The Philadelphia Eagles will represent the NFC in the conference championship game for the second time in the last three seasons after a snowy 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Lincoln Financial Field was covered in snow in the second half of the tightly contested NFC divisional matchup, but Philadelphia’s usual strengths — its No. 1-ranked defense (by yards allowed) and its Saquon Barkley-led rushing attack — were the difference yet again. Especially after quarterback Jalen Hurts was hampered by a left knee injury sustained while absorbing a sack late in the third quarter.
In addition to a pair of long touchdown strikes, Barkley’s 205 rushing yards were good for the fifth-best postseason rushing total in NFL history, a fitting follow-up to his 302-yard performance during the two teams’ Week 12 meeting.
Philly now turns its attention to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders next Sunday with a Super Bowl appearance on the line. The NFC East rivals split their 2024 season series and have met only one other time in the postseason, a 20-6 wild-card win by Washington in January 1991.
You’ve been Snoquon Barkley’d ™️ ❄️@saquon | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/SBV0ltUG5j
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 19, 2025
Defense continues its dominance
The Eagles’ defense gave this team every chance possible to put the Rams away — and away early in this game, at that. They forced two first-half field goals while backed up in their own red zone. On the first, C.J. Gardner-Johnson supplied a major tackle for loss, following the motion on the play into the backfield. Josh Sweat had a third-and-1 tackle for loss that forced a Rams punt. Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith both forced fourth-quarter fumbles that gave the Eagles the ball in Rams territory. Both turnovers only resulted in field goals.
The Eagles forced a three-and-out with 4:47 left in the game, and Barkley immediately rushed for a 78-yard touchdown to put the game away. But the Eagles’ defense subsequently gave up a 10-play touchdown drive, which, followed by a three-and-out by the Eagles’ offense, forced them to defend the field one last time. They did. A turnover on downs deep in Eagles territory ended the game. — Brooks Kubena, Eagles staff writer
Ailing Hurts not playing at his highest level
Hurts, who finished with 128 passing yards Sunday, has now twice thrown for under 200 yards in the playoffs. Nick Sirianni has defended his franchise quarterback throughout the season, sermonizing different variations of “Jalen is a winner.” Indeed, Hurts fulfills a different role in this offense this season. He is more conservative in the pocket, leveraging Barkley and a top-rated defense on the way to more physical victories.
It’s fair to say Hurts was conservative last week against the Green Bay Packers. His play against the Rams on Sunday was poor. He took far too many sacks in consequential situations, including a safety that allowed the Rams to crawl to within one point, 16-15. He missed open receivers on multiple plays.
A.J. Brown had his own blunders, dropping two passes, including a deep ball near the pylon. But the Eagles simply need better play from Hurts to fully take advantage of the opportunities their defense is supplying them. — Kubena
Eagles still waiting for offense to click
The Eagles’ offense failed to fully capitalize on opportunities, and it nearly cost them. They built a 13-7 first-quarter lead on a 44-yard touchdown run by Hurts and a 62-yard touchdown run by Barkley. They were disjointed for most of the rest of the game. Hurts was sacked six times — three times in the final two possessions of the first half, in which the Eagles punted twice in Rams territory. Brown also dropped the well-placed pass from Hurts near the pylon in that stretch.
In the second half, the Eagles failed to score touchdowns off two defensive turnovers in Rams territory. Most inexcusable: Lane Johnson was flagged for a false start, wiping out a Brotherly Shove touchdown on fourth-and-goal at the 1. Jake Elliott, who struggled for stretches of this season, came through for the Eagles when it mattered most. He made all three of his field goal attempts on a field blanketed in snow.
This is the second straight week the Eagles offense has required its defense to bail them out and give them time to put the game on ice. Can the Eagles advance to the Super Bowl that way next week, hosting the Commanders in the NFC Championship Game? — Kubena
Required reading
(Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
