Two years ago, Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams left Lincoln Financial Field distraught after his fumble changed the game and led to a Philadelphia Eagles win in the 2024 NFC Divisional Round. Last year, the Rams blew a 26-7 lead and lost on the final play after Joshua Karty’s kick was blocked and returned for a touchdown.
On Sunday, the Rams faced all of their demons at The Linc and came back to beat the Eagles, 24-20. Behind Kyren Williams and the defense, the Rams came back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to win.
For much of the afternoon, the Rams couldn’t seem to get out of their own way. Despite facing a short-handed Eagles team without wide receiver DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley, who left in the first quarter, the Rams kept giving them opportunities.
Rams Can’t Get Out of Their Own Way
Much like last year, on the team’s opening drive quarterback Matthew Stafford threw an interception over the head of Konata Mumpfield. While the defense got a stop, the Eagles settled for a field goal. In the second quarter, it was special teams rearing its ugly head.
New punt returner Alex Bachman set the Rams up with bad field position. After the offense went three-and-out, Britain Covey returned the punt 41 yards and into the red zone. Two plays later, Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper for a touchdown.
While the Rams’ offense had gone three-and-out on consecutive drives, they answered the Eagles’ score with a touchdown of their own. Making his return, wide receiver Puka Nacua took a jet sweep from two yards out and found the end zone.
With three timeouts remaining, the Rams still had a chance to tie the game going into halftime. The defense did its part to get a stop, but two plays later, Stafford threw his second interception of the day. Again, the Eagles capitalized and Hurts found Cooper in the back of the end zone.
The Rams went into the half trailing 20-10. However, they didn’t have to travel more than 40 yards on any of their scoring drives. Sunday’s game was setting up to be a box score anomaly. In the first half, the Eagles went 0-for-6 on third down, but had found a way to score 20 points and lead by 10.
Rams Keep Wasting Opportunities to Get Back in the Game
Time and time again, when the Rams tried to get back in the game in the third quarter, it was one step forward and two steps back for the offense. After the defense forced a three-and-out, the offense drove into field goal range. However, Harrison Mevis missed the 48-yard attempt wide left.
On the next drive, Williams picked up 23 yards, but a 15-yard penalty made it only an eight-yard gain. Puka Nacua caught a pass for 24 yards, but an offensive pass interference penalty wiped it out, and the Rams eventually had to punt. When the Rams turned the ball over on downs after the defense stopped an Eagles tush push, the game seemed over. The only thing consistent about the Rams up to that point was how often they committed self-inflicted errors.
For much of the game, the offense appeared disjointed. With the injuries to Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson, the offense had to resort to more 11 personnel and three wide receiver sets. The Rams operated out of 11 personnel at an 88.2 percent rate. The Rams had previously used 11 personnel on 56 percent of their offensive snaps this season.
Facing Vic Fangio’s defense on the other side, Matthew Stafford was just 12-for-21 with two interceptions and a 33.9 quarterback rating in the first half. Through three quarters, he was 19-for-34 for 168 yards.
Rams Defense Keeps the Game Within Reach
While the defense allowed 20 first-half points, most of it was because they had been put in bad positions. In the second half, they kept the Rams in the game. The Eagles finished with only 172 yards of total offense and averaged 3.9 yards per play. Chris Shula was aggressive on third down, consistently blitzing Hurts and forcing throwaways. The Eagles finished 0-for-12 on third down in the game and 1-for-4 on fourth down.
After the defense stopped the Eagles at the two-yard line on fourth down, leaving the offense 98 yards from the other end zone, a comeback still didn’t seem possible. However, Stafford found Nacua for nine yards to give the offense some pace and then 32 yards to put the Rams at around midfield.
Kyren Williams Takes Over When Rams Need Him Most
When the Rams couldn’t find answers in the passing game or lean on their quarterback, they turned to Kyren Williams. Williams finished with 16 carries for 80 yards and added 10 catches for 67 yards. With the Rams needing a touchdown, Williams caught two passes to set the Rams up at the one-yard line and then punched it in himself.
The defense forced another three-and-out and the offense took over at its own 21-yard line and 2:55 to play. Despite just needing a field goal to tie, there’s no doubt the Rams preferred to win in regulation and not go to overtime.
Stafford hit Nacua on back-to-back plays and then again for 12 yards to put the Rams in the red zone at the Eagles’ 19-yard line with 1:37 to play. Facing a 3rd-and-2, Stafford handed it off to Williams who picked up the first down. Another handoff to Williams forced the Eagles to use their final timeout.
Rams Exorcise Their Demons at The Linc
On 2nd-and-goal from the seven, Williams got the ball again and shook three Eagles defenders, fighting his way into the end zone to give the Rams their first lead of the game. After looking as good as done 10 minutes earlier and losing a fourth-quarter lead on that same field a year prior, the Rams led 24-20.
As it had all game, the defense pressured Hurts and Byron Young sacked him twice, forcing a fumble on the second. When Hurts’ pass on 4th-and-25 hit the ground, the Rams’ comeback was complete.
There were times throughout the game when the Rams didn’t deserve to win. Issues that have haunted them all season continued to creep up. Special teams errors once again nearly cost them the game. The Rams made more mistakes than a winning team should and they found a way to gut out a win in Philadelphia. The result certainly can’t mask the things that need to be cleaned up, and there are a lot of them, but this was a much-needed win nonetheless.
That’s a character-building win that the Rams needed. After they turned it over on downs in the fourth quarter, the Rams faced 98 yards with 7:26 to play while needing two scores. They looked done. However, tthe defense kept the Rams in the game, playing lights out in the second half, and the offense didn’t give up. When the offense needed it most, it delivered. To see how much the Rams needed this game,look no further than McVay’s celebration after Young’s sack on the final drive.
The Rams will now return to SoFi and be back in primetime next Monday night against the Buffalo Bills. It’s a Bills team that has looked unstoppable but just lost to the New England Patriots on Sunday. At 2-2, the Rams are still in a good spot. There’s no doubt that the Rams need to be better, but they’ve managed to keep the season alive as they get healthy.
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