Marshall Faulk has one request for the Rams and Bears game -- the referees need to CHILL.

Yes, that's what the Super Bowl champ said to TMZ Sports before his former team, the Rams, face the Bears in freezing Chicago on Sunday for the NFL Divisional Round matchup.

"Here's what I hope for," Faulk started.

"I hope that the referees stay their ass out of the game. We don't need to see referees on TV as much. They've been too visible in these games. They're throwing too many flags, I know they wanna be seen, but they need to stay out of the game."

Outside of that, the former NFL running back is picking his guys to win, emphasizing that he trusts Matthew Stafford more than any of the other quarterbacks left in the playoffs.

Faulk -- who retired in 2007 after setting multiple records in the NFL -- also spoke about his new gig as the head coach of the Southern University football team.

Mind you, he was under Deion Sanders' wing at Colorado as a running back coach.

"Everybody told me that I needed to coach," Faulk laughed.