The weather forecast for Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday night calls for possible snow and temperatures around 20 degrees, and Bears coach Ben Johnson noted that it’s going to be the coldest game the Rams have played in this season. But Rams coach Sean McVay is not concerned.
McVay said the weather in Chicago won’t be as bad as the Rams faced in two games last season, against the Eagles and Jets, and the weather didn’t affect Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s ability to throw the ball in either of those games.
“You know in the cold how the ball feels, but last year was a great example, we had two really cold games,” McVay said. “Matthew’s played in these conditions. So it doesn’t change. There’s a couple things you have to be mindful of, but you start talking about wind, rain, how that affects your footing, we always kind of adjust and adapt. 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. 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.”
McVay said the focus this week isn’t going to be on the weather because the weather is out of their control.
“We’re not going to waste our energy on things we can’t control,” McVay said. “I don’t have a weather machine. We do have a lot of guys that have been accustomed to playing in these types of situations, whether it’s previous teams, where they played their college ball in outdoor stadiums. We talk about mental toughness all the time and controlling the things we can control. 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. The ball is a little bit slicker, it feels like a rock, but other than that, let’s freakin’ roll.”
