4 Key Matchups The Eagles Need To Win vs The Rams

The Eagles met the Rams twice last season. Once out in LA in the playoffs, where they blew the Rams out, and then a very close Divisional Round Playoff game in Philly amidst a snowstorm. Now, the two teams met up again in week 3 at Lincoln Financial Field. Both teams look to improve to 3-0.

Where will this game be decided? Which players need to step up for the Eagles to stay undefeated? Which Rams players could cause them the most trouble on Sunday?

Saquon Barkley has been fine so far this season. He has not looked like he did last year, but he has also not exactly struggled. He has had to work for his yards a bit more, and it has been a bit more of a slog. But he still found the Red Zone twice, and he is still on pace for nearly 1,300 yards.

Last year, he dominated the Rams both times these two teams Mets. Over 200 rushing yards in both games and 2 TDs in both games. The Rams' defense has been strong this year so far, but they have been a little vulnerable on the ground. Which makes it feel like the ideal time for Barkley to bust out.

The Eagles don't need Saquon Barkley to put up another 200-yard game. But with the pass game stumbling out of the gate, they may need to rely on their run game again vs the tough Rams offense. Their pass rush can cause some havoc, and the best way to win may be to run it to nullify the pass rush. Barkley will need to look a bit more like he did last year.

Matthew Stafford is not someone who is going to scramble to create more time for himself. But he is a savvy veteran who knows how to handle a blitz. He might be a statue, but he knows how and when to step up in the pocket to avoid an edge rush. But it is much harder to avoid an interior pass rush if you are not a scrambler.

If Jalen Carter blows up the pocket, Stafford can't just take a step forward to buy himself more time. We saw how key Carter was to the win in the playoffs. He pretty much took over the game on that final drive to end the Rams' hopes. Carter, Moro Ojomo, and Jordan Davis will play a big role in keeping Stafford uncomfortable again.

Stafford is still a top-end QB, and he has a lot of weapons to throw to. Let him get comfortable, and the Eagles' defense may have a tough time getting off the field. But if Carter and company get in his face, the Rams offense will have a tough time finding any rhythm, and they will have to adjust to a quick passing attack. Something that will a long way to taking away the Rams' potentially dangerous pass attack.

The Eagles' defense played well against the Rams both times last year. But Nakua still got his. He gained 214 total yards between the 2 games. But the Eagles still won because they were able to contain the rest of the offense.

A big difference is that the Rams now have Davante Adams. I feel great with Quinyon Mitchell vs anyone. The same goes for Cooper DeJean vs anyone. But Adoree Jackson? Not so much. Chances are the Rams will get Nacua on Jackson a few times.

It is unreasonable to expect Jackson to be perfect. But can he be passable? In week 2, Jackson did not actively hurt you, despite getting beaten a few times. It was an improvement. He had a much easier assignment than he did in week 1 vs CeeDee Lamb, but he still played better. This week, he gets Adams or Nacua at times. The Eagles need him to at the very least hold up.

It has been an uneven start for Patullo as the Eagles OC. The first 3 drives of the season were perfect. 3 straight TDs to start the season. But the passing game has since struggled to get going, and Devonta Smith and AJ Brown have not put up any numbers yet.

Some patience is justified. 2 weeks is too soon to judge anything in the NFL. But he needs to find a way to get Brown and Smith going. There needs to be more creativity in the passing game. They need to create some chunk plays in the air. Not just for this game, but in general, if they want to win anything this year.

Did the run game lead the way last year? Yes. But they also had 9 deep passing TDs, which was actually top 5 in the league. They need that dynamic to keep defenses honest.

Part of the reason why the Eagles ran it so well was that teams could not load up the box. Because if they did, the Eagles pass offense would pick them apart. We saw it vs the Steelers, and we saw it vs the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Even with the Eagles not throwing it that much, defenses still had to respect the pass game.

They need that dimension to their game again. Because so far this season, they have not given defenses a reason to fear the big pass play. It would be prudent to find a way to do that this week. Get AJ Brown loose. It is on Patullo to prove he can do that.