The Philadelphia Eagles appeared to have the Los Angeles Rams beaten when Saquon Barkley ran for a 78-yard touchdown to extend their fourth quarter lead to 13 points with 4:36 left in regulation.
The Rams had other ideas. Los Angeles mounted a furious comeback push in the final five minutes of the game and made it into the red-zone with just over a minute left and an opportunity to fully erase their deficit.
In the end, Matthew Stafford couldn’t quite get the job done. Jalen Carter sacked him on a third-and-3 before the veteran quarterback misfired on a fourth-and-11 toss to Puka Nacua to stamp Philadelphia’s ticket to the NFC championship game.
The Rams’ comeback was impressive considering the weather conditions in the contest. Snow began falling late in the first half and it began to accumulate after halftime. That proved challenging for Los Angeles, which wasn’t used to the slick and snowy conditions.
This caused the Rams some issues. Nacua and Tyler Higbee had particularly problematic drops that derailed one drive. Meanwhile, Kyren Williams and Stafford fumbled on back-to-back drives, leading to six Eagles points.
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Those miscues allowed Philadelphia to keep Los Angeles at an arm’s length and ultimately helped seal the Rams’ fate despite their comeback efforts.
Barkley was the driving force behind Philadelphia’s latest postseason win. He finished the game with 205 rushing yards – good for the fifth-most in a single playoff game – and two touchdowns on 26 carries.
The Eagles figure to lean on him again as they prepare to take on the Washington Commanders with a trip to Super Bowl 59 on the line.
USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the divisional round matchup between the Eagles and the Rams on Sunday below. All times are Eastern.
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Eagles survive Rams comeback, advance to NFC championship game
The Rams couldn’t quite complete the improbable comeback. Jalen Carter sacked Matthew Stafford on third-and-3 and he couldn’t complete a pass intended for Puka Nacua on fourth-and-11.
The Eagles will play the Commanders next week with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Puka Nacua makes leaping catch on sideline to get Rams near red-zone
The Rams are officially in business. Matthew Stafford put up a deep shot to Nacua and the talented, second-year receiver brought it in.
The Rams are on the 21-yard line, threatening to get a potential game-winning score.
Rams get three-and-out, will get ball back for potential game-winning drive
The Rams needed to prevent the Eagles from getting a first down to have a good chance to get the ball back. Mission accomplished. They stopped the Eagles and forced them to lose three yards on the drive, forcing Braden Mann to punt the ball back to them.
The Rams have 2:23 left with no timeouts remaining to mount a comeback.
Rams answer with touchdown late
The Rams aren’t ready for vacation just yet.
A mad dash of a drive to the red zone ended with a Matthew Stafford to Colby Parkinson touchdown pass to keep the Rams in it. There’s 2:48 remaining and Los Angeles has all three timeouts in its pocket. Philly leads, 28-22.
Saquon Barkley breaks free for 78-yard touchdown
Nor rain nor sleet nor snow will keep Saquon Barkley from the end zone.
The Eagles running back may have iced the game for the Eagles with a 78-yard touchdown run, sprinting through the left side of the line and hitting the jets for the touchdown. An extra point gives the Eagles a 28-15 lead with 4:36 remaining.
Jake Elliott makes 36-yarder to give Eagles 7-point lead
The Eagles couldn’t get another first down, but they got into range for a difficult 36-yard field goal in the driving snow. Elliott was able to get enough of the ball to get it through the uprights and give Philadelphia a 22-15 lead.
The Rams will have 6:18 left to tie things up, but the Los Angeles club will have to deal with deteriorating weather conditions to do so.
Eagles convert fourth-and-4 on slant pass to A.J. Brown
The Eagles couldn’t attempt a 50-yard field goal with the snow coming down. As a result, they went for it on fourth down, with Jalen Hurts finding Brown open on a quick slant to get the first down.
Philadelphia will now be able to run more time off the clock, and take aim at what could be a decisive touchdown.
Matthew Stafford fumbles after Nolan Smith sack, Eagles recover
The Eagles have forced a key fumble for the second time in as many drives. This time, Smith beat right tackle Rob Havenstein and got pressure on Stafford, who dropped the ball and gave the Eagles good field position as they look to extend their four-point lead.
The snow is coming down heavily with 11 minutes left in regulation, so the Eagles will have to gain some yardage to make a potential field goal easier.
Eagles settle for field goal after Saquon Barkley TD overturned, fourth-and-goal false start
The Eagles appeared to have a touchdown after Barkley punched in a 2-yard run, but replay revealed he was just short of the goal-line. Philadelphia then lined up to go for it on fourth-and-inches from inside the 1-yard line, but Lane Johnson was whistled for a false start on the tush push.
As a result, the Eagles settled for a field goal. Jake Elliott made the kick through the inclement weather to extend Philadelphia’s lead to 19-15.
Kyren Williams fumbles, Eagles return it to set up goal-to-go opportunity
The slick conditions in Philadelphia have finally caused a turnover. Jalen Carter punched the ball out of Williams’ hands on a carry up the middle, and cornerback Isaiah Rodgers picked it up.
The former return man brought it back 40 yards to set up the Eagles with a goal-to-go opportunity from the 10-yard line.
Eagles clinging to one-point lead entering fourth quarter
The Rams defense is continuing to play at a high level in the postseason. They have sacked Jalen Hurts six times through three quarters and added two points to Los Angeles’ tally ahead of the fourth quarter.
Philadelphia is leading 16-15, but the Eagles have struggled to consistently move the ball on offense. Save for Hurts and Saquon Barkley’s long touchdowns, they have largely ripped off short gains en route to just three points.
Hurts is dealing with a banged-up left knee now, so his mobility is a question mark. The Rams and Jared Verse will look to continue teeing off as Matthew Stafford seeks another fourth quarter comeback for his postseason resume.
Rams sack Jalen Hurts for a safety, cut Eagles lead to 16-15
The Rams continue to get relentless pressure on Hurts. This time, Neville Gallimore was able to sack the Eagles quarterback in the end zone, marking the sixth time Los Angeles has brought Hurts down for a loss today.
The Eagles’ lead is now just one point, and they’re kicking the ball back to the Rams.
Jalen Hurts wearing brace on left knee
Hurts is back in the game after being injured. He is wearing a brace on his left knee.
Puka NacuJalen Hurts wearing brace on left knee
Hurts is back in the game after being injured. He is wearing a brace on his left knee.a drops potential first-down catch, forcing Rams punt
Matthew Stafford hit both Tyler Higbee and Nacua with well-thrown passes in the snow on the Rams’ first drive after Philadelphia’s field goal. The talented veterans dropped them both, with Nacua’s robbing the Rams of a chance to convert a first down.
The Rams once again allowed Ethan Evans to punt the ball away. He pinned the Eagles inside their own 5-yard line, setting up Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia offense in a tough position leading 16-13.
Who is the Eagles’ backup quarterback?
That would be Kenny Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick the team acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 2024 offseason trade. Pickett made one start for the Eagles in relief of Hurts. He won that game and completed 59.5% of his passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on the season.
Jalen Hurts injury update
The Eagles are dealing with a significant concern on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Jalen Hurts bent back awkwardly while being sacked and was hobbled after the play. He stayed in on third-and-17 to hand the ball to Saquon Barkley, but he went to the blue medical tent after the drive ended.
Kenny Pickett is Hurts’ backup and would come into the game should he need to miss time because of the injury.
Jake Elliott makes 44-yard field goal to give Eagles lead
The Eagles answered the Rams’ field goal drive with one of their own. Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia offense benefitted from a 31-yard pass to Dallas Goedert but an ineligible man downfield penalty and another sack cost the Eagles a chance to get near the end-zone again.
Elliott managed to keep his 44-yard kick just inside the right upright through the snow and the Eagles are back on top 16-13 with 2:19 left in the third quarter.
Rams settle for field goal after goal-to-go fumble, Matthew Stafford sack
The Rams started to move the ball consistently during their second drive of the second half. Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for a 30-yard catch while Kyren Williams ripped off a 30-yard run to put them in a goal-to-go scenario.
However, Stafford and Williams failed to connect on a first-and-goal hand-off, which resulted in a fumble and a loss of seven yards. The Rams couldn’t move the ball much further from there, so Joshua Karty came on to atttempt a chip-shot field goal into the wind.
Karty snuck the kick inside the right upright, tying the game up at 13.
Braden Fiske injury update
Mitchell isn’t the only rookie who won’t be finishing his second playoff game. Rams sack leader Braden Fiske won’t return to Sunday’s game with a knee injury.
Fiske logged a sack before exiting the game for good.
Quinyon Mitchell injury update
Bad news for the Eagles: their start rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell has been ruled out of the game with a shoulder injury.
Mitchell played 91.2% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps during the 2024 regular season and finished the year as PFF’s No. 16-ranked cornerback out of 118. Veteran Isaiah Rodgers has been seeing increased action in place of him.
Rams defense forces three-and-out
The Eagles offense continues to struggle to consistently move the ball. Philadelphia gained 7 yards on a pass to DeVonta Smith to open their first drive of the second half, but they didn’t gain another yard after that.
Rams go three-and-out to open second half
Jared Verse once again pressured Jalen Hurts on third-and-3 to force an incompletion. Braden Mann punted it back to Los Angeles as the teams continue to trade possessions in a back-and-forth game.
Los Angeles got the ball coming out of the locker room, but the Rams couldn’t get much going. Matthew Stafford failed to connect with Cooper Kupp before throwing short of the sticks to Colby Parkinson on third-and-8.
Ethan Evans punted the ball back to Cooper DeJean, so the Eagles will get a chance to build on their 13-10 lead.
What book was AJ Brown reading?
Brown was reading a book called “Inner Excellence” on the sideline in the wild-card round against the Packers. He credits the book with helping him sharpen his mental focus during games, as he is usually locked in from a physical standpoint.
Rams stats vs. Eagles at halftime
The Rams have fared much better through the air than the Eagles, with Matthew Stafford enjoying a quality first half despite lacking production from Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Los Angeles’ defense has also played well, getting pressure against Jalen Hurts and forcing the quarterback into negative plays throughout the first half.
Below is a look at the Rams’ first half stats from its divisional round game against the Eagles:
- Matthew Stafford: 10-of-15 passing, 126 yards, 1 TD, 1 carry, 5 yards
- Kyren Williams: 9 carries, 46 yards
- Demarcus Robinson: 1 catch, 48 yards
- Tyler Higbee: 4 catches, 41 yards, 1 TD
- Puka Nacua: 3 catches, 29 yards
- Cooper Kupp: 1 catch, 9 yards
- Jared Verse: 3 tackles, 2 sacks
Saquon Barkley injury update
Barkley took a shot to the hand late in the first half of the Eagles’ divisional round game against the Rams. It didn’t prevent him from being on the field, but he was seen getting his hand taped on the sideline during the team’s final drive.
Barkley was spelled by Kenneth Gainwell when he was out of the game.
Eagles stats vs. Rams at halftime
The Eagles have a lead on the Rams and are running roughshod on Los Angeles. However, their passing game has struggled to gain consistent footing, with Hurts saveraging just 5.5 yards per attempt and taking five sacks against a strong Rams pass rush.
Below is a look at Philadelphia’s first half stats from its divisional round game against Los Angeles:
- Jalen Hurts: 9-of-12 passing, 66 yards, 5 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD
- Saquon Barkley: 11 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD, 3 catches, 24 yards
- Dallas Goedert: 2 catches, 20 yards
- DeVonta Smith: 2 catches, 7 yards
- A.J. Brown: 1 catch, 5 yards
- Jalen Carter: 2 tackles, 1 sack
Jalen Hurts sack twice in a row to end first half
The Eagles were moving the ball consistently on their final drive of the first half, but once again Hurts found himself under pressure. He fumbled the ball and it rolled back to the 47-yard line, forcing Philadelphia to settle for a Hail Mary with three seconds left.
Hurts was sacked again to close the half, which will end with the Eagles leading 13-10.
Saquon Barkley converts third-and-14 to keep Eagles’ drive moving
The Rams had the Eagles backed up inside their own 5-yard line and facing a third-and-14 when Jalen Hurts dumped a screen pass off to Barkley. The 2,000-yard rusher had plenty of space in front of him and managed to weave his way through open space and get the first down.
That play prevented the Eagles from having to punt the ball back to the Rams and giving them great field position with just a few minutes left in the half.
Rams forced to punt after Kyren Williams tackled for third-and-short loss
The Rams managed to flip the field against the Eagles, but for a second consecutive drive, they stalled out after Williams was tackled for a loss. This time, Josh Sweat burst through the line unblocked to bring Williams down and force the Eagles into a fourth-and-3.
Ethan Evans punted the ball down around Philadelphia’s 10-yard line. Rookie return man Cooper DeJean muffed it and had to jump on it, meaning the Eagles will have 90 yards to go as they look for a pre-halftime touchdown with 5:18 left in the second quarter.
Jared Verse sacks Jalen Hurts, pushing Eagles out of field goal range
The Eagles offense continues to move the ball well on the ground, but they have struggled when they have gotten behind the chains. Case and point, Verse was able to get after Hurts following an incompletion on second-and-8 and brought him down after blowing up Mekhi Becton.
The sack pushed the Eagles out of Jake Elliott’s field goal range, so Braden Mann came on and hit a punt inside the Rams’ 10-yard line. Los Angeles will have 93 yards to go as they look to retake the lead, down 13-10.
How many Super Bowl wins does Matthew Stafford have?
Stafford has one Super Bowl ring to his credit. He won it in his first year with the Rams in 2021. He has a 5-1 postseason record with Los Angeles overall entering Sunday’s game.
Joshua Karty makes 30-yard field goal throw wet snow to cut into Eagles lead
The Rams weren’t able to get into the end-zone despite Demarcus Robinson’s heroic catch. Kyren Williams was tackled for a loss on a third-and-2, so Sean McVay opted to attempt the chip-shot field goal with Karty.
The rookie from Stanford was unbothered by the snow, sending it through the uprights to cut the Eagles’ lead to 13-10.
Eagles lead Rams 13-7 after first quarter
Thus far, the divisional round matchup between the Eagles and Rams has been relatively even. Philadelphia is outgaining Los Angeles 137-118 and is winning by six, but the Rams are threatening to answer the Eagles’ latest touchdown with one of their own.
The Eagles are dominating the Rams on the ground, as Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts have combined for 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns through 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford completed 7-of-11 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown to open the game.
Demarcus Robinson steals interception from Isaiah Rodgers on final play of first quarter
Matthew Stafford took a downfield shot on the final play of the first quarter. Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers appeared to have the throw measured up and undercut the intended receiver to set up the interception.
However, Robinson managed to pull the ball out of his hands and turn it into a 48-yard gain for the Rams. That sets Los Angeles up with a first down in field goal range to start the second quarter.
Eagles vs. Rams weather updates
A few snowflakes began to fall before Barkley’s 62-yard touchdown run, and that could be a sign of weather to come in the game. The National Weather Service has a Winter Storm Warning in effect for Philadelphia and expects there to be 2-4 inches of snow accumulation this afternoon.
If the snow becomes heavy at any point, that would benefit the team with the better running game. That would be the Eagles, so the Rams will be hoping the snow holds off a bit longer.
Saquon Barkley breaks 62-yard TD run as snow begins to fall in Philadelphia
Barkley handeld just three carries for nine yards on the first two Eagles drives of the game. On a third-and-4, Kellen Moore finally dialed up another carry for Barkley, and he found a hole behind right guard Mekhi Becton and burst through it untouched for a house call.
Jake Elliott made the extra point this time and the Eagles retake a six-point lead, 13-7.
Rams’ Ahkello Witherspoon flagged after massive hit on DeVonta Smith
Jalen Hurts took a shot downfield on the Eagles’ first play after getting the ball back from the Rams. The pass was slightly underthrown, but Smith backtracked to get it while Witherspoon focused on trying to hit the receiver.
The result was a massive, helmet-to-helmet collision that left Smith no worse for wear but drew a flag, giving the Rams an automatic first down.
Eagles and Rams trade 3-and-outs that end with sacks
The Philadelphia vs. Los Angeles matchup is looking even out of the gate. After trading touchdowns to open the game, both teams went three-and-out on their second possessions.
Jalen Hurts was sacked by rookie defensive tackle Braden Fiske on third down to end the Eagles drive while the Rams drive ended after second-year DT Jalen Carter wrangled Matthew Stafford. The Eagles will look to get back on track, trailing 7-6.
Quinyon Mitchell injury update
Stafford wasn’t the only player hurt after his short scramble. Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell hurt his shoulder on the play. Unlike Stafford, he left the field and didn’t return for the rest of the drive.
The Eagles announced their star rookie cornerback had suffered a shoulder injury and was questionable to return.
Matthew Stafford injury update
Stafford took a strong hit from Eagles defensive back Quinyon Mitchell after a 5-yard run on the opening drive. He remained in the game but was seen grimacing on the sideline by NBC sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung.
Stafford had a heating pad on his ribs, so it will be worth monitoring his health as the game continues.
Jalen Hurts 40 yard dash
For those wondering how fast Hurts is, the Eagles quarterback ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds at the 2020 NFL combine. His combination of speed and high-end power make him hard for defenses to tackle.
Matthew Stafford finds Tyler Higbee as Rams score touchdown on opening drive
The Rams capped off a 13-play, 67-yard drive by seeing Stafford find a Higbee open by the goal line. The veteran managed to break the plane and answer the Eagles’ game-opening score.
Joshua Karty made the extra point, unlike Jake Elliott, so the Rams have an early 7-6 lead.
Rams convert fourth-and-1 to set up goal-to-go opportunity
The Rams are answering the Eagles’ opening drive with a strong drive of their own. Los Angeles faced a third-and-6 inside Philadelphia’s 20-yard line but saw Matthew Stafford scramble just shy of the first down.
Sean McVay decided to go for it. Kyren Williams punched the ball across the line to gain to set up a first-and-goal.
Sean McVay challenges no-catch ruling, Tyler Higbee credited with first down
The Rams appeared to go three-and-out on their first drive of the game after Matthew Stafford tossed a pass to Higbee that appeared to bounce. However, upon further review, it bounced up off Higbee’s arms and not the ground, and the tight end was able to reel it in for a first down.
McVay had to challenge the play to get the call overturned, and he won it. That allowed Los Angeles’ first offensive drive to continue.
Jalen Hurts opens scoring with 44-yard touchdown drive
The Rams were gashed by Saquon Barkley in their last meeting with the Eagles. Hurts got off to a good start trying to do the same in their playoff meeting.
Hurts took a counter run to the right side that saw the Rams overpursue in an effort to chase down Barkley. As a result, Hurts needed to break one tackle to scamper into the end-zone for a game-opening score.
The bad news for the Eagles? Jake Elliott missed the extra point, so Philadelphia’s lead will only be 6-0.
Where did Jalen Hurts go to college?
Hurts went to school at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma, where he finished his career in Lincoln Riley’s offense. That’s why the Eagles quarterback said “Roll Sooners” as his lineup intro against the Rams.
Eagles vs. Rams start time
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Eagles and Rams game will kick off Sunday’s pair of divisional-round matchups at 3 p.m. ET.
Rams inactives vs. Eagles
Like the Eagles, the Rams don’t have any major players unavailable for Sunday’s game. Depth receiver Tyler Johnson and backup offensive lineman Joe Noteboom won’t be in action for the game, but they are the most recognizable inactives for the Rams – save for third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Below is the full list of inactives for Los Angeles:
- QB Stetson Bennett IV
- WR Tyler Johnson
- OL Joe Noteboom
- S John Johnson III
- OL AJ Arcuri
- OL Justin Dedich
- LB Brennan Jackson
Eagles inactives vs. Rams
The Eagles don’t have any surprise inactives ahead of their divisional round game against the Rams. Notably, Tanner McKee will be the team’s emergency third quarterback, but no other major contributors will be sidelined for this game.
Jared Verse arrives, revels in boos of Eagles fans
Rams defensive end Jared Verse had some choice words for the Eagles faithful earlier in the week. To his credit, Verse made his arrival at Lincoln Financial Field and soaked in the unfriendly greeting of the home fans in attendance.
What did Jared Verse say about Eagles fans?
The Rams rookie didn’t mince words when expressing his feelings toward the Philadelphia faithful.
“I hate Eagles fans,” Verse told The Los Angeles Times on Thursday. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley told reporters Verse’s comments were “probably not the smartest thing to say when you’re coming to Philadelphia.”
Eagles vs. Rams TV channel
Eagles vs. Rams predictions, picks
Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the divisional round matchup between the Rams and Eagles will shape up:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Eagles 26, Rams 19
- Tyler Dragon: Eagles 28, Rams 23
- Jordan Mendoza: Eagles 24, Rams 23
Eagles vs. Rams live stream
For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.
Eagles vs. Rams odds, moneyline, over/under
The Eagles are favorites to defeat the Rams, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.
- Spread: Eagles (-6)
- Moneyline: Eagles (-275); Rams (+225)
- Over/under: 44
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Where is Eagles vs. Rams?
The Rams travel East across the country to take on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Current NFL draft 2025 order
Here’s the projected 2025 NFL draft order entering Sunday’s divisional round games, according to Tankathon.com (picks Nos. 27-32 will be decided by playoff results):
Who will winner of Eagles vs. Rams play next?
The winner of Sunday’s divisional round matchup between the Rams and Eagles will advance to the NFC championship game and play the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Eagles vs. Rams stats, history
The Eagles lead the all-time series against the Rams, 24-20-1, which includes three postseason games. The Rams are 2-1 against the Eagles in the playoffs. The Eagles won the most recent matchup, which was in Week 12 of the regular season. Philly won 37-20 in L.A., with Saquon Barkley rushing for 255 yards and two touchdowns and adding 47 receiving yards.
Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins?
The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six.
Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups.
NFL franchises with most Super Bowl wins:
➤ Super Bowl winners: All-time scores, results for NFL title game
