The Philadelphia Eagles enhanced their record to 9-2 by defeating the Rams 37-20 on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ with Saquon Barkley contributing an impressive 255 rushing yards.
“He’s an exceptional player,” remarked Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts regarding Barkley after the game. “He excels in his role.”
The Rams fell to 5-6, having been outscored 24-13 in the latter half of the match.
Final: Eagles dominant in 7th consecutive victory, 37-20
Saquon Barkley’s impressive performance, totaling 255 rushing yards, contributed significantly to the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over the Rams, resulting in a score of 37-20 on NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football.’ With this win, the Eagles advance to a record of 9-2, while the Rams fall to 5-6 after being outscored 24-13 in the latter half of the game.
Saquon Barkley cannot be stopped
As the Eagles sought to manage the remaining time, Saquon Barkley made a decisive run to the end zone. Unchallenged over a distance of 72 yards, he extended the Eagles’ advantage to 37-14 with just 2:44 left in the game, concluding the match in the same manner that he initially created a significant lead—with a scoring run exceeding 70 yards. This marked the end of the evening for the MVP contender, who accumulated 255 rushing yards on 26 attempts, in addition to 47 receiving yards.
Nacua in elite company
This hasn’t been the Rams’ night but receiver Puka Nacua’s eight catches for 110 yards has placed him among the very best at his position to open a career.
Eagles 30, Rams 14
After a 26-yard field goal, Philadelphia has increased its second-half score to 17 points, surpassing its already leading NFL average, thereby extending its advantage in Los Angeles and positioning itself to secure a seventh consecutive victory. A favorable outcome for the Rams is still a possibility. Those who viewed last week’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ game at this venue are aware of how swiftly momentum can change. However, if a comeback is to occur, it must begin at this moment.
Pressure from the Eagles causing havoc
The Rams, facing a 27-14 deficit, missed a 47-yard field goal attempt to the right with 1:32 remaining, marking the third consecutive game in which they have failed to convert a field goal. A more significant issue that has persisted throughout the game is their struggle to succeed on third down, where they officially stand at 0-5, although they are effectively 0-6 due to a holding penalty that nullified one attempt on their final drive. Philadelphia’s defensive pressure disrupted the Rams’ last possession, resulting in a total of four sacks for the night.
Eagles 27, Rams 14
Kenneth Gainwell, living up to his name, bulldozed his way into the end zone on a 13-yard TD run. This marked his first rushing TD of the season and capped off the Eagles’ second straight 70-yard scoring drive. As we’ve seen, Philadelphia’s dominance in the second half is a major factor in their success.
Rams answer with a touchdown
A crucial (and controversial) pass-interference penalty on Philadelphia turned an incompletion on 3rd-and-16, 34 yards from the end zone, into a first down at the 3-yard line for the Rams. They take advantage two plays later with a pass from Matthew Stafford to Demarcus Robinson to trim Philadelphia’s lead to 20-14 with 10:51 to play in the third quarter.
Halftime: Eagles 13, Rams 7
The first half was a lackluster affair. The Eagles failed on a fourth-down attempt at the Rams’ 48-yard line, and the Rams couldn’t capitalize on the late opportunity. The Rams trail 203-111 at halftime.
Critical drive comes up short?
The Rams’ failure to capitalize on their late first-half possession could prove costly. The Eagles’ league-leading second-half scoring average (16.1 points) makes it crucial for opponents to keep the game close at halftime. Unfortunately for the Rams, no team has managed to do that in their last six games.
Eagles 13, Rams 7
Did A.J. Brown catch the touchdown, or did he fumble it? Officials initially called it an incompletion after it appeared Rams corner Quentin Lake punched the ball out just as Brown was about to step out of bounds — but after a review, it was reversed and ruled a 6-yard touchdown, with 1:27 left before halftime.
Rams 7, Eagles 6
Jake Elliott’s field goal capped off another drive that stalled inside the red zone. With 6:17 left in the half, both teams have struggled to score early on. The Rams and Eagles have combined for the fewest first-quarter points in the league this season.
Eagles punt for first time
The Eagles’ offense sputtered on their second drive, going three-and-out. This defensive resurgence, orchestrated by rookie coordinator Chris Shula, has been a game-changer. After a disastrous start to the season, the Eagles’ defense has tightened up, holding opponents to fewer than 24 points in their last five games.
Rams 7, Eagles 3
That’s the ninth rushing touchdown this season for Kyren Williams but his first since Oct. 20. Hope you had him in fantasy.
Eagles 3, Rams 0
Philadelphia’s first drive ends with Jake Elliott’s 21-yard field goal. The Eagles had five plays inside the Rams’ 20-yard line before the kick and it’s not a shock they couldn’t punch in the touchdown. This season, they’ve scored touchdowns inside the red zone 57% of the time, which ranks 11th-best in the league, just ahead of Kansas City, for context. That’s slightly behind their TD rate last season.
First-drive drama
The Rams’ offense, known for its struggles on the ground, started their first drive with a bang. However, a crucial fumble by Kyren Williams turned the tide. Nick Sirianni’s last-second challenge was successful, and the Eagles capitalized on the turnover to deflate the Rams’ early energy.
We are under way in Los Angeles!
Thanks for following along tonight as we watch ‘Sunday Night Football on NBC,’ featuring the Rams (5-5) and the Eagles (8-2). The Rams get the ball first.
Playoff race
Seven teams from each conference make the NFL playoffs: The four division winners, plus three wild-card teams. Here is where the Eagles and Rams stand entering NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football.’
The NFC West entered today with Arizona atop at 6-4 and the Rams, Seahawks and 49ers all just one game behind at 5-5. Today’s action has changed that order. Here’s the current state of the division after Seattle’s win against the Cardinals and the 49ers’ loss:
- Seattle: 6-5
- Arizona: 6-5
- Los Angeles: 5-5 (still to play)
- San Francisco: 5-6
- Philadelphia has a much more comfortable cushion in the NFC East.
- Philadelphia: 8-2 (still to play)
- Washington: 7-5
- Dallas: 4-7
- New York: 2-9
Record in sight
Rams coach Sean McVay can become the franchise’s all-time leader in regular-season victories as a coach with a win tonight. He would surpass John Robinson, who also won 75 games, but in 143 games. By contrast, tonight is McVay’s 126th career regular-season game as a head coach.
Hurts to win
Significant attention has been directed towards Jalen Hurts’ abilities as a runner, and it merits reiteration. Should he score a rushing touchdown this evening, it would mark his achievement of doing so in six consecutive games, positioning him as only the second quarterback in the Super Bowl era to reach this milestone. Furthermore, he is already the sole quarterback in NFL history to record over ten rushing touchdowns in four separate seasons. However, it is also important to examine his passing performance during the Eagles’ six-game winning streak.
During this period, Hurts has achieved a completion rate of 70.2%, ranking third in the NFL, surpassed only by Jared Goff, a potential MVP candidate, and Lamar Jackson, a two-time MVP. Additionally, he has committed only two turnovers over his last six games. In summary, during this stretch, Hurts has amassed a total of 17 touchdowns while maintaining just two turnovers.
LA goes as Stafford goes
Matthew Stafford isn’t perfect. As recently as Week 10 of this season, he had thrown an interception in six consecutive games, which tied for the longest such streak of his 16-year career. The upshot is that when Stafford is at his best with his receivers, Los Angeles is tough to beat. In fact, 3-0 when he has thrown multiple touchdown passes.
Key matchup for MNF
The Rams face a significant challenge in safeguarding quarterback Matthew Stafford, especially given their difficulties in the ground game. However, they have made commendable progress in this area: following a victory in New England where they did not concede any sacks, the Rams have permitted only 21 sacks and 117 pressures, both of which rank among the top ten in the league.
Nonetheless, the offensive linemen will encounter a formidable task against an Eagles defense that boasts 28 sacks, placing them ninth in the league. Linebacker Josh Sweat is the standout with six sacks, but attention should also be directed towards Jalen Carter, who has recorded 3.5 sacks and could be a key player tonight.
Opposites on the ground
The Eagles’ ground-and-pound offense, spearheaded by Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts, is a force to be reckoned with, averaging a league-high 181.3 rushing yards per game. They’re poised to make NFL history, aiming to become the second team ever to rush for 150+ yards and multiple TDs in six consecutive games.
The Rams’ anemic rushing attack, averaging a paltry 95.4 yards per game, faces a daunting task against the Eagles’ stout run defense. Despite a high volume of carries, Kyren Williams hasn’t found the end zone in five games. A Rams rushing breakthrough against this formidable defense would be a major upset.
Mediocre starts, monster finishes
Through the season’s first month, neither the Eagles nor the Rams were ready for prime time.
Philadelphia started 2-2, sparking hot-seat pressure on coach Nick Sirianni. Los Angeles, meanwhile, was just 1-4 as recently as Oct. 19, after their bye week – their worst start to a season since 2014. For all the consternation those poor starts created, both teams have since authored two of the biggest turnarounds in the entire league, with Philadelphia riding a six-game winning streak that is the NFL’s second-longest active streak.
Since that streak began in Week 6, the Eagles own the NFL’s best scoring defense, allowing just 13.8 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Rams have won four of their last five games. Much of credit goes to the play-calling – and the returns to the lineup of receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp – that has unlocked Matthew Stafford, who has thrown 10 touchdowns in his last four games against three turnovers. Contrast that with his production from his first six games: three touchdowns and six turnovers.
Great in the regular season
Since Nick Sirianni took the helm in 2021, the Eagles have achieved 42 regular-season victories, the highest total in the NFC. This impressive achievement is noteworthy, particularly as a postseason appearance this year would mark the first time since the 2000-2004 period under Andy Reid that the franchise has reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. However, for the Eagles’ supporters, the primary concern lies in the outcomes of the playoff games.
Currently, Sirianni holds a record of 2-3 in the playoffs, and following last season’s disappointing finish, there is considerable pressure to ensure that this season’s success carries over into the postseason.
