Matthew Stafford confident cold weather won’t affect him vs. Bears

He played 12 seasons in the NFC North before being traded to the Rams, so quarterback Matthew Stafford is no stranger to cold weather games.

Sunday night, when the Rams face the Chicago Bears in an NFC divisional round at Soldier Field, temperatures during the game could include a wind chill below zero degrees.

Stafford, citing historic NFL games played in harsh weather conditions, said Wednesday he would accept the elements.

“There’s something about it, isn’t there, that seems good when football is outdoors, you’re playing late in the year, it’s cold, it means a lot,” Stafford said, adding, “I know there’s going to be a big crowd there, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Stafford, 37, suffered a sprained right index finger Saturday against the Carolina Panthers, but still passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception, in the 34-31 wild-card victory.

On Wednesday, he said he experienced no residual effects immediately afterward, that the finger felt “fine” and that it would not affect his ability to catch or throw the ball on Saturday.

“Whatever it was, it’s gone now,” he said.

Still, all eyes will be on Stafford, and how the finger might affect his performance, when the Rams face the Bears in the third playoff game between the teams.

“Luckily,” coach Sean McVay said, “Matthew played in those conditions.”

Stafford said he will wear a warm, comfortable layer under his uniform that he first used with the Lions. The cold doesn’t bother him, he says, and each game requires unique adjustments.

“You can’t lump them all together,” he said, adding, “You just have to figure it out as you go.”

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Playoffs last season.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Stafford has a career record of 12-10 against the Bears. His 22 games against them are tied for the second-most against any team, one behind the Minnesota Vikings.

He is 5-7 against the Bears at Soldier Field.

It didn’t go well for the Rams and Stafford the last time they played there. On September 29, 2024, Stafford completed 20 of 29 passes for 224 yards, with one interception, in a 24–18 loss. The Rams had the ball with 1:03 left, but the Bears intercepted a pass to seal the Rams’ loss.

Stafford played two games in cold weather last season.

In late December against the New York Jets, the wind chill factor was 14 degrees. Stafford completed 14 of 19 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, in a 19-9 victory.

In last season’s NFC divisional round game in Philadelphia, with a wind chill factor of 27 degrees, Stafford completed 26 of 44 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-22 loss that ended with the Rams on the Eagles’ 22-yard line and an incomplete pass intended for Puka Nacua.

He now faces a Bears defense that ranks poorly in most statistical categories, but leads the NFL with 23 interceptions. The unit also recovered 10 fumbles.

“That’s how they thrived,” Stafford said.

During the regular season, the Bears gave up 24.4 points and 361.8 yards per game, ranking them 23rd and 28th, respectively, among 32 NFL teams. They finished 27th in rushing defense (134.5 yards per game) and 22nd in pass defense (227.2)

Veteran safety Kevin Byard III had a league-best seven interceptions, cornerback Nahshon Wright five and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds four for a team that beat the Green Bay Packers 27-24 in the wild-card round.

“They have a…talented back that catches the ball when it’s in their zone,” Stafford said. “They do a good job up front and also affect the pocket.”

The Rams prepare for Sunday in sunny and warm conditions at Woodland Hills. McVay joked that the Rams were going to experience “the biggest cold snap ever, and everyone’s going to see if we can sit in this thing for three hours.”

Hot or cold, the preparation will be the same, according to Stafford.

“We don’t care what the weather is like here or there,” he said. “Go play.”