When the Rams head into Soldier Field for Sunday night’s matchup against the Bears, they won’t just be facing a physical Chicago defense - they’ll be staring down a forecast that includes possible snow and temperatures hovering around 20 degrees. For the Rams, it’s set to be the coldest game they’ve played all season. But if you ask Sean McVay, that’s not something he’s losing sleep over.
McVay, who’s coached his share of cold-weather games, isn’t sounding any alarms. In fact, he pointed to two frigid matchups from last season - against the Eagles and Jets - as proof that his team, and quarterback Matthew Stafford in particular, can handle the elements.
“You know in the cold how the ball feels,” McVay said. “But last year was a great example - we had two really cold games.
Matthew’s played in these conditions. So it doesn’t change.”
That’s a key point. Stafford’s no stranger to winter football.
Before his time in L.A., he spent over a decade in Detroit, where cold-weather games weren’t just occasional - they were routine. So when McVay talks about his quarterback being ready for the elements, there’s real weight behind it.
Sure, there are things to watch for - footing on a slick field, how the wind might affect the passing game, how the ball feels coming off the hand. But McVay emphasized that those are just part of the game. The Rams, he said, won’t be making any excuses.
“They’ve got to be able to play in those elements - they have a little more experience, but we’re not going to allow that to be an excuse,” McVay said. “I think you have to have a feel, but I think the way that our guys play, I think it suits us well in any sorts of conditions.”
That confidence isn’t just coach-speak. It’s rooted in how the Rams are built - a team that’s shown it can adapt, whether it’s a shootout in SoFi or a grind-it-out battle in the cold. McVay’s message is simple: control what you can control.
“We’re not going to waste our energy on things we can’t control,” he said. “I don’t have a weather machine.”
Instead, the Rams are leaning into their preparation and mental toughness - two traits that become even more valuable when the thermometer drops. Many of the players have experience in cold-weather games, whether from previous NFL stops or college programs that played outdoors in the winter months. That matters.
“We talk about mental toughness all the time and controlling the things we can control,” McVay said. “Let’s control the things we can control.
When you’re not on the field, stay warm. And then when you’re out there, your adrenaline kicks in.”
Of course, the ball will feel different - slicker, harder, maybe even like a rock, as McVay put it. But that’s just part of the deal. The Rams aren’t planning to change who they are based on the temperature.
“Other than that,” McVay said, “let’s freakin’ roll.”
That’s the mindset of a team that’s not letting the weather write the narrative. Cold or not, this game will be about execution - and the Rams are showing up ready to play.