Is Matthew Stafford ready to play in Chicago? The numbers say he could have problems.

RC Nazemi

•
Is Matthew Stafford ready to play in Chicago? The numbers say he could have problems. image

Erin Hooley / AP

The Chicago Bears punched their ticket to the next round of the playoffs by defeating their rivals to the North, the Green Bay Packers. 

It was one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history, spurred by the Bears' defense locking in and Caleb Williams throwing some of the most insane balls many have seen. 

More: PFF says Caleb Williams put together an entire Patrick Mahomes playoff run in one single game

One of the main reasons for the astonishment behind his throws was the weather. It was snowing fairly heavily leading up to the game, and even picked up slightly in the 4th quarter. Chicago playoff weather is the kind of cold you feel in your bones. 

The matchups for the next round have been set, and they'll see the Los Angeles Rams make their way to Soldier Field on Sunday for what should be a great matchup. 

One point of concern around Rams' MVP candidate QB Matthew Stafford has been his play in domed arenas vs outdoor stadiums. The numbers could give us an early peek at what to expect on Sunday. 

Will Matthew Stafford struggle playing in the outdoor Chicago elements? 

Matthew Stafford has played like a man possessed this season, seemingly trying to put together one last Super Bowl run while he still has some gas in the tank. 

His numbers have been tremendous, and he's likely to win the MVP award based on his 46 TD throws this season. 

For most of his career, while in Detroit, Stafford played in a dome. During his time in Los Angeles, they've played in a dome. 

Come Sunday, Stafford will be exposed to the outdoor elements that January in Chicago has to offer. The two games he played this season, not in a dome where the temperature was below 50°, were very telling and could give us insight into Sunday. 

Stafford clearly struggled in these environments as his numbers dramatically decreased from his standard MVP-caliber figures. Chicago will fit that exact description. 

A drop in completion percentage, YPG, and TDs, paired with an uptick in INTs, could spell trouble for him and Sean McVay's offense.

You pair that with the fact that the Rams haven't won in Chicago since 2003, and McVay is 0-2 against Chicago, and this game becomes very interesting for Los Angeles. 

Stafford has consistently proven over the course of his career that he's extremely tough. I would personally be shocked if he let the weather affect him in this big of a moment, but as the age-old adage goes, "men lie, women lie, but numbers do not lie."

More NFL news: 

Senior Editor