Sometimes in football, you have to win ugly. That’s what the Los Angeles Rams did on Sunday evening against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Divisional round. Sean McVay and Co. gave up a miracle touchdown right before the end of regulation that seemed to reinforce belief that the Bears had omnipotent forces on their side. But in the end, they gutted out the victory. And in the process, Georgia great Matthew Stafford made history… just not the kind you’d expect.
According to OPTA Stats, Stafford became the first QB since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970 to win a road game in which he:
- Threw 40-plus passes
- Completed less than 50% of his passes
- And had no touchdown passes.
Quarterbacks now have a 1-99-1 record in road contests when hitting the aforementioned thresholds.
When Cole Kmet snagged the game-tying touchdown on Sunday evening, Rams fans’ heads flashed back to heartbreaking road losses against the Philadelphia Eagles (Week 3) and Seattle Seahawks (Week 16). Had they beaten the Seahawks, they would have been the No. 1 seed in the NFC. But they overcome those blown leads and found a way to advance past the Bears.
With Chicago in the rearview mirror, Los Angeles now heads to Seattle with a berth in Super Bowl LX on the line. If McVay and Stafford can avenge their Week 16 loss, they’ll have a chance to win their second Lombardi Trophy together. Kickoff between the Rams and Seahawks is set for 6:30 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, Jan. 25 (FOX).
