The Eagles left Sunday with a loss, and there’s no dressing that up. They had enough chances to finish the game and didn’t.
Nick Sirianni, Sean Mannion, Jalen Hurts, and the entire offensive line all have their share of the blame. The result was a mess.
Still, the game turned on two plays in the fourth quarter. If either one goes the normal way, the Eagles probably walk out with a win.
The first came with 8:17 left and Philadelphia leading 20-10. It was third and goal from the two, and the Eagles were in position to close the door.
Instead, they came out in 14 personnel with two extra offensive linemen and never got on the same page. Cam Jurgens pulled too early and knocked the ball loose in Jalen Hurts’ hands, throwing the whole thing off before it really started.
Hurts tried to salvage it by rolling right and sprinting for the end zone, but he never got there. The play was doomed from the start.
That left one more chance.
On fourth and goal, still from two yards out, Nick Siranni chose to go for the touchdown rather than settle for a field goal. That call made sense.
If the Eagles score there, the game is effectively over. But the execution wasn’t there.
Hurts lined up in the shotgun, snapped the ball, and first looked right for Dontayvion Wicks, who couldn’t get free. Then he turned left as LA’s rush closed in and nearly forced him out of the pocket.
Hurts held his ground at the last second and, off-balance, fired a bad throw toward Darius Cooper. It never had a real chance.
The pass fell incomplete, and Philadelphia turned it over on downs.
The Rams made the Eagles pay. They got the ball back with 7:26 remaining and went 98 yards for a touchdown.
Philadelphia answered by stalling out quickly after Zach Ertz dropped a 3rd and 4 with 3:07 left in the fourth quarter. The Eagles punted, Matt Stafford then guided a 79-yard touchdown drive, and that was that.
That’s why those two snaps matter. Given the injuries, the strange coaching decisions, and the missed throws from Hurts, the Eagles were still right there.
If Cam Jurgens doesn’t bump the ball loose on third and goal, or if that fourth-and-goal call turns into a better play, Philadelphia could be 3-1. A win over the Rams would have made it even better.
That doesn’t mean the Eagles are suddenly something they’re not. It just means they were one clean play away, then another, from a very different Sunday.
In Other News...
Eagles Backfield Trouble Just Forced A Telling Move Before London
With Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby both dealing with injuries, the Eagles had little choice but to add another body to the backfield before heading to London. The team is elevating Dameon Pierce to the 53-man roster, a practical move that speaks to how thin the running back room has become as Philadelphia tries to stay on schedule heading into an overseas game.
Pierce brings a familiar profile as a former Texans runner who has flashed enough to be viewed as a useful depth option. For the Eagles, the question now is less about upside than availability, because the next stretch will test how much of the offense can be carried without two of its expected contributors in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Rainy Loss Sparked A Viral Moment Fans Didn't See
Rainy Sundays in Philadelphia can make even a routine sideline assignment feel like a test of endurance, and Erin Andrews gave fans a glimpse of just how messy it got during the Eagles-Rams game. The longtime broadcaster posted behind-the-scenes photos and video on Instagram showing her preparing to work through the wet conditions, offering a look at the kind of cleanup and constant adjustment that comes with covering an NFL game in a downpour.
The weather added another layer to a game that already turned sharply against Philadelphia, as the Rams rallied for a 24-20 win. Kyren Williams helped fuel the comeback, while Andrews post ended up becoming one of those viral reminders that the broadcast booth and sideline have their own battle when the rain starts falling. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles May Need O-Line Help More Than The Trade Market Can Offer
The offensive line market has become one of the leagues quiet pressure points, and Philadelphia is right in the middle of it. With injuries and retirements thinning out depth across the NFL, the Eagles join teams like the Packers, Patriots and Ravens as clubs that could be looking for help, even if the trade buzz around that need has not really started to build yet.
ESPNs Dan Graziano pointed to that group as possible participants if the market ever opens up, but the problem is obvious: good linemen are hard to find and even harder to pry loose. For the Eagles, the bigger issue may be whether the help they need is even available in a market where demand is already outpacing supply. [Read more 🡒]