PHILADELPHIA — A trip to the NFC Championship Game is on the line as the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams meet in the playoffs for the first time in 23 years. Each team has been two of the recent Super Bowl representatives outside of the NFC, but has yet to meet in the playoffs with Nick Sirianni or Sean McVay as their respective head coaches.
Of course, the Eagles and Rams are two of the hottest teams in the NFC. The Eagles have won 13 of their last 14 games, averaging 28.5 points per game and allowing just 15.0 points during their hot streak, arguably the best team in the NFL since their bye week (week 5). The Rams have won 10 of their last 13 games, averaging 23.1 points per game during the streak while allowing 8.3 points per game over their last four games.
Add in the potential for snow and this could be the most intriguing matchup of the weekend. As the Eagles and Rams prepare to face off in the divisional round, here’s how to watch the game and a brief preview of the matchup:
Eagles vs Rams where to watch
Date: Sunday January 19 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
Channel: BNC | Flow: fuboTV (try free)
Follow: CBS Sports app
Odds: Eagles -6, O/U 43.5
The weather
The weather was not a factor for this match until the last few days, as the snow is significantly poised to hit the Philadelphia area.
According to Weather Underground, the kickoff temperature is expected to be around 33 degrees, which would make it the second coldest game the Eagles have hosted since the start of the 2022 season. There’s also a 99% chance that there will be precipitation during the game, which means that it is almost certain that snow will fall.
The weather is expected to be so bad in Philadelphia on Sunday that the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning with the city of Philadelphia just on the edge of the warning zone.
Right now, forecasts are calling for five to seven inches of snow in Philadelphia on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. However, these forecasts cover the entire day. For the period between 3 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. ET, which would cover most of the game, the projection is that a drop of one to three inches will be made.
The Eagles are playing away and this weather is atypical for January, even though Philadelphia hasn’t had a playoff game during a snowstorm in decades. The Rams play in Los Angeles, a different climate that affects the indoor-outdoor SoFi Stadium. Snow is generally not in the forecast for Southern California.
The weather is expected to feel like a winter wonderland, conditions the Eagles have been preparing for by practicing in cold weather at Lincoln Financial Field all week.
Saquon Barkley – the sequel
The last time the Eagles faced the Rams in Week 12, Barkley had the biggest game of his career en route to his historic 2,000-yard season. The Rams’ run defense was no match for Barkley, as he totaled 255 yards and two touchdowns – both over 70 yards – and averaged 9.8 yards per carry. The Eagles totaled 314 yards and averaged 7.0 yards per carry, their highest total of the season, as their massive offensive line dominated the Rams’ small defensive line up front.
There’s some good news for the Rams, if they look at history in their favor. Barkley is the eighth player in NFL history to rush for more than 200 yards in a regular-season game against an opponent and then face that same opponent in the playoffs. The previous seven players averaged 43.0 rushing yards in the playoff game, and none of them reached the 100-yard mark. Adrian Peterson was the closest to getting 100 yards, as he rushed for 99 against the Green Bay Packers in 2012, a week after rushing for 210 yards against them in the Vikings’ regular season finale. Minnesota.
Barkley is unlikely to rush for 200+ yards again against the Rams defense, but the Eagles still have that huge size advantage in the trenches.
Prediction
The Rams are a very dangerous team, especially considering the way Matthew Stafford has been playing lately. Stafford has 13 touchdowns to just one interception in his last seven games, with a passer rating of 106.2. Fortunately for the Eagles, Jalen Hurts only has one interception in his last 12 games played.
The Eagles have the biggest advantage in the trenches, as their offensive line can wear down the Rams’ defensive line. Barkley could have another huge day running the football, but Hurts and the passing game will have to click early. If the Eagles can get the passing game going and not turn the ball over, they should win.
Take: Eagles 34, Rams 21
