As chilly because it was in snowy Philadelphia, the Eagles needed to sweat out their divisional-round win over the Rams, 28-22.
Listed below are three takeaways from a divisional-round thriller that units up an all-NFC East convention championship recreation between the Commanders and Eagles subsequent Sunday.
Knee-jerk response: Jalen Hurts‘ decrease leg damage an enormous storyline heading into NFC championship recreation
The most important storyline in Philadelphia this week will probably be Hurts’ well being. After twisting his decrease left leg on a third-quarter hit, he headed to the blue medical tent. Hurts wasn’t the identical afterward.
Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore stubbornly referred to as dropbacks for Hurts initially after his damage, which resulted in a Rams security that lower the deficit to 1, 16-15.
The Eagles want Hurts as near one hundred pc as doable to beat the Commanders. We have already seen what can occur if he is not. Hurts left Philadelphia’s 36-33 Week 16 loss to Washington after struggling a concussion within the first half.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to the successful rating with six seconds remaining regardless of Washington having 5 turnovers. Philadelphia’s possibilities of successful might hinge on Hurts’ leg.
Recreation MVP: Eagles defensive deal with Jalen Carter
This might have gone to working again Saquon Barkley, who had an astounding 205 speeding yards. As an alternative, we’ll give Carter love for carrying the Eagles to victory.
He did so actually within the first quarter when he lifted Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford for the primary of his two sacks.
Then, with 1:14 left within the fourth quarter and the Rams dealing with a Third-and-2 from Philadelphia’s 11-yard line in a six-point recreation, 28-22, Carter used a swim transfer to get previous his blocker and sacked Stafford for a nine-yard loss.
Stafford threw an incomplete move out of bounds on fourth right down to seal Philadelphia’s win.
Per Pro Football Focus, Carter led the Eagles with six whole pressures. He was additionally a pressure in opposition to the run, credited with three stops, which PFF defines as tackles that represent a failure for the offense, and compelled a fumble two performs after Los Angeles’ security to arrange an Eagles subject purpose.
It is totally doable — doubtless, even — that the Eagles would have misplaced Sunday’s recreation with out Carter being a one-man wrecking crew.
Quote: ‘I inform ya, it took lots of guts to take the ball out of Saquon’s hand on second down there’
The Eagles survived regardless of some horrific teaching.
As talked about earlier, Moore’s playcalling instantly following Hurts’ leg damage was questionable, at finest. However that nearly paled compared to a questionable second-down name with underneath three minutes within the fourth quarter.
Moore referred to as a bootleg for Hurts, which the Rams blew up for a 12-yard loss, establishing a Third-and-19. The Eagles referred to as a secure run up the center and punted, establishing the wild end and Carter’s late-game heroics.
Because the Eagles punt unit took the sector, NBC colour commentator Cris Collinsworth questioned Moore and head coach Nick Sirianni’s resolution to take the ball out of Barkley’s fingers with the season on the road.
“I inform ya, it took lots of guts to take the ball out of Saquon’s hand on second down there,” Collinsworth stated. “Guts” is not the phrase we might use to explain it, however level taken.
Barkley was unreal within the win, recording two lengthy runs, one from 62 yards within the first quarter, and a 78-yarder to provide the Eagles a 28-15 lead within the fourth.
The Eagles have a stable blueprint for successful video games: run the ball with Barkley and depend on the league’s finest protection. Why is that so onerous for Sirianni and Moore to know? They bought cute in opposition to the Rams, and it practically price them.
Philadelphia has the recipe to win a Tremendous Bowl, however its teaching workers can’t get out of its personal manner. If the Eagles fall quick, it would doubtless be as a result of Moore and Sirianni do extra “gutsy” issues as an alternative of protecting it easy.
