Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
In what turned into slow globe-like conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, Nick Sirianni's Eagles held on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22, advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three years.
Here's five takeaways as the Eagles squeaked out a second-consecutive postseason victory.
No one is more tired of seeing Saquon Barkley break off long runs every week than New York Giants fans. But the Rams are probably a close second.
Barkley set a new single-game franchise record with 255 rushing yards in a Nov. 24 Sunday Night Football win over the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
It was hardly a climate-controlled environment Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, but the result was pretty much the same, as Barkley continued to hit home runs at a peak-Ryan Howard esque clip.
Barkley broke off a 62-yard touchdown rush in the first quarter to give the Eagles a 12-7 lead:
SAQUON BARKLEY TO THE HOUSE 🔥
pic.twitter.com/Wk4YjVI0KE
With slightly worse weather conditions, Barkley gave the Eagles a two-possession lead they ended up needing with a 78-yard touchdown scamper deep in the fourth quarter:
SAQUON BARKLEY 78 YARDS 🙏
pic.twitter.com/LKpxmGDpEV
Barkley finished the game with 205 rushing yards, a new Eagles postseason record. His 205 yards are the fifth-most in a single postseason game in NFL history. Perhaps fittingly, it's Eric Dickerson who has the all-time single-game record with 248 yards.
This evening, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen — the top two finishers in NFL MVP voting in all likelihood — will square off with a trip to the AFC Championship Game on the line. It's hard to say that Barkley hasn't played at an MVP level himself this season, though.
Isaiah Rodgers had the chance to pick off Matthew Stafford in the first quarter, only for DeMarcus Robinson to rip an interception out of his hands and turn it into a 48-yard reception:
DEMARCUS ROBINSON SAID "GIVE ME THAT"
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/EQ3dy6sU4k
However, Rodgers was ultimately involved in one of the turning points of the game.
With the ball back after forcing a safety and trailing 16-15 early in the fourth quarter, the Rams handed the ball to Kyren Williams looking to start a drive that would allow them to take the lead. Williams instead was stripped of the ball by Jalen Carter, and it took the perfect bounce right to Rodgers, who returned it to the 10-yard line of Los Angeles:
Jalen Carter causing the fumble 💪 pic.twitter.com/tv6bUDqHAb
The next drive ended up with Nolan Smith forcing a fumble that Zack Baun recovered, setting them up at the eight-yard line:
NOLAN SMITH! Eagles recover 🏈 pic.twitter.com/vdvI6pMhxr
Los Angeles made a run late at the Eagles, nearly marching down the field for the go-ahead touchdown with less than a minute in the fourth quarter. But Carter dealt a devastating blow to the Rams on third-and-two from the 13-yard line of the the Eagles, taking him down for a nine-yard sack. That put the Rams in a fourth-and-11 where Stafford threw an errant pass for Puka Nacua, ending the game:
THE BIG DAWG IS HUNGRY!
JALEN CARTER SACK 😤#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/xReEEiux7Y
Hurts found A.J. Brown for a crucial nine-yard pass to convert on fourth-and-four at the Los Angeles 32-yard line with just under nine minutes in the fourth quarter.
However, it wasn't a banner day for Hurts, and there is reason to be concerned about where he's at physically heading into next Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
Hurts went into the tent late in the third quarter after getting his left leg bent under him, and returned with a brace on his left knee looking much more like a sitting duck than he ever has:
Jalen Hurts sacked. Looks like he could be injured too. Was slow getting up. pic.twitter.com/lew2kRUSm4
On the day, Hurts took seven sacks, including going down in the end zone for a safety on a play where he looked pretty helpless shortly after coming out of the tent:
Oh no we have a safety 👀 pic.twitter.com/C8AXCxcBm1
Of course, it's hard to know what to make of where Hurts is at physically. He and the Eagles aren't going to be honest after the game if Hurts is in rough shape. But the offensive line didn't have a great day in front of him, and the Rams' defensive line is really good. Obviously, there's the weather element as well. Was Hurts unable to move like he normally does or were the Eagles being as cautious as possible with him as they tried to avoid him further aggravating the knee in slick conditions? We won't know for sure until next Sunday in all likelihood.
Certainly, though, it's not a great spot to be in to have played two underwhelming games coming off of a multi-week absence going into the NFC Title Game. And if Hurts sustained a knee injury Sunday that's going to linger as long as the team is alive, that's very problematic for a quarterback so reliant on having his legs underneath him.
Rams' star rookie pass rusher went to Central Columbia High School in Bloomsburg, but was quick to point out in the days leading up to this matchup that he didn't grow up rooting for the Eagles.
“I hate Eagles fans,” Verse said to Gary Klein of The Los Angeles Times. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”
Often players that provide bulletin-board material for the opposing team wind up melting under the pressure of an opposing crowd that makes them public enemy No. 1. To his credit, Verse did the opposite.
The likely Defensive Rookie of the Year finished the day with two sacks and three tackles for a loss. His first sack of the day included him shoving Mekhi Beckton to the ground like it was no big deal:
Jared Verse 😱 pic.twitter.com/MXFYwXBdJb
Granted, Becton wasn't looking. But he's still 6-foot-7, 363 pounds. To bulldoze him after speeding by Lane Johnson, you have to tip your cap.
No one is asking Eagles fans to root for Verse. But villains are what make sports great. And Verse played the heel role very well Sunday, and it likely won't be the last time he takes aim at the Eagles on a major stage.
The Eagles will host the NFC Championship Game against likely Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
This will be the third matchup between the two division rivals this season. The Eagles defeated the Commanders 26-18 at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 11, but then lost in Landover 36-33 in Week 16. However, that second matchup has something of an asterisk considering that Hurts was concussed in the first quarter and Kenny Pickett was under center for much of the game for the Eagles.
It's hard to deny the energy that the the upstart Commanders have right now, though. Daniels has put together probably the greatest rookie season a quarterback has ever had, and Dan Quinn has helped to change the culture in Washington immediately.
Round 3 should be fun.
Want more Philadelphia Eagles news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for THE Philly Sports Newsletter here. 100% free, always.
