Now that the dust has settled from the Chicago Bears’ first playoff win in 15 years, the celebration period is officially over. The focus shifts to Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, where the winner secures a spot in the NFC Championship.
Thankfully for Chicago, Soldier Field — the home of the Bears — will be beneficial for numerous reasons.
Bears Lucky to Be Hosting Another Game
Chicago clinched the NFC North title entering Week 17 after the Green Bay Packers lost to the Baltimore Ravens. At that point, the Bears locked themselves into a top-three seed in the conference. The No. 1 seed was still in play (barely), with the No. 2 as the most likely outcome. The only way the Bears dropped to the No. 3 seed was if they went 0-2 and the Philadelphia Eagles went 2-0.
Well, in Week 17, Philadelphia scraped by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon, and Chicago lost a back-and-forth affair against the San Francisco 49ers. Now, if the Bears lost and the Eagles won in Week 18, Philadelphia would earn the No. 2 seed.
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However, the Eagles made an interesting decision, to say the least: they benched most of their starters for Week 18 against the Washington Commanders. This proved to be costly, as Washington defeated Philadelphia 24-17, while the Detroit Lions beat the Bears 19-16. Had the Eagles played their starters against an undermanned Commanders team, they likely would have won and earned the No. 2 seed.
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This would have completely shaken the NFC playoff picture, but all that matters now is that the Bears get to host the Rams.
Potential Movement from Soldier Field
This season has been full of dramatic comebacks and resilient victories for Chicago. But there has been plenty of drama off the field, too.
Since February 2023, the Bears have explored the possibility of relocating from Soldier Field and constructing a new stadium elsewhere. In short, this is mainly due to structural limitations, an inability to generate revenue through parking, and political obstacles preventing renovations.
The top destination for a while was Arlington Heights, an Illinois village about 30 miles north of downtown Chicago. Last month, however, Bears President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren discussed the possibility of relocating to Northwest Indiana.
For the most part, Bears fans are outraged — just check the comments from Warren’s official statement on X.
Soldier Field is one of the most iconic stadiums in all of sports, full of history and legacies left behind. And sure, Northwest Indiana is still a relatively short drive from Soldier Field. But it would be in a completely different state, and one that already has an NFL team in it (Indianapolis Colts).
Rams and Stafford’s Struggles in the Cold
Though Chicago is signed with Soldier Field through 2033, Bears fans are making every game count. They will certainly need to against the Rams. Los Angeles is one of the most formidable opponents remaining in the playoffs, with the second-best Super Bowl betting odds on FanDuel.
However, Stafford and the Rams have struggled in the cold all season. Their coldest game in the regular season was 45 degrees against the Carolina Panthers — a game in which they lost. Their average home game temperature was 69 degrees; it is expected to be about 20 degrees by kickoff on Sunday at Soldier Field.
The Rams are also just 6-4 on the road this season. In a road rematch against the Panthers — who snuck into the playoffs with a -69 point differential — Los Angeles narrowly escaped with a go-ahead, last-minute touchdown despite being heavy favorites.
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Meanwhile, Chicago fans are some of the most loyal and diehard fans in all of sports, making Soldier Field one of the toughest environments to play in. Factoring in that it was the playoffs, a night game, and against their heated rival in the Packers, last Saturday produced an absolutely electric atmosphere. Listen to this crowd pop on the go-ahead touchdown:
It certainly sounds like Chicago fans are sending their own message to Kevin Warren: keep the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field.
Sunday night will be no different, with a chance to earn a spot in the NFC Championship.
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