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Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles
Rams (1-2):
This is why we don’t crown teams in the offseason! Yes, they made the move to acquire Myles Garrett, and Aaron Donald unretired to join the team, but what’s crazy to me is that they have been talked about more than the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. To me, if you want to get anywhere, not only in the conference but in the NFC West, that’s who you must go through. Now, let’s fast-forward to now. Myles Garrett had arthroscopic knee surgery and will more than likely be back by Week 8 or 9 at the latest. This is also a 1-2 football team at the moment, but I will give them a little benefit of the doubt because it’s still early, and I feel they are still trying to learn how to play with one another. I was asked about the Rams when I did my question segment on Monday Evening Quarterback, and the question was, “Am I surprised by their slow start?” I said no because not all teams come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. I even made a comparison to the Miami Heat back when they had LeBron James in 2010. I remember that Miami team not quite clicking early on, but eventually they did, and that’s the same thing I see happening with this Rams team. That game on Sunday night was incredible, wasn’t it? It truly was a tale of two halves, and they fell short in Denver. My biggest takeaway from that game was that Matthew Stafford threw the ball way too many times for my liking — 55 times, to be exact. This Sunday, the Rams face a team that’s had their number over the last few seasons.
Eagles (2-1):
Sliding by in games always has a way of catching up to you, and how many times have I been on record saying this? Yes, the wins will come, and as long as you win, nothing more will be said, but let’s be honest with ourselves here: they haven’t looked the best out of the gates. I didn’t care for how they looked in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. Divisional games are always tough, and in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans, I thought they were on the verge of being upset until they pulled through and survived. Monday night in Chicago was the worst I think I’ve seen them look in quite some time. And remember, the Bears punched them in the mouth last season on Black Friday. The Eagles just couldn’t get out of their own way, and nothing was clicking for them. The offense struggled to move the football down the field, they struggled to take care of the ball, and credit to the Bears for making them a one-dimensional football team. Coming into the year, I said this was one of the best defenses in the league, and they struggled to get off the field. But there was also no tape on Case Keenum, and that worked against them, as you can see. The only thing I liked that they did was at least attempt to feed Saquon Barkley the football, and he was able to pull off some good runs, but that was about it. I saw no effort, no intensity, and quite frankly, I saw a group that gave up and just waved the white flag. If they can get back to playing the football they did in 2024, they’re going to be a problem, if you ask me, but that seems so long ago. The Eagles will look to bounce back on Sunday, back at home, for a showdown with the Los Angeles Rams.
Rams X-Factor: Kyren Williams
Again, I did not like the fact that Matthew had to throw the football 55 times in their loss on Sunday night in Denver. I’m not asking for Kyren to carry the ball 20-plus times and have over 120 yards rushing, but if he can consistently gain yards against this Philly defense, it will keep Stafford out of obvious passing situations. Kyren can also catch the football out of the backfield, and his ability to catch the ball can stress the Eagles linebackers in coverage. A strong performance from him can help the Rams control the clock and keep Jalen and the Eagles’ offense on the sideline.
Eagles X-Factor: Quinyon Mitchell
He’s become a key piece of this Eagles defense, and I love the energy he plays with. Quinyon has established himself as one of the Eagles’ key outside corners. Against the Bears, he was the only guy I saw playing with some effort, as he finished the game with seven solo tackles and two pass breakups. Against a Rams offense that thrives on making the big play downfield, Quinyon must be disciplined and force Stafford to make throws elsewhere. If Puka Nacua plays, Quinyon will see his share of Nacua, and if he doesn’t, he’ll be lined up on Davante Adams, who’s been looking like the Green Bay version as of late since Puka has been sidelined with an injury.
Final Thoughts:
These two have seen quite a bit of one another since the 2024 season. I remember that game in 2024 on a Sunday night when Saquon Barkley finished the game with 302 total scrimmage yards, and a few months later in January, the Eagles got the best of them again, with Saquon running all over them again. Just last season, these two met in Week 3, and the Rams built up a big lead until the Eagles fought back and won the game on a blocked kick! What’s in store next for these two? Both lost in Week 3 and are looking to get back on track. The first key for the Rams is to establish Kyren Williams early and often. Establish the run so Philly can’t just sit back and attack Matthew Stafford, keep Stafford protected against this Eagles pass rush that can get home at any time, and lastly, attack this Eagles secondary by creating matchup problems with Davante. Can the Eagles start quickly? They are the only team in the league this year that has yet to score points in the first quarter, and they can’t let that trend continue. Next, the offensive line must win up front against this Rams defensive front and keep Hurts upright and on his feet. The final key is attempting to feed Saquon to open up the rest of the field for the passing game. This will come down to the wire on Sunday.
