The Los Angeles Rams made an emphatic statement in the Wild Card Round, beating the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 to earn the opportunity to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round.
Like the Rams, the Eagles also didn’t have much trouble advancing in the playoffs as they dispatched the Green Bay
Packers 22-10 in a relatively uncompetitive game. However, both squads will face a much tougher test on Sunday when they face off against each other for the second time.
The first round went to Philadelphia who steamrolled Los Angeles 37-20, though the latter is a different team who’s playing much better complementary football. While the Eagles will have home field advantage for the contest, the Rams have showed they can play anywhere and it’ll be exciting to see if they can continue their current run.
Rams Offense vs. Eagles Defense
From an injury standpoint, L.A. is in good shape as they’ll have all their starters including Tyler Higbee who was listed as questionable earlier in the week due to a chest injury he suffered against Minnesota. Aside from Higbee, Alaric Jackson will also be available so Matthew Stafford should feel a little more comfortable in the pocket.
However, Philadelphia boasts one of the best defensive lines in the league and will no doubt generate some pressure on Stafford. The Eagles also do well against the run, so Kyren Williams could find some trouble finding gaps.
Rams Defense vs. Eagles Offense
Los Angeles’ defensive line stole the show against Minnesota as they racked up nine sacks on Sam Darnold, but they’ll have a harder time getting to Jalen Hurts who has arguably the best offensive line in the league. There’s also Saquon Barkley who came close to breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record though he sat out in Week 18.
The Eagles present a dual-pronged attack that can take advantage of nearly any defense, so it’ll need to be a group effort to keep them in check as much as possible.
Rams Keys to Victory
1. Slow down Saquon Barkley
Barkley is the engine of the Philadelphia offense and focusing on slowing him down should be the most important thing for defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Not only is Barkley a great runner, he’s also a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield so defensive attention him will be required at all times.
2. Stick with the run game
The Rams are underdogs in the game and thus head coach Sean McVay might find himself tempted to ditch the run game. However, L.A. operates at its best when they’re running the football first so Williams and company deserve opportunities to keep it on the ground.
