If the Los Angeles Rams are going to emerge victorious from their NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, stopping the Jalen Hurts is going to be essential. However, the Eagles Pro Bowl quarterback noted his role in the offense changes from game to game, and he believes this game will come down to the play of his offensive line against the Rams’ defensive line.
LA held the Minnesota Vikings to their third-lowest total yardage of the season in the Wild Card. “They’ve always been a great team, and we caught them while they were hot and we’re catching them while they’re hot again,” Hurts told reporters on January 15.
“This is a young team led by a great coach, great quarterback, great players all around. They got a great defense. They’ve been very disruptive up front. Just got to come in and execute. I think it starts in the trenches in a game like this, and we’ve been able to run the ball effectively. And so, hopefully, we continue to impose our will up front.”
The Eagles’ offensive line is one of if not the best in the NFL. Philly allowed the 12th-lowest pressure rate and gained the second-most rushing yards before contact in 2024, per Pro Football Reference.
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Philly’s blocking was a key part of how Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards. That is an ominous sign for a Rams defense that tied for the fifth-most yards per carry allowed per attempt during the regular season. Barkley’s rushing opens up the Eagles’ passing game.
“I don’t think that there’s been a game where he’s been taken away,” Hurts said. “They try. He’s a great player, and I think we complement each other well. And he’s been able to just get dirty yards, dirty yards, dirty yards, and soon enough, he pops one off. And so that’s been a big part of our success this year as a team, and that’s a credit to everyone playing a role in that.
“It’s a collective effort.” Hurts said what Barkley was able to do this season is “not normal” and that he is a “special player.” The Rams must at least slow him down to force the Eagles into passing situations.
