Eight teams remain in the NFL playoffs with the Divisional Round set to kick off this weekend. The No. 2 seed Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-12 during Wild Card Weekend and will host the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
The 10-win Rams took down the 14-win Minnesota Vikings 27-9 to punch their ticket to Philadelphia.
NFL’s Divisional Round: Rams Vs. Eagles
Like the Wild Card Round, the Eagles will face a familiar opponent in the Divisional Round. The Eagles traveled to Los Angeles to take on the Rams on Sunday Night Football in Week 12. The Eagles came away with the 37-20 win in large part because of running back Saquon Barkley’s historic performance.
Barkley carried the ball 26 times for a career-high 255 yards against the Rams’ defense. The All-Pro rushed for a 70 and a 72-yard touchdown in the second half. Barkley became the sixth player in NFL history to score multiple 70-yard touchdowns in a game and ran for the ninth most yards in a single game. He dominated the Rams, ending with 302 total yards.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for just 179 yards in the Week 12 matchup with 109 of those yards credited to All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown. The Eagles’ passing game wasn’t heavily relied on because of Barkley’s success.
There’s been much talk in Philadelphia about the state of the Eagles’ passing game after the lackluster performance against the Packers in the Wild Card win. The team’s offensive identity all season was the run game. Barkley had a historic season and the offensive line features three Pro Bowl players and two All-Pros.
Eagles fans would love to see the passing game lighting defenses up through the air, but with the dominant run game, all Hurts and the receivers have to do is be serviceable and efficient. As long as they don’t turn the ball over, the Eagles’ offense will do just fine against a Rams defense that will give up yards.
How Can The Eagles Secure A Victory?
The key to an Eagles win in the Divisional Round is to put pressure on veteran quarterback Matt Stafford and limit the Rams’ elite wide receiver duos’ opportunities. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are as good as a receiving duo as they come in the NFL. The duo was targeted 24 times in the Week 12 matchup, combining for 177 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles had the No. 1 defense in the league in 2024, but the Rams’ skill players are no easy task to defend.
Not only do the Rams have a great wide receiver duo, but they also have one of the top running backs in the NFL. Kyren Williams was the seventh-leading rusher in 2024 and was tied for the third most rushing touchdowns. He had 72 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Eagles in Week 12 while averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
The Eagles defense sacked Stafford five times in the previous matchup and created one turnover. They had eight tackles for loss. The defense will have to do much of the same in the Divisional Round if not more, to beat the Rams for a second time this season.

The Eagles opened as six-point favorites for their Divisional Round date with the Rams. The Eagles are the better team and should come away with the win as long as they don’t beat themselves, but the Rams are riding momentum coming into the game. The Rams have won six of their last seven games, including their 18-point upset win over the Vikings in the Wild Card Round. It’s worth noting the Rams have to travel from the West Coast and play outside at Lincoln Financial Field on the East Coast.
Score Prediction: Eagles 28, Rams 23
Read More NFL News From Stadium Rant Here: NFL News