The Rams didn’t make it easy on themselves Sunday, but they walked out with a 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles after erasing a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. It was messy, uneven, and at times self-inflicted. But when the game tightened, Los Angeles had enough answers to finish the job.
Kyren Williams was at the center of it all. The Rams needed help in the passing game, and Williams delivered as that extra outlet.
He carried 18 times for 80 yards and added 10 catches, becoming the first Rams running back since Todd Gurley in 2018 to post at least 10 receptions in a game. He also scored both of the Rams’ fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the game-winner, when he powered through three tackles and crossed the goal line from seven yards out.
Puka Nacua’s return gave the offense a much-needed lift. After missing two weeks with a groin injury, he looked like himself again, finishing with nine receptions for 125 yards.
He also found the end zone on a jet sweep. When the Rams had their best stretches on offense, Nacua was usually right in the middle of it.
Matthew Stafford’s day came in two very different halves. The first three quarters were rough, with Stafford looking unsettled and throwing two interceptions.
But he settled down when it mattered most, going 12-for-15 for 140 yards over the final two drives. He became the first quarterback since Jameis Winston in 2018 to win a game while throwing more than 50 passes, topping 300 yards, throwing at least two interceptions and no touchdown passes.
Teams were 1-27 in those games before Sunday. Even with the win, the Rams still need better from Stafford.
The defense made the comeback possible. Los Angeles spent much of the first half in bad spots, but the group never cracked.
It shut out the Eagles in the second half, held them to 0-for-12 on third down, and limited them to 1-for-16 on third- and fourth-down conversions combined. The biggest play came on a fourth-down stop at the two-yard line in the fourth quarter, a snap that helped swing the game.
Chris Shula blitzed Jalen Hurts on 60.6 percent of his dropbacks, and Hurts completed just five of 16 passes. Without Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett, Byron Young stepped up with five pressures and three quarterback hits, then closed the door on the final drive by sacking Hurts twice and forcing a fumble.
There’s still plenty for the Rams to clean up on special teams. Xavier Smith wasn’t the answer on punt returns, and Alex Bachman doesn’t look like it either.
Harrison Mevis has been solid from inside 45 yards, but his inconsistency from farther out is a problem in today’s NFL. He also kicked one kickoff out of bounds.
Last week was a start, but not enough.
The win may end up carrying real weight for Los Angeles. If the Rams had lost, they would have fallen to 1-3 with the Buffalo Bills coming up next, and another defeat would have sent them to 1-4. Instead, they sit at 2-2, and even if they lose to the Bills, they could still be in position to reach 7-3 by the bye week.
The passing game still has holes beyond Nacua and Adams. With Terrance Ferguson out, the Rams were forced into 11 personnel and three-receiver looks, but Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield combined for four catches on six targets and none of those gains went beyond 10 yards.
Davis Allen was targeted twice and didn’t catch a pass. That’s another area where this offense needs help.
In Other News...
Rams Enter Eagles Test With A Sudden Special Teams Problem
The Rams head into their Week 4 matchup with the Eagles carrying the usual injury baggage, but the special teams picture changed in a hurry this week. Los Angeles put tight end Terrance Ferguson on injured reserve, waived punt returner Xavier Smith and promoted running back Dean Connors to the active roster, a set of moves that puts extra attention on how the Rams handle the kicking game going into a matchup that already has plenty of personnel questions on both sides.
Philadelphia is dealing with its own absences, including DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, but the Rams immediate concern is more basic: who handles returns and how cleanly the operation holds together. Those decisions tend to matter most when the games get tight, and with another short-week style test looming against a banged-up opponent, Los Angeles suddenly has one more area to sort out before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Just Watched A Massive Eagles Threat Suddenly Leave The Game
Saquon Barkleys afternoon against the Rams changed in an instant in Week 4, when the Eagles star suffered a right hamstring injury on a non-contact run and headed to the sideline. Barkley was listed as questionable to return after leaving the field favoring his leg, and Philadelphia had to quickly reshuffle its backfield with Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley stepping in.
For the Rams, the timing mattered as much as the injury itself. Barkley is the kind of player who can force an offense to stay on schedule and stress a defense every snap, so his exit immediately altered how the Eagles had to approach the rest of the game. Any setback involving a threat of that caliber is the sort of development a defense notices right away, even before the full impact becomes clear. [Read more 🡒]
Puka Nacuas Return Still Leaves Rams With One Big Concern
Puka Nacua was back on the field for the Rams in Week 4 against the Eagles after sitting out two games because of a pre-hernia injury that involved hip and groin soreness, a reminder of how careful Los Angeles has been trying to be with one of its most important receivers. Sean McVay has already clarified that Nacua does not have a full hernia, and the teams approach has been to manage the issue rather than push it.
Nacuas return mattered because he had already led the Rams in receptions and receiving yards in Week 1, and he still found a way to contribute against Philadelphia. The bigger concern now is less about whether he can play through it in the short term and more about how the Rams balance his value on the field with the risk of the injury lingering over the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]