Eagles survive, storming past the Rams to reach the NFC title game with a 28-22 win in the snow

The snow never bothered Saquon Barkley anyway.

Barkley, the 2024 rushing title holder, plowed through a snow-covered Lincoln Financial Field, cruising for 205 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in the Eagles’ nail-biter of a 28-22 divisional-round victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The star running back contributed a pair of explosive touchdown runs, including a 62-yarder in the first quarter and a 78-yarder in the fourth to solidify the Eagles’ win.

The latter touchdown tied a career-long scoring scamper that Barkley had as a rookie with the New York Giants in 2018. He also broke Steve Van Buren’s franchise record for rushing yards in a playoff game, set in 1949 with a 196-yard performance against the Rams in the championship game.

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

With two minutes left in the game, the Rams had a chance to complete an unlikely comeback. Although the Rams moved the ball deep into Eagles territory on the drive, Jalen Carter mustered a critical third-down sack of quarterback Matthew Stafford, the second-year defensive tackle’s second of the game. Stafford tossed an incomplete pass out of bounds on fourth down to squash what was left of the Rams’ postseason hopes.

The Eagles will host the Washington Commanders at home in the NFC championship game after their NFC East foe defeated the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts started off the game with a bang, ripping off an explosive 44-yard touchdown run on the opening drive to put the Eagles up, 6-0. The fourth-year starter pulled the ball on a zone-read play, benefiting from strong blocks by receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith as he broke into the second level of the Rams defense. Jake Elliott missed the extra point, his first of two misses on the day.

The Eagles passing game rebounded early, as Hurts went 3-for-3 for 25 yards on the opening drive. But he struggled to connect with Brown as the first half continued. The star receiver dropped a pair of passes, including one over the middle later in the first quarter. On the next drop in the second quarter, Brown bobbled a deep shot from Hurts in the end zone and only got it under control when he landed out of bounds.

Handling pressure quickly became an issue for Hurts and the Eagles’ offensive front. In the first half alone, the Rams mustered three sacks that stalled drives. The first sack from Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske on the Eagles’ second possession of the game forced them to go three-and-out. The next two were more significant momentum-killers, with the Eagles deep in Rams territory. A sack by rookie defensive end Jared Verse on third-and-8 at the Rams’ 30-yard line knocked the Eagles out of field-goal range and forced them to punt.

Hurts took another sack with 30 seconds remaining in the first half from linebacker Omar Speights at the Rams’ 32-yard line for a loss of 8 yards. The play, which occurred on second down, knocked the Eagles out of field-goal range. In an odd sequence of events, Nick Sirianni opted to take a timeout after 27 seconds had run off the clock, leaving time for just one more play, but Hurts was sacked on the ensuing play.

He took yet another sack late in the third quarter deep in Rams territory, setting up an Elliott 44-yard field goal. Hurts was banged up on the play, but after a brief visit to the medical tent, he returned to action. His struggles didn’t end — Hurts was then sacked in the end zone for a safety, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 16-15. The quarterback finished the night with 15 completions on 20 passing attempts for 128 yards.

“I have to assess it better,” Hurts said when asked about the pressure issues. “But rhythm is everything. Rhythm is everything and we’ve just got to be able to find our rhythm on what we do. Rhythm doesn’t mean quick passes, long passes, or whatever. It’s just finding our niche in what we do.”

After the game, Hurts added that he expects to be able to play in the NFC championship game despite his apparent injury.

After Hurts was sacked for the safety late in the third quarter, Stafford and the Rams offense returned to the field looking to take the lead. Carter had other plans. The second-year defensive tackle forced a fumble by Rams running back Kyren Williams at the Rams’ 46, the ball sliding across the snow. Isaiah Rodgers, the backup cornerback who was filling in for the injured Quinyon Mitchell, scooped up the ball and returned it 40 yards to the Rams’ 10-yard line.

Hurts and the offense returned to the field, but they failed to reach the end zone. Barkley was ruled just short of the goal line on his 2-yard carry on third down. The Eagles attempted a Tush Push on fourth-and-1, but Lane Johnson was flagged for a false start. Elliott’s 23-yard field goal attempt was good, putting the Eagles up, 19-15.

» READ MORE: Opinion: Jalen Carter and a talented roster save the Eagles against the Rams, give them a shot at the Super Bowl

Carter was a force on Sunday, sacking Stafford in the first quarter and the fourth. He drew a holding penalty against Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein in the second quarter on a drive that ultimately forced the visitors to settle for a field goal. Carter also pressured Stafford on his final fourth-down incompletion that sealed the win for the Eagles.

“I was really focused on trying to finish the game,” Carter said of his last pressure. “Knew I had the sack on the third down, but I was trying to get everybody together. Knew they had one more play. Knew we had to stop it.”

Zack Baun continued to show why he was deserving of Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in his first year as a starting inside linebacker. The 28-year-old made his presence felt halfway through the fourth quarter as the Rams continued their attempt at a comeback following the Carter forced fumble.

On the first play of the possession, Baun shot the A gap and tackled Williams for a loss of 3 yards. Three plays later, on second-and-10 from the Rams’ 45, a blitzing Baun broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage that Stafford had intended for receiver Puka Nacua.

Second-year outside linebacker Nolan Smith surged on the ensuing dropback. Smith beat Havenstein and brought down Stafford, who fumbled the ball away in the process. Baun, who was sent on another blitz, fell on the loose ball. Once again, the Eagles offense couldn’t reach the end zone, but Elliott made a 37-yard field goal in the snow.

“The last couple drives, we had to get stops,” Baun said. “And [defensive line] coach Clint [Hurtt] kept saying it, we’ve got to get three more stops. We’ve got to get two more stops. I’m just trying to impact the game however I can, and on that drive, it was like a flow state for me, just making plays all over.”

Halfway through the first quarter, Mitchell went down after making a tackle on a scrambling Stafford. After a lengthy visit to the medical tent, Mitchell returned to the locker room favoring his right shoulder. He did not return to action and Rodgers took his place at cornerback. Rodgers went down in the fourth quarter, too, but he returned to the game after a brief hiatus.

Mitchell said in the locker room after the game that he was “fine.” When asked if he had any long-term concerns about his shoulder injury, he responded, “No, I’m going to be good.” He said that he “should be good” to go for the NFC championship game.