It was an embarrassing defeat, an evening when Philadelphia Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley dominated the Rams.
On Nov. 24, Barkley rushed for 255 yards and scored on runs of 70 and 72 yards in a 37-20 victory over the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
The defeat marked a turning level for the Rams.
Coach Sean McVay challenged his gamers to offer their greatest effort over the ultimate 39 days of the season. The Rams reeled off 5 consecutive victories earlier than McVay rested starters in a season-ending loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
“When you have humbling experiences, with the right kinds of people, those are where the real growth [opportunities] exist,” McVay mentioned Tuesday throughout a video convention with reporters, including, “A lot of the scars that we’ve had as a team have been what led us to the point where we’re at.”
The Rams, coming off a dominating NFC wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, are getting ready to face Barkley and the No. 2-seeded Eagles in a divisional-round recreation on Sunday at Lincoln Monetary Discipline in Philadelphia.
The Eagles superior by defeating the Inexperienced Bay Packers, 22-10, on Sunday.
“They’re real,” McVay mentioned of Eagles, including, “They’re in this position for a reason.”
The Eagles characteristic Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, tight finish Dallas Goedert and, maybe most significantly, one of many NFL’s greatest offensive traces.
Vic Fangio coordinates a protection that gave up just one landing and intercepted three passes in opposition to the Packers.
However Barkley is the largest star on a crew filled with them.
The seventh-year professional, in his first season with the Eagles, rushed for two,005 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley scores on a 70-yard landing in opposition to the Rams within the third quarter at SoFi Stadium in Week 12.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)
A superb chunk got here in opposition to the Rams.
So how should or not it’s completely different on Sunday, when the Rams face a operating again who rushed for 119 yards in 25 carries in opposition to the Packers?
“Our sense of urgency will be appropriate for the task at hand,” McVay mentioned.
The Rams displayed an awesome cross rush in opposition to the Vikings — they tied an NFL postseason file with 9 sacks — however neutralizing Barkley would be the key in opposition to the Eagles, Rams gamers mentioned.
“Stopping Saquon and being able to get to some of the positions we were in tonight,” defensive lineman Braden Fiske mentioned after the victory over the Vikings. “Getting to be able to rush the passer. I mean that’s what we got to do, get them into third and longs and keep them out of third and shorts.”
The Eagles offense, with Barkley and different weapons, “can really do damage at any time,” security Quentin Lake mentioned.
“We’re going to come up with a good game plan to make sure that we can limit the explosive plays,” Lake mentioned. “Obviously, limit Saquon Barkley because we know how dangerous he is. And somehow, some way, find our opportunities to make plays on the ball.
“And if we do those things, we’ll have a good chance of winning.”
And so forth.
Rams tight finish Tyler Higbee, who suffered a chest damage in opposition to the Vikings, was launched from the hospital and returned to Los Angeles on Monday evening with the crew. McVay mentioned Higbee was taken to the hospital after spitting up blood. McVay had no different replace however Higbee “has full expectation that he’ll be ready to go” on Sunday, McVay mentioned. McVay had no replace on cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring). … Having left fire-ravaged Los Angeles for Arizona to organize for his or her wild-card recreation, McVay mentioned the Rams deliberate to stay in Southern California earlier than leaving for Philadelphia on Saturday. “I’m very hopeful that we’ll be able to be here this week,” he mentioned, including, “All of our expectations for the time being are that we’re going to be able to have our preparation here.”
