The Los Angeles Rams face the Chicago Bears in a divisional round playoff game at Soldier Field amid brutally cold conditions. Temperatures are expected to drop to 2 degrees with a wind chill of minus-23 and gusty winds up to 44 mph. Historical precedents highlight the challenges of such weather in NFL postseason history.
Sunday's divisional round matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago promises to test both teams in extreme cold. AccuWeather forecasts a low of 2 degrees, with a real feel of minus-23 degrees due to winds topping 20 mph and gusts reaching 44 mph, accompanied by flurries. Attendees are advised to bundle up heavily for the conditions.
Cold-weather playoff games have defined NFL history, and this contest evokes some of the league's chilliest moments. The coldest remains the 1967 'Ice Bowl' between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, with minus-13 degrees and a wind chill of minus-48. Other notables include the 1982 'Freezer Bowl' (minus-9 degrees, wind chill minus-59) where the Cincinnati Bengals beat the San Diego Chargers 27-7, and the 2016 wild-card game at minus-6 degrees where the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Seattle Seahawks after a missed field goal.
The Bears advanced with a 31-27 comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round, erasing an 18-point deficit for the largest comeback in franchise playoff history. Running back D'Andre Swift, in a career year under first-year head coach Ben Johnson with 11 scrimmage touchdowns, has struggled recently, gaining fewer than 60 rushing yards in four straight games. Bold predictions suggest Swift will break out with 180 yards from scrimmage against the Rams, including at least 85 on the ground. In their last meeting in 2024, the Bears won 24-18, with Swift totaling 165 yards (93 rushing, 72 receiving).
As more NFL teams move to domed stadiums, such outdoor frigid games may become rarer, making this one a throwback to playoff traditions.
