Eagles uncover the secret to conquering snow and Rams, advancing to the NFC Championship Game.

The Philadelphia Eagles leaned on the power of Saquon Barkley and a strong defensive effort to secure a 28-22 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the divisional round.

Simply put, it was more of the same dominance.

Barkley tormented the Rams once again, rushing for a franchise-record 205 yards, including two electrifying touchdown runs of 60-plus yards. His 76-yard dash in the fourth quarter ignited a celebration at Lincoln Financial Field, complete with “MVP” chants and snowballs flying through the chilly night. This performance mirrored his Week 12 outing against the Rams when he set a franchise record with 255 rushing yards.

The game wasn’t without drama. After quarterback Jalen Hurts was sacked for a safety in the third quarter, cutting the Eagles’ lead to one, the defense stepped up. Former Georgia teammates Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith Jr. forced back-to-back fumbles, leading to two crucial field goals and giving Philadelphia a cushion before Barkley sealed the deal.

Questions remain about Hurts’ health after he appeared to injure his left leg in the second half, and the passing game will face scrutiny as the team prepares for Sunday’s matchup against the Washington Commanders. Still, the Eagles’ winning formula was on full display.

Key Observations

Biggest hole in the game plan: Clock management at the end of the first half. After a Hurts sack pushed the Eagles back to the Rams’ 45-yard line, head coach Nick Sirianni opted to let the clock wind down to three seconds before attempting a Hail Mary. The play resulted in another sack and left Philadelphia with zero points instead of a potential field goal opportunity.

Most surprising performance: Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers stepped up after Quinyon Mitchell’s injury. Rodgers recovered a Kyren Williams fumble early in the fourth quarter and returned it 40 yards. Although Barkley’s apparent touchdown on the ensuing drive was ruled short, Jake Elliott’s field goal extended the Eagles’ lead to 19-15.

Eye-popping stat: Barkley reached a top speed of 20.78 mph on both of his touchdown runs, adding to his season total of nine rushing touchdowns at speeds exceeding 20 mph. Before this season, the Eagles had only six such runs since 2016.

Rams Recap

The Rams’ season ended in snowy Philadelphia, with the team scoring 22 points. Quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 26-of-43 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns, both to Tyler Higbee. Stafford’s 15 career playoff touchdown passes for the Rams now tie Kurt Warner’s franchise record.

The game remained tight through three quarters before fumbles by Kyren Williams and Stafford on consecutive drives in the fourth proved costly. According to ESPN Research, the Rams are the first team to lose back-to-back playoff fumbles since the Dolphins in 2016.

Promising trend: The Rams’ pass rush remains dominant. After recording nine sacks last week, the defense added seven more against Hurts, bringing their two-game playoff total to 16 — the most over such a span since 1963, per ESPN Research.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping the Eagles’ run game. After allowing 314 rushing yards in their Week 12 loss to Philadelphia, the Rams again struggled. The Eagles racked up 285 rushing yards, including touchdowns of 44 yards (Hurts) and 62 yards (Barkley).

Eye-popping stat: Stafford’s first-quarter touchdown to Higbee came with just 0.4 yards of separation, the narrowest margin for a Stafford passing touchdown during his Rams tenure, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

As the Eagles advance, the Rams will reflect on missed opportunities and defensive breakdowns that ended their postseason run.