Celebratory snow angels, the return of ‘Inner Excellence,’ and more from the Eagles-Rams broadcast

It was Jalen Hurts’ message before the game and it was the same thing he told sideline reporter Melissa Stark following the 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams: “Rain, sleet, or snow, the Eagles train to go,” Hurts said.

If you were part of the Eagles devotees who braved the rain, sleet, and snow at Lincoln Financial Field, or if you had to turn the television off when things got too close, here’s what you missed during Sunday’s broadcast.

Running back Saquon Barkley may not have had the opportunity to break Eric Dickerson’s regular-season rushing record in Week 18, but he did surpass Dickerson’s career-best mark for rushing yards in a single season including the playoffs. And he did it against Dickerson’s former team.

With 205 rushing yards in the game, Barkley bested Dickerson’s 2,212 yards thanks to two big touchdown runs, something he’s made a habit of this season: a 62-yard run to end the first quarter and a 78-yard scamper in the fourth.

With 2,329 yards, Barkley is now third all-time in single-season rushing yards (including the postseason) — 2 yards behind Terrell Davis’ 1997 total, and 147 yards behind Davis’ 1998 record of 2,476 yards.

» READ MORE: Grading the Eagles: Saquon Barkley, Jalen Carter, and the O-line deliver against the Rams

Cris Collinsworth told Mike Tirico the story of how Barkley said he knew he was special after he scored 28 touchdowns at 8 years old.

The incentive back then was money from his father. The incentive Sunday? Making it to the NFC championship.

Rams linebacker Jared Verse made headlines ahead of the game when he told the Los Angeles Times that he hated Eagles fans and finds them “annoying.”

Naturally, Verse took his time heading to the locker room before the game while egging on the fans he hates so much. Verse, who played high school ball in Berwick, Pa., told sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung the fans were just telling him “how much they love me.”

Sure they were. Eagles fans certainly had a little more “love” for Verse after he recorded two sacks of Hurts.

» READ MORE: Jared Verse embraced being the villain this week. But it was Saquon Barkley and the Eagles who got the last word.

Along with Verse’s frosty comments, the weather was a big storyline heading into the game, and it was one Collinsworth and Tirico brought up throughout the broadcast.

The snowy conditions of the field, which got worse as the game went on, made for a slick ball, resulting in two second-half turnovers in as many drives for the Rams.

Kicker Jake Elliott, currently having his worst season in the NFL, missed two extra points in the game. But the veteran came up big on back-to-back field goals as a result of the turnovers. According to NFL rules, only the players on the field can work to clear away the snow, which meant the Eagles had to use their hands to clear the surface for Elliott’s attempt.

The first turnover also resulted in some end-zone snow angels. Mother Nature is clearly a Birds fan.

Last week, Jim Murphy’s Inner Excellence became the No. 1 book on Amazon after A.J. Brown was seen reading it on the sideline.

This week, Brown removed the bookmark and picked up where he left off, telling Stark he has been reading the book on the sideline since Week 6, crediting it for helping him with the mental side of the game.

One of the flag carriers for the game even ran out holding what has now become a rallying symbol for Eagles fans.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio received an endorsement for assistant coach of the year from Collinsworth. The Eagles defense, the best in the NFL, came up big, especially in short-yardage situations, throughout the game.

Jalen Carter dominated throughout, forcing a fumble and helping to bail out the Eagles in the final minute of the game with a sack against Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to force a fourth-and-11.

Last week, linebacker Nakobe Dean suffered a season-ending knee injury. But Nolan Smith made sure to show love for his college roommate by taking the field for pregame warmups while holding Dean’s jersey. A true sign of Brotherly Love.