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The Los Angeles Rams will travel to Chicago to face the Bears of the NFC North in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs.
This is going to be the matchup that everyone is going to have their eyes on. The Rams will travel to an environment that is going to be a freezing one and that game is going to take place late in the afternoon on Sunday. But the Rams are a team that travels well, and they knew what to expect in these late games when they are going to cold weather.
The Rams are coming off a massive win in the Wild Card round that came down to the final seconds. It was a game that the Rams should have had full control over, but did not. They will learn from their mistakes and take everything from that game and get better from it. It is going to take the whole team once again this Sunday against the Bears. The Bears are coming off their own late-game win as well. This game is going to be one that is going to have adjustments, and which team can make them.
When the Rams travel, they do a great job of making sure that all the players are well prepared and get them ready to take the field and play at their best. But one thing that must travel when you are going to an environment like the one that the Rams will be in on Sunday is their defense. That is one thing the Rams want to get better at. Last week, the defense struggled in the second half and getting off the field. One thing they did well was get a stop when they needed it the most.
Against the Bears offense, they will need to make sure they get off the field on third down, especially when they are third and third-and-long situations. Those are the killers for any defense because that is unacceptable when a defense cannot get off the field on third and long. There were a few of those that the Rams allowed last week. Against the Bears, the Rams' defense has to tighten up because that offense will make you pay if you do not get them off the field.
The Rams' defensive coordinator, Chris Shula, will have a great game plan for this game and will make the proper adjustments if needed. That is something he does well and makes him a top defensive coordinator in this league. Now he will need to be his best in the biggest game of the season.
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Michael Canel is a breaking news beat writer for various team sites across the On SI platform, focusing on both college and professional sports. A graduate of Fresno State University, he has transformed his passion for sports into a career, covering the latest breaking news with years of expertise and the enthusiasm of a devoted fan.
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