NFL
By George Lopez
The Los Angeles Rams head to the City of Brotherly Love this Sunday to take on the Eagles in a rematch of last year’s NFC Divisional Round matchup. Both teams enter the game with a 2-0 record in the young 2025 season. The Rams are looking for a different outcome compared to the 2 games against the Eagles last season. This game will show the Rams coaching staff how much their young defense has improved from last season.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has played solid football in the first two weeks of the season, leading the Rams’ offense. Through two games, Stafford has passed for 543 yards, while completing 71% of his passes to go along with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. A total of 10 different receivers have at least one reception for the Rams. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams have received a majority of the pass attempts as they have combined for 28 receptions through two games. In the multiple receiver formations, head coach Sean McVay likes to run, and Stafford has different options, from check-downs to stretching the field in the Rams’ passing attack. Stafford has not tried to force things downfield and is taking what the defense is giving him. Look for Stafford to continue to play within himself and take what the Eagles’ pass coverage gives him.
In the two games against the Eagles last season, the Rams’ offensive line had problems with the Eagles’ pass rush. With the lower back injury that kept Stafford out most of training camp, pass protection has been of the utmost priority for the offensive line. The team has allowed 4 sacks to Stafford through 2 games as they prepare to face the Eagles’ formidable pass rush. Starting left guard Steve Avila has been dealing with an ankle injury and is questionable to play Sunday. Coach McVay and his offensive staff have been working on blocking schemes this week to slow down the Eagles’ pass rush.
Kyren Williams has not gotten off to the start Ram fans expected. Through two games, Williams has averaged 66 rushing yards per game. Staying committed to the running game will help slow down the Eagles’ pass rush. The Rams’ offense is more effective when Coach McVay uses a balanced attack. Though Williams was held to 66 yards against the Titans, the team did rush for 149 yards on 25 carries. Look for Coach McVay to continue to use the balanced offensive attack he has gone with in the first two games of the season.
Last season, RB Saquon Barkley torched the Rams’ defense with over 200 rushing yards in both games. Barkley has gotten off to a slow start this season with 148 yards through 2 games while averaging 20 carries per game. Though the offense has looked sluggish, look for the Eagles to continue to call on Barkley on their vaunted running game against the Rams.
Through two games, quarterback Jalen Hurts has averaged less than 177 passing yards per game. Their leading receivers, Devonta Smith and TE Dallas Goedert, each have 7 receptions. Smith and WR A.J. Brown are the Eagles’ primary receivers, leading the team with 9 targets each, respectively. The Rams have lost starting CB Ahkello Witherspoon with a broken clavicle. Look for the Eagles test Witherspoon’s replacement, which most likely will be either Cobie Durant or Darius Williams. Emmanuel Forbes, Jr. is expected to see playing time in Witherspoon’s absence.
Through two games, the Rams’ pass rush has 8 sacks. Edge rusher, Byron Young, leads the team with 3 sacks. Young has been a great compliment playing opposite Jared Verse. In their week two game against the Titans, the Rams’ edge rushers, on a few occasions, crashed down too much and lost outside containment that allowed Titans quarterback Cam Ward to escape to the outside and extend plays. Jalen Hurts can use his legs, both in designed quarterback runs as well as escaping the pass rush. The Rams’ edge rushers will need to do a much better job of maintaining outside containment to prevent Hurts from getting to the outside.
A key for the Rams this week will be the play of their defensive line and inside linebackers. Led by Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, and Braden Fiske, the defensive line will look to close off the inside running lanes to limit the Eagles’ rushing attack on the inside. The inside linebackers, led by Omar Speights and Nate Landman, will look to fill the inside running lanes and take the right pursuit angles as the Rams’ edge defense forces the Eagles’ runners back to the inside. If the defensive line is not able to get off its blocks and close the running lanes, Barkley and company could have similar games as they did against the Rams last season.
This matchup against the Eagles will show what the Rams have learned from their two games against the Eagles last season. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula will focus on slowing down Barkley and the Eagles’ running game. The Rams’ entire focus cannot be on the Eagles’ running game, or Hurts will have a big game. Coach McVay will look to use a balanced offensive attack. In the end, look for the Eagles to improve to 3-0 in a close, hard-fought game between two playoff-caliber teams.
Eagles 21
Rams 17
