The Los Angeles Rams came away with a dominant 27-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings to advance for a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Divisional Round.
The Rams will have their hands full on Sunday as they look to slow down an Eagles team that has won 13 of their last 14 games dating back to Week 6, including a 22-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round.
Philadelphia has a dynamic offense that is led by All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley and Pro Bowl quarterback Jalen Hurts. The two helped the team average just under 179 rushing yards per game during the 2024 season, which trailed only the Baltimore Ravens’ 193.8.
The Eagles are even better on the other side of the ball as they had the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL. They gave up the fewest yards (279.7) and points (17.4) per game of any team in football this season.
The Rams and Eagles previously played each other in Week 12, which saw Philadelphia earn a convincing 37-20 win over L.A. at SoFi Stadium. “They’re real. Obviously, we have a familiarity,” head coach Sean McVay said of the upcoming contest.
“I got a little bit of a jump on them this morning. This defense is outstanding. Their offense… we know how tough they are to defend in terms of the different things that they can present in the run game and how good they are offensive linewise.
“They have great skill. Obviously [Eagles RB] Saquon [Barkley] is probably going to win Offensive Player of the Year. We have a ton of respect for [Eagles QB] Jalen Hurts. I think [Eagles TE Dallas] Goedert… you look at him making a big play, catching a bubble for a touchdown and stiff-arming guys the other day. They’re in this position for a reason and we’re looking forward to the challenge to go swing though, I’ll promise you that.”
Sean McVay discusses Saquon Barkley’s performance against Rams in Week 12
As McVay noted, the team will have to slow down Barkley if they want any chance of pulling off the upset in Philadelphia.
The 27-year-old rushed for 255 rushing yards and found the end zone twice against the Rams in November. “I think first and foremost, you have to give them credit,” McVay answered when asked if Barkley’s performance had more to do with the Eagles’ efforts or the Rams defense simply not playing well.
“They did an excellent job and then there were some things where we certainly could have put our guys in some better spots. There were some things where we misfit some runs. The last one that he broke out, we were in a zero blitz and he broke through the line of scrimmage and there’s no one left and he has the speed to finish.
“That’s the thing that makes Saquon so special. He’s patient and he hits you for a couple of those runs but if he gets clean to the second and third levels, he’s such a slash runner and he has the speed to finish. That’s why he’s such a dynamic player. I think our sense of urgency will be appropriate for the task at hand this week. We love it and we’re looking forward to it, but we have a ton of respect for this group.”
