NFL Playoff Predictions: Divisional Round Game Picks, Including 49ers @ Seahawks

Rob Staton: Bear

There’s just a little magic in the Bears right now and the Rams haven’t played their best football in weeks. Soldier Field is going to be rocking and I think Chicago will reach the NFC Championship.

Mike White: Rams

The Chicago Bears’ renaissance has been nothing short of remarkable and Ben Johnson deserves a ton of credit for it. So did Caleb Williams, who defied a lot of (justified) rookie season criticism in his sophomore year.

That said, this is a Rams team that many have been crowning as champions-elect for weeks and not without reason. Whether it’s offensive guru Sean McVay, the experience and MVP skills of Matthew Stafford or the magical hands of Puka Nacua, they have all the ingredients for another Super Bowl. The forecast conditions in the Arctic might be somewhat leveling, but they would still take the Rams by four.

Phil McGeoghan: Rams

I’m such a fan of Sean McVay. His spirit, his way of working, his game plans, but also his humor. His willingness to be open. All these things matter in football.

Because of his personality and his relationships with the players, he looks up to his guys. He’s not pretending that Davante Adams isn’t one of the best to ever do it. He’s not pretending he’s not impressed by Matthew Stafford when he makes one of his no-look throws. Those kinds of things really build culture.

That’s why they won the Super Bowl, that’s why people don’t leave there unless they get promoted and get better jobs, because McVay is such a good man and he’s a brilliant offensive mind, so I’m picking Sean McVay and the Rams for those reasons.

Paul Higham: The Bears

Only four quarterbacks have thrown for more than 140 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a playoff victory in the last 20 years — and two of them came against each other at Soldier Field.

So this could truly be decided by whether Matthew Stafford or Caleb Williams, who have combined for 29 fourth-quarter touchdowns this season, have the ball last after both coming off exciting late wins last week.

Williams has done it all season, and watching last week, even when they were way behind, it seemed inevitable that the Bears would come roaring back to win. It just gives you the funny feeling that they have something special playing in the Windy City.