(Photo: Clutchpoints)
NFC Divisional Playoff
(4) Los Angeles Rams at (2) Philadelphia Eagles
Rams: Monday night was an inspiring win for them. After everything that has happened in California with the wildfires, the game on Monday night was a distraction for the people dealing with real-life issues as we speak. That game against the Minnesota Vikings was the best I have seen them look all year and they saved their best performance for the biggest stage which is the postseason. Matthew Stafford is still one of the best Quarterbacks in the league and when you don’t pressure him, he will pick you apart and stay in a rhythm and his tandem of receivers (Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua) make such a difference when healthy. I also think people tend to forget Matthew has been in the league for quite some time and there isn’t a coverage or defensive scheme he hasn’t seen. After their win in the Wild Card round, many people contacted me and said now I see why you enjoy this Rams defense so much as they are young, hungry, and full of energy. I saw an all-around performance that included a balanced offensive attack and a defense that had their way with a solid Vikings offense and never let up and sacked Sam Darnold a total of nine times and recorded an interception. To think this was a team that started 1-4 is insane to think about, but because of the recent success, that seems so minuscule to this point. With a win on Sunday, they will play in their first NFC title game since the 2021 season when they won the Super Bowl. For that to happen, they must go through the two seed in the NFC and the winner of the NFC East.
Eagles: It wasn’t the prettiest effort or the best-looking performance, but if I’m a player on this offense, I’m giving this defense all the love it deserves because they kept them in that game on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The last time Jalen Hurts started a game was December 22nd in Landover against the Washington Commanders. Unfortunately, he got injured and sat out the rest of the regular season in hopes he’d be prepared for the postseason. I expected him to be rusty after being away from the game for a few weeks. When everything is flowing for them, this is one of the better offenses in the league and you see what happens when you feed Saquon Barkley the football often as I’ve said with Derrick Henry, I can apply the same thing with Saquon which is he must touch the football between 19-25 times to have an impact and when he does, good things usually happen. The Eagles won that game against the Packers because of their defense and the inability of the offense to get going. As I was watching that, I felt they were stalling at times, but they found a way to come out on top. I know a few people who have them winning the NFC and getting to the Super Bowl and this is a very talented football team, but they have too many moments where they capitalize upon opportunities and shoot themselves in the foot a little too often. This Sunday afternoon, they will host the Los Angeles Rams in a divisional playoff showdown in South Philly.
Rams X-Factor: Cobie Durant– He has been looking to take his game to another notch and showed out in the win on Monday night against the Vikings. Cobie intercepted Sam Darnold once and also sacked him once. On the field, he can be sent on those corner blitzes which are so difficult to defend because you don’t see them because secondary players are the quickest on the field by far and he can also be in the right spot at the right time in coverage to pick the football off. The Rams need Cobie to be at his best again on Sunday against A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jalen Hurts.
Eagles X-Factor: Nolan Smith– There are playmakers galore for this Eagles defense and this is one of them. Nolan Smith was a key piece for the Georgia Bulldogs during their title run and is a vital part of the puzzle in Philadelphia. Nolan has played more due to the injury to Brandon Graham and is taking full advantage of the opportunity. He is one of the more athletic EDGE rushers in the game today as he can move and beat you with force, power, and speed. I’ve seen him push guys 80 pounds bigger than him into the Quarterback’s pocket.
Final Thoughts: These two teams met in week 12 on a Sunday night in Inglewood, California and the Eagles continued their winning streak and won that game by 17. This was also the game where Saquon Barkley ran for a franchise record and career-best, 255 yards and also added on 47 yards receiving, meaning he finished the game with 302 total scrimmage yards. The Eagles imposed their will on the running game once before and are looking to do it again. I don’t think there’s been a game where Saquon has been “taken away” and I feel he’s one of those players you can’t stop, but you can only hope to contain. The Eagles must improve their passing attack, continue to lean on number 26, and limit both Puka Nacua and Jared Verse as each of those two can make their impact. The Rams must throw pressure on Jalen Hurts and make him throw from the pocket. They should hit Saquon the minute he touches the ball so he can’t get any additional yards and keep Stafford protected at all costs. The matchup I’m looking forward to seeing is the Eagles’ Offensive Line against this L.A. pass rush and who can control, yet dominate in the trenches up front. I see this being a closer game than the regular season meeting and I like the Eagles to win this game and advance to the NFC title game where they will meet the Detroit Lions.
Prediction: Eagles 24, Rams 20
