The Rams path to the NFC Championship runs through Jared Verse

For the Los Angeles Rams, a divisional round trip to Chicago presents a familiar postseason equation: Win up front, or spend the night chasing a quarterback who can tilt the game in a hurry.

Looking to the opposite sideline, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is surrounded by options. Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai in the backfield, Wide receivers Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, and DJ Moore on the perimeter, with tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland stressing defenses between the numbers.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has pushed every right button offensively, and the Rams understand that if the game turns into a rhythm-and-space contest, the margin for error disappears quickly.

That's why, as you begin to peel the layers back on the week, the focal point of the matchup from the Rams’ perspective starts and ends with outside linebacker Jared Verse.

The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Verse has become the tone-setter for a young, aggressive front seven that thrives on speed, disruption, and collective strain. No, almost at the end of his second season, Verse is no longer just an explosive edge rusher flashing traits; he is the centerpiece around which everything else is structured.

Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Josiah Stewart all benefit from the attention Verse commands, but it's his individual ability to win — early and often — dictates how the Rams can operate around him.

Jared Verse will play a huge role in outcome against Chicago

For Johnson, he'll preach balance this week. Swift and Monangai are at their best when the offense stays on schedule, forcing defenses to respect the run while Williams attacks leverage in the intermediate passing game -- that's where Verse’s impact on early downs will show up.

His power at the point of attack and his ability to disengage from blocks allow the Rams to set firm edges and constrict lanes, preventing Chicago from leaning into its ground game. If Verse is consistently resetting the line of scrimmage, the Bears are pushed into longer second- and third-down situations -- exactly where the Rams want them.

On passing downs, Verse’s role becomes even more nuanced. Williams is at his most dangerous when he can drift, extend, and create outside of structure. Just take a peek back to their 25-point fourth quarter barrage against Green Bay last week. That places a premium on rush-lane discipline, something Verse has grown significantly in over the course of his young NFL tenure.

Whether aligned outside the left tackle, over the right tackle, or reduced inside in sub-packages, Verse has shown the ability to win without sacrificing contain. Collapsing the pocket, getting bodies around Williams’ feet, and forcing throws through congested lanes all start with his pressure profile.

The Packers showed the blueprint early last week before their historic fourth-quarter collapse: compress the pocket, force Williams to hold the football, and make him operate in long-yardage situations. It leads to turnover-worthy throws, an accelerated internal clock, and Williams constantly checking his rearview mirror for No. 8.

There's a large spotlight on the potential of both offenses this week, but punching a ticket to the NFC title game will come via each team's ability to control the line of scrimmage. We'll see who shows up Sunday night.