Matthew Stafford performed in a single Tremendous Bowl with the Rams and gained. Jalen Hurts performed in a single Tremendous Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles and fell brief.
Each quarterbacks purpose to return to the NFL’s largest stage.
One will take a step towards that objective on Sunday when the Rams play the Eagles in an NFC divisional-round sport at Lincoln Monetary Discipline in Philadelphia.
“I’m enjoying the hell out of it,” Stafford, a Sixteenth-year professional, stated of the preparation. “I know the guys on our team are doing the same.
“Just trying to lead as best I can to help us give ourselves the best chance we can to get a win and keep it moving.”
Hurts, a fifth-year professional, is equally wired.
“I don’t play the game for anything other than to win,” he informed Philadelphia reporters this week.
Eagles working again Saquon Barkley dominated technique dialogue within the lead-up to the sport, particularly centered on whether or not he may come near repeating his 255-yard speeding efficiency in opposition to the Rams in November.
However Stafford and Hurts may dictate which staff strikes on to play the winner of Saturday’s sport between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders within the NFC championship sport.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, left, and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts have met at SoFi Stadium in 2023 and 2024, each Philadelphia victories.
(Michael Owens / Getty Photos)
Underneath coach Sean McVay, the Rams are 1-4 in opposition to the Eagles.
Twice, Hurts performed a key function in defeating them.
In 2023, he handed for 303 yards and a landing, with an interception, and rushed for 72 yards and a landing in a 23-14 victory at SoFi Stadium.
Two months in the past, additionally at SoFi Stadium, Hurts handed for 179 yards and a landing and rushed for 39 yards in a Barkley-dominated 37-20 win.
Hurts’ capacity to move and run on designed and off-schedule performs makes him “a nightmare,” to play in opposition to, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula stated.
“He’s very calm back there in the pocket,” Shula stated. “He has a great O-line that he trusts and he’ll stand back there forever if you let him.”
And if the pocket collapses?
“He’s able to find the little holes here and there, the little creases,” Rams edge rusher Jared Verse stated. “He doesn’t always want to run. Sometimes, he can just make that big play, which is different from most quarterbacks.”
In final Sunday’s 22-10 wild-card victory over the Inexperienced Bay Packers, Hurts accomplished his first six passes. However his subsequent seven fell incomplete. Within the second half, he accomplished seven of eight, ending the sport with 131 yards passing and two landing passes.
“He wins,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni informed Philadelphia reporters this week. “He’s been playing efficient, and we do what we need to do to win every game.
“And Jalen does what he needs to do to win every game, and will continue to do that and not apologize for it.”
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts stiff arms a Inexperienced Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine in the course of the Eagles’ wild-card playoff win on Jan. 12.
(Derik Hamilton / Related Press)
Hurts’ function, and the Eagles’ method, is totally different each sport, the quarterback informed Philadelphia reporters.
“And you just want to go out there and do your job, take advantage of opportunities,” he stated, including, “Ultimately, it’s about winning the game. We’re talking about playoff football.”
In every of the final two video games in opposition to the Eagles, Stafford handed for greater than 222 yards and two touchdowns.
In final Monday’s wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, he accomplished his first 10 passes and completed 19 of 27 for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
His most savvy play may need been his resolution to flick the ball ahead simply as he was about to be sacked within the second quarter with the Rams holding a 10-3 lead. Officers initially dominated that Stafford had fumbled and that the Vikings had returned it for a landing. However upon evaluation, it was dominated an incomplete move.
“You don’t coach that,” McVay stated. “That’s not something that we would be telling a young quarterback to go ahead and do if that same situation arises. Matthew has earned the right to be able to do some things differently.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford throws a move throughout an NFC wild-card playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 13.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
Stafford’s “talent and his know-how” stand out, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio informed Philadelphia reporters.
“He’s still one of the top passers in the league,” Fangio stated. “Very, very smart, can read coverages better than most, if not one of the top two or three.
“Still has tremendous arm talent. Can put the ball anywhere.”
Stafford and Eagles cornerback Darius Slay had been Detroit Lions teammates for seven seasons.
Slay, a 2017 All-Professional and six-time Professional Bowl choose, went in opposition to Stafford in follow, watched him in video games and has performed in opposition to him twice since signing with the Eagles in 2020.
Stafford stays a top-five quarterback, Slay stated.
“I don’t know why folks [are] leaving him out of that conversation,” Slay stated, “because there’s not many quarterbacks that have the arm talent, the guy that’s seen every coverage that’s possible, and can make all the throws.”
The Eagles should stress Stafford, sack him every so often and disrupt the Rams’ move routes, Slay stated.
“Because if they’re not disrupted enough, it’s going to be a good day for him,” he stated, “and we don’t need a good day for him.”
Stafford is 5-1 in postseason video games with the Rams. Hurts is 3–3 within the playoffs.
Three seasons in the past, Stafford achieved a profession spotlight when he handed for 2 touchdowns within the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Tremendous Bowl LVI.
A yr later, in Tremendous Bowl LVII, Hurts ran for 3 touchdowns and handed for one more solely to see the Eagles fall brief within the last seconds in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Whichever quarterback emerges with a victory Sunday places one other Tremendous Bowl look inside attain.
“I think back to the first day of training camp, how you’re feeling, and all the things that are going through your mind,” stated Stafford, who will flip 37 two days earlier than the Tremendous Bowl LIX in New Orleans. “Looking at the end of the calendar and thinking about how long of a journey that is is sometimes overwhelming and a little bit daunting.
“But to be here now, to have worked through all the things that we’ve worked through as a team and as an individual, to get to this point and have the opportunities that we have in front of us is really fun.”
