Sports
Rams withstand Caleb Williams’ heroic touchdown to stun Bears in overtime, move on to NFC title game
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The Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears gave it all they had in the NFC Divisional Round on Sunday night and they delivered an epic matchup that NFL fans will remember for a while.
Rams rookie kicker Harrison Mevis nailed the game-winning field goal to send Los Angeles home happy, 20-17. The Rams will meet the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship.
Los Angeles running back Kyren Williams punched the go-ahead score into the end zone and the defense stymied the Chicago Bears at the goal line in what appeared to be the last stand.
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Bears safety Jaquan Brisker reacts after collecting a sack against Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford during the divisional playoff game Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Williams’ 5-yard touchdown run ended a 14-play, 91-yard drive with 8:50 left in the game. It was Williams’ second touchdown of the game and it was exactly what Los Angeles needed to win the game as scoring was extremely difficult to come by in the second half.
The Bears failing to get into the end zone after a 12-play, 61-yard drive was the closest Chicago got in the second half. The Bears punted three times and Caleb Williams threw a crucial interception in the third quarter on their previous second-half drives.
But Williams had one trick up his sleeve.
With their backs against the wall, the Bears star mustered up the last bit of magic he could. He took the snap on 4th-and-4 from the Rams’ 14-yard line. He felt the pressure and ran about 25 yards backward before he decided to fire the ball into the end zone with three Rams defenders in his face.
Somehow, Williams found tight end Cole Kmet in the end zone for the touchdown. Kmet broke free from Rams cornerback Cobie Durant and secured the catch. Cairo Santos hit the game-tying extra point and the game was sent into overtime.
BEARS’ NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGER SENDS NFL FANS INTO FRENZY WITH PERFORMANCE BEFORE PLAYOFF GAME
Bears defensive end Dominique Robinson sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Williams made a similar play in the NFC Wild Card Round matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The play saved their season – as did the one on Sunday night.
In the overtime period, Williams put the game on his shoulder. He made a long run on third down to keep the drive alive early in the series. On 4th-and-1, the Bears didn’t flinch and went for a first down. Again, Williams’ number was called and he got the yardage needed to extend the drive. Just when it appeared that the Bears had everything going their way, Williams threw his third pick of the night to Kam Curl.
Matthew Stafford then locked in and led the Rams on the game-winning drive that ended with the Mevis field goal.
Stafford was 20-of-42 with 258 passing yards. He was sacked four times. Williams led the Rams with 87 rushing yards on 21 carries. Colby Parkinson had three catches for 56 yards.
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams celebrates his touchdown run with center Coleman Shelton during the divisional playoff game against the Bears Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Williams was 23-of-42 with 257 passing yards, two touchdown passes and three picks. D’Andre Swift had 76 rushing yards on 19 carries. Bears tight end Colston Loveland led the team with four catches for 56 yards.
The Rams are back in the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2021 season. In that year, Los Angeles topped the San Francisco 49ers and then defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
It will be the third conference title game appearance in the Sean McVay era. The Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints in the controversial NFC Championship in the 2018 season. But Los Angeles lost to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford looks to pass as teammate guard Steve Avila blocks Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
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Los Angeles will take on the Seahawks for the right to play in Super Bowl LX. The winner will either face the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots.
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Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was hospitalized on Friday, TMZ reported.
The New York Giants legend suffered a medical emergency in New Jersey, warranting the visit, the outlet said.
Taylor’s status is unclear at this time, but TMZ said that it does not appear to be serious, citing “those close to” him.
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Former New York Giant Lawrence Taylor attends a game between the Giants and the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Jan. 1, 2023. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Taylor’s former Giants did not immediately respond to an email.
L.T. is widely regarded as the greatest linebacker to ever play. He was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, including in his rookie season.
He won two Super Bowls, made 10 straight Pro Bowls and was named the MVP of the 1986 season. He also remains the franchise’s all-time sacks leader, which includes his 9½ sacks from his rookie season, before sacks became a stat.
New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor enters the field before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sept. 8, 2024. (John Jones/Imagn Images)
This came despite a lavish lifestyle off the field, which resulted in legal troubles after his playing days. Drug problems have also resulted in health problems later in life.
Taylor showed his support for President Donald Trump in 2024, appearing at a rally in Wildwood, New Jersey.
“I grew up a Democrat, and I’ve always been a Democrat, until I met this man right here,” Taylor said to cheers. “Nobody in my family ever will vote for a Democrat again.”
President Donald Trump and former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor attend an executive order signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 31, 2025. The order formally reestablishes the Presidential Fitness Test, creating school-based programs that reward excellence in physical education. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg)
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Taylor made Giants headlines last year when he quickly turned down Abdul Carter’s request to wear his No. 56 that has been retired by the organization since 1994, just one season after he retired.
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KARACHI: Islamabad United on Friday handed Hyderabad Kingsmen a humiliating eight-wicket defeat in the 36th match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium.
The victory, which marked United’s fifth in the ongoing eight-team tournament, propelled the three-time champions into the playoffs, joining leaders Peshawar Zalmi and 2021 champions Multan Sultans.
Set to chase a modest 81-run target, the United comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 80 balls to spare.
The 2024 champions, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost left-handed opener Devon Conway (zero) on the second delivery of the innings.
But Sameer Minhas and Mohsin Riaz batted sensibly to put United within touching distance as they put together 79 runs for the second wicket until Ali struck again, dismissing Riaz, who top-scored with 42 off just 18 deliveries, studded with six fours and two sixes.
Minhas, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with 27 off 20 deliveries, featuring three fours and a six, while skipper Shadab hit the winning runs in the same over with a boundary on the first delivery he faced.
For the Kingsmen, Mohammad Ali remained the solitary wicket-taker in the gruelling defeat with two scalps.
United captain Shadab Khan’s decision to field first paid dividends as his team’s bowling unit booked the new entrants for 80 in 15.5 overs.
Kingsmen got off to the worst possible start to their innings as Gleeson dismissed Maaz Sadaqat (zero) on the first delivery of the innings.
The right-arm pacer swept through their top order by getting rid of Marnus Labuschagne (five) and Saim Ayub (12) in his next two overs and brought the total down to 24/3.
Following Gleeson’s early blitz was backed by the experienced spin duo of captain Shadab and Imad Wasim as they dismantled Kingsmen’s middle and lower orders by taking three wickets each despite last match centurion Usman Khan’s grit.
The wicketkeeper batter waged a lone battle for the Kingsmen with an unbeaten 25 off 35 deliveries, during which he struck only one boundary.
Besides Usman and Saim, only Kusal Perera and Asif Mehmood, 12 each, could amass double figures against a ruthless United bowling attack.
For United, Gleeson, Imad and Shadab bagged three wickets each, while left-arm pacer Salman Mirza chipped in with one scalp.
Playing XIs
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Saim Ayub, Kusal Perera, Usman Khan (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali and Asif Mehmood.
Islamabad United: Devon Conway (wk), Sameer Minhas, Mark Chapman, Mohsin Riaz, Shadab Khan (c), Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson and Salman Mirza.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday Washington had no objections to Iranian players participating in the 2026 Fifa World Cup but he added the players will not be allowed to bring with them people with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Nothing from the US has told them they can’t come,” Rubio told reporters.
President Donald Trump also said his administration “would not want to affect the athletes” in comments he made at the White House.
The 2026 soccer World Cup is set to begin on June 11 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Paolo Zampolli, a Trump envoy who has no official connection with the World Cup, had earlier suggested that Italy should replace Iran at the tournament.
“The problem with Iran would be not their athletes. It would be some of the other people they would want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC. We may not be able to let them in but not the athletes themselves,” Rubio said.
“They can’t bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers,” Rubio added. Washington has designated the IRGC as a “foreign terrorist organisation.”
Currently there is no suggestion Iran will withdraw or be banned from the tournament that Italy missed out on.
After the start of the Iran war, Iran requested that Fifa move the team’s three group matches from the US to Mexico, which was rejected.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states with US bases. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions. A fragile ceasefire in the Iran war began over two weeks ago.
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