The Eagles are staring at a much steeper test in Week 4 than the record might suggest. After getting carved up in a 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night, Philadelphia now has to deal with the NFL’s No. 1 offense when the Los Angeles Rams come to town Sunday at 1 p.m.
And this is not the kind of matchup that lets an ailing defense hide.
Through three games, the Eagles have only three sacks, which leaves them tied for 29th in the league. That’s already a problem. But the larger issue is what keeps showing up behind it: too much cushion in coverage, busted assignments, and a secondary that keeps making life easy on opposing quarterbacks.
The Bears exposed that in a big way on a third-quarter, 41-yard touchdown that turned into a backbreaker. On the play, corners Cooper DeJean and Riq Woolen both ended up tracking motion man Luther Burden, while slot receiver Kalif Raymond slipped free down the middle.
DeJean stayed with Burden as he moved left to right, but should have passed off Raymond inside. Instead, both defenders stayed on the motioning receiver, and Raymond was left uncovered for the score.
That’s the sort of mistake Matthew Stafford will gladly take.
“Yeah, they’re really good,” replied Fangio when asked this week about the Rams’ extensive offensive arsenal. “Not counting their San Francisco game in Australia, their last three games going back to the NFC championship game, they’ve gotten 500 yards in all three games against Seattle, the Giants and Denver.
Three good defenses. That in and of itself explains to you what the chore is we have.
They run it very well. They stay committed to the run and they’ve got a really good play action game off of it that they marry very well to the run game.
You’ve got [Rams QB Matthew] Stafford at quarterback, guy’s going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Got the weapons and the tight ends that they have and they’re probably having the [Rams WR Puka] Nacua back this week.
“So yeah, it’s a tough assignment because they’re balanced and they run and throw it very effectively.”
The middle of the field could be an especially dangerous area for Philadelphia if middle linebacker Zack Baun can’t go because of concussion protocol. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would be the next man up, but there are also bigger questions attached to Jihaad Campbell. Bears sources on the field Monday said Campbell looked like a terrific athlete with a bright future, but also like someone who “doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
That kind of uncertainty may help explain why Chicago found so much room between the hashes. It also could become a major issue against Sean McVay’s heavy use of three-tight-end sets. Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen have combined for 21 catches, four touchdowns and 176 yards.
“Yeah, their tight ends are versatile,” Fangio said. “They’re pretty good receivers, and obviously the blocking and they create extra gaps in there. They’re committed to it and they’re good at it.”
The Eagles’ own problems only make the task tougher. DeVonta Smith is questionable with a hamstring, and Baun may be out.
Philadelphia also carries a four-game winning streak against McVay, who has never beaten Nick Sirianni, but that edge could be in danger now. McVay is 1-6 against the Eagles, while Stafford is 4-4 in eight starts against them, with 16 touchdown passes and only two interceptions.
There’s another ugly layer here, too. Three games into the season, the Eagles have no takeaways for the first time in franchise history and have turned the ball over five times. Their minus-5 turnover differential is among the league’s worst, with only the Atlanta Falcons sitting one spot lower.
That makes this look like more than just a bad matchup. The Eagles are the only team in the NFL without a takeaway this season, and they’re heading into a game against a desperate Rams team that is 1-2 and looking to make a statement. Right now, Philadelphia looks worn down, shaky on defense, and stuck surviving games it was supposed to control.
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