The Rams’ first job in Week 4 is obvious: try to keep Saquon Barkley from taking over the game. After that, there’s still plenty for Los Angeles fans to keep an eye on when Philadelphia comes to town, from a familiar pass rusher to a rookie receiver who once looked destined for the other side.
Barkley is the headliner for a reason. Two years ago, he torched the Rams twice - once in the regular season and again in the playoffs - piling up 460 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 52 carries.
He added eight catches on eight targets for 74 yards in those games, which was enough to leave a mark. Last season, though, nose tackle Poona Ford and company answered back, limiting him to 55 scrimmage yards on 2.5 yards per touch.
Barkley still hasn’t quite looked like that old version of himself, but he has started this season efficiently. Take out Week 2 against the Titans, when he was hurt most of the game and played only 12 snaps, and he’s averaging 5.5 yards per carry and 82.5 rushing yards per game.
If the Rams are going to have a shot, slowing him down is the starting point.
Another name Rams fans know well is defensive tackle Jalen Carter. He carved out a place in Rams memory with what was essentially a game-winning sack in that snow-covered Divisional Round matchup two years ago.
With the Rams facing third-and-two deep in Eagles territory late in the fourth quarter, Carter blew through the line and dropped Matthew Stafford, forcing fourth down and long. The Eagles won 28-22.
Now in Year 4, Carter already has a sack and two tackles for loss, and he’ll be hunting for more against Los Angeles.
There’s also cornerback Tariq Woolen, who joined Philadelphia this offseason on a one-year, $12 million deal after four seasons in the NFC West and a strong run in Seattle’s Super Bowl season. That background makes him a particularly interesting watch against Stafford, Puka Nacua, Sean McVay and the Rams’ offense.
Woolen has seen this group plenty before. In eight games against LA, he has three interceptions and nine passes defensed, part of career totals that stand at 12 picks and 54 passes defensed in 67 games.
And then there’s receiver Makai Lemon, the rookie who had plenty of Rams fans convinced he’d land in Royal Blue and Sol before the draft. Les Snead went another direction, and Lemon’s first stretch in Philadelphia has been uneven, with some minor injury issues mixed in.
He has seven catches for 38 yards and one carry for minus-five yards, and the Eagles still haven’t found the right way to feature him. The fit has been awkward enough that the offense has been accused of misusing him by not getting him enough chances over the middle in space, where his slot skills should play best.
Lemon is coming off his best game so far, and he could wind up across from Rams safety/nickelback Quentin Lake, which is no small assignment given the way Lake has been playing.
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 🡒]