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Rams prepare for punishing Eagles rushing attack

January 18, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The Rams wrapped up their short week of practices Friday ahead of Sunday’s divisional-round matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Short because of the Monday night win over Minnesota, and short because of a coach’s decision not to practice Wednesday.

Sean McVay leaned on his experience from the last time the Rams won in the wild-card round, three years ago. That game too was on a Monday, and the Rams opted to give their players a day off and coaches an extra day to game plan before practicing twice.

And given how the Rams would go on to win that game, and then a couple more that winter …

“We felt like that schedule worked out,” McVay said. “I think the most important thing is, let’s allow our players to be able to get recovered and turned over. They came in, they lifted, they got themselves refreshed and recharged … but also the coaches to not feel like you’re just throwing a plan together but you’re diligent about that.”

Fresh bodies and fresh minds could come in handy against an opponent like this.

It was eight weeks ago that the Eagles ran through the Rams, quite literally. Saquon Barkley set a franchise record with 255 rushing yards. Quarterback Jalen Hurts added 39 more, including a 3rd-and-3 scramble for 11 yards.

And the conditions Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia – expected highs near freezing and some form of precipitation, frozen or otherwise – could call for a heavy emphasis on that run game at Lincoln Financial Field.

“They’re as good as it gets up front. They’re incredibly well-coached. They’ve skill position weapons all over the place,” McVay said. “They’ve got a quarterback that can beat you with his arm or his legs and then Saquon is doing some really special things even for his standards that he set over the course of his career.”

Which makes the news of the Rams’ relatively clean bill of health that much more important.

The Rams are listing cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (thigh), defensive tackle Bobby Brown III (shoulder), left tackle Alaric Jackson (chest/knee) and offensive lineman Justin Dedich (illness) as questionable for Sunday, but McVay said all four are expected to play. Tight end Tyler Higbee (chest) did not receive a game status designation for Sunday, removing any doubt about his status.

Witherspoon and Brown make a big difference in this matchup. Witherspoon has taken on most of the work against opposing team’s top targets late in this season. He mostly spent his day Monday matched up with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and allowed two catches for eight yards on three targets.

The Eagles didn’t have their No. 2 receiver, DeVonta Smith, in the Week 12 matchup, so a full complement of corners is necessary for the Rams, especially as they decide how much to prioritize stopping the run. Which is where Brown, one of the Rams’ primary run stoppers, comes in.

The fourth-year nose tackle has yet to miss a tackle this season, and 17 of the 45 run tackles he’s made have been “stops”, per Pro Football Focus, constituting a failed play for the offense.

“It’s huge. I think he’s been one of the unsung heroes of the defense,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “He’s kind of become a lynchpin of the front. His smarts, his ability to move around, his ability to play stout with his hands at the line of scrimmage is going to be something that’s key and critical this week, as it is every week for him.”

Orange County Register

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Rams prepare for punishing Eagles rushing attack

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