CHICAGO _ The Los Angeles Rams' march to a playoff bye, and possibly more, is on hold.
What was once the NFL's hottest team was stopped cold Sunday night by a Chicago Bears team that announced its arrival with a 15-6 victory over the Rams before a crowd of 58,076 at Soldier Field.
The Bears shut down Rams quarterback Jared Goff, intercepted four of his passes, and neutralized running back Todd Gurley and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, sending the Rams to a loss that dropped their record to 11-2.
On a chilly night, with temperatures that dipped into the 20s, the NFC West-champion Rams lost the opportunity to clinch a bye through the wild-card round. They also fell slightly off pace to clinch home-field advantage through the playoffs.
The NFC North-leading Bears (9-4), under first-year coach Matt Nagy, made sure of that by holding the Rams to the fewest points in coach Sean McVay's near two-season tenure. It marked the first time the Rams did not score a touchdown under the 2017 NFL coach of the year.
The Rams went into the game ranked second in offense and scoring, averaging 34.9 points a game. They had not scored fewer than 23 points in a game.
The Rams defense gave the offense plenty of opportunities by intercepting three passes.
But the Bears defense, ranked fourth in the NFL, was as good as advertised, intercepting four passes, pressuring Goff from all angles and sacking him three times, including one that resulted in a third-quarter safety.
In the end, the Bears beat the Rams with two field goals, a safety and a touchdown pass to an offensive lineman.
That was enough on a night when the Rams gained only 214 yards and got two field goals from Greg Zuerlein.
Goff completed 20 of 44 passes for 180 yards. It was the second time in two games that the third-year pro struggled.
Gurley rushed for 28 yards in 11 carries and caught three passes for 30 yards.
And Donald, who went into the game with a league-leading 16 { sacks, recorded none.
Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky, returning from a two-game absence because of a shoulder injury, completed 16 of 30 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, with three interceptions.
Running back Jordan Howard rushed for 101 yards in 19 carries, and running back Tarik Cohen rushed for 69 yards.
Linebacker Khalil Mack recorded a sack and helped the Bears harass Goff throughout the game.
The score was tied, 6-6, at halftime after both teams intercepted two passes but neither managed to score a touchdown.
The Rams got the ball first in the second half, but that did them no good.
They were penalized for holding on the kickoff and started at the 13-yard line. Gurley was dropped for a five-yard loss on first down, and on the next play nose tackle Eddie Goldman sacked Goff in the end zone for a safety and an 8-6 lead.
The Bears also got the ball after a free kick, and Trubisky drove them to the Rams' two.
On third down, Trubisky faked a hand-off to defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who had lined up in the backfield, and then passed to tackle Bradley Sowell for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 15-6.
It was the second time in as many games that the Rams gave up a touchdown pass to an offensive linemen.
Rams safety John Johnson appeared to give the Rams a lift when he intercepted a Trubisky pass late in the third quarter and returned it to the Bears' 27.
But on the next play, Bears defensive back Kyle Fuller intercepted Goff's pass, quelling the threat.
The Rams threatened again early in the fourth quarter, but Zuerlein's 40-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the right upright, leaving the Rams with a nine-point deficit.
One of the Rams' final opportunities ended when Hicks sacked Goff on fourth down with 4 minutes 28 seconds left.
The Rams got the ball back with 2:45 left. But cornerback Prince Amukamara intercepted a pass with just more than two minutes left to seal the victory.
The Bears outgained the Rams, 149 yards to 98, during the first half.
Goff completed 11 of 22 passes for 80 yards and had two passes intercepted. His longest completion went 14 yards.
Gurley gained only 11 yards in five carries.
Cornerback Marcus Peters gave the Rams an immediate lift when he picked off a Trubisky pass and returned it 48 yards on the first possession.
The Rams, however, went three and out and settled for Zuerlein's 27-yard field goal.
The Bears answered with a drive that featured Trubisky's 29-yard completion to running back Cohen. But John Franklin-Myers sacked Trubisky on third down, forcing the Bears to kick a field goal.
Bears linebacker Roquan Smith intercepted a pass by Goff early in the second quarter and returned it 22 yards to the Rams 24-yard line.
But Nickell Robey-Coleman broke up a third-down pass into the end zone and the Bears settled for another field goal and a 6-3 lead.
On the ensuing possession, the Rams appeared to be stopped in their territory, but punter Johnny Hekker completed a fourth-down pass to tight end Gerald Everett that was initially ruled short of the first down. But McVay challenged the spot and, upon review, the Rams got the first down.
But the Rams ultimately could not penetrate beyond the Bears' 32, and Zuerlein came on to kick a 50-yard field goal.
Robey-Coleman intercepted a pass with 19 seconds left in the second quarter. But defensive back Eddie Jackson intercepted Goff's long pass at the goal line, ending the half.
