Caleb Williams made the best throw of his life. Then he threw the Bears’ season away.

[ad_1] Within the wild-card spherical, it was a layered throw whereas rolling out to his left on fourth and eight.

On Sunday, it was a fadeaway 50-yard heave on fourth and 4 from the 14-yard line.

Solely this time, Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears couldn’t full the comeback.

The Bears misplaced 20-17 in extra time to the Los Angeles Rams in Chicago within the remaining recreation of the divisional spherical of the NFL playoffs on Sunday, sending the Rams to the NFC championship recreation whereas Chicago’s Cinderella run has come to an finish.

“There’s no type factors,” Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay stated postgame. “It’s about having the ability to survive and advance. And we had been ready to try this in a tricky, hostile setting and it was chilly as s--- right this moment.”

Coming into the sport, the Bears had seven fourth-quarter comebacks between the common season and the playoffs and on their strategy to their eighth after an unbelievable play by Williams late within the fourth quarter.

With the Bears trailing 17-10, Williams led Chicago into the pink zone with underneath a minute left in regulation. Then, on fourth down, he drifted again from Los Angeles’ 14-yard line to all the best way close to the 40 earlier than he uncorked an ideal landing move to Cole Kmet at the back of the tip zone, tying the sport and improbably maintaining the Bears’ season alive.

“Ridiculous, that’s ridiculous,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson stated of the throw, including that it was “even one other degree forward” of the throw that Williams made every week in the past towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

“There’s some stuff you simply can’t coach.”

In extra time, nonetheless, after a defensive cease, Williams led Chicago again into Rams territory solely to be intercepted by Kam Curl on a deep shot supposed for D.J. Moore. Williams stated the interception was the results of a miscommunication between him and his receiver.

“What a freakin’ play by Kam Curl,” McVay stated.

The Bears would by no means see the ball once more, as Matthew Stafford led Los Angeles down the sector for a game-winning discipline objective by Harrison Mevis.

The extra time interception was a becoming finish for what was finally a boom-or-bust efficiency by Williams, the second-year participant with prodigious expertise, a aptitude for the dramatic and irritating inconsistencies.

Williams completed the sport 23-of-42 for 257 yards, two touchdowns, the surprising fourth-down throw and in addition three interceptions. Two of his picks got here in Rams territory, robbing Chicago of scoring alternatives.

Exterior of the miracle heave to Kmet, Williams additionally had points on fourth down. The Bears completed the sport solely 3-of-6 on fourth-down makes an attempt: a failed run, an interception from the 21-yard line on the primary drive of the sport and an incompletion ultimately zone on fourth and objective from the two.

Had Williams been in a position to convert on cash downs earlier within the recreation, his late heroics might need by no means been wanted.

“I do know he’s feeling it as a result of we didn’t win, had some turnovers combined in there,” Johnson stated of his quarterback. “He’s a kind of guys I’m speaking about who’ll keep in mind this sense.”

Stated Williams: “It’s powerful. In these moments you're feeling you let your group down.”

Chicago’s lack of execution opened the door for a Los Angeles group that was outplayed many of the night time. The Bears outgained the Rams, averaged extra yards per play, rushed for extra yards per carry and had the sting in time of possession. However the failed fourth-down performs and the turnovers finally gave Stafford — an MVP candidate — too many probabilities.

On Los Angeles’ game-winning drive, Stafford accomplished passes of 15, 12 and 16 yards. The 12-yard completion was to Davante Adams on an extremely tight throw to the sideline that put the Rams in opponent territory. The 16-yarder got here on third and 6 within the face of a blitz and put Los Angeles in discipline objective vary.

The Rams will journey to play their NFC West rival the Seattle Seahawks for the appropriate to go to the Tremendous Bowl. Los Angeles and the Seahawks cut up their season collection, with every group profitable at house. The mixed margin of victory within the video games was solely three factors.