land at a respectable 12th place this season. In stark contrast, the Bears defense struggles against the run at 27th place.

While fans often clamor for the running game to play a larger role in the offense, that strategy makes perfect sense this week. With a struggling defense, a strong running game controls the clock and keeps the defense rested. Right now, the team has to employ a better strategy to compensate for barely winning their Wild Card matchup in Carolina.

Hot cocoa and plenty of layers is the plan if you intend on watching this one in the stands. If not, hope for a sound commitment to the running game. The team hasn't fared well in bitter cold in the past. But with an offensive playbook loaded with 13 personnel plays, this one feels differently.

As always, thanks for reading.