The Eagles beat the Rams and advance to the NFC Championship Game. Jalen Carter with the huge third down sack on Matthew Stafford, followed by the fourth down incompletion to seal it.
Philly vs. Washington in the NFC Championship Game next week.
PHILADELPHIA -- The snow pelted all over Lincoln Financial Field in the second half, a time when the Philadelphia Eagles defense rose to the occasion. Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith forced two fumbles in the snow that led to two fourth-quarter field goals as the Eagles outlasted the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the snow to advance to the NFC Championship game.
Carter had a huge third-down sack on Matthew Stafford in the final minute to set the Rams facing a 4th-and-11 from the Eagles 22, which led to a Stafford incompletion on the next play. Carter finished with two sacks on the day to pace an Eagles defense that had the Rams' number for the majority of the fourth quarter.
Both Carter and Smith's forced fumbles led to two Eagles field goals to give them a one-touchdown lead with the heavy elements coming down. Saquon Barkley provided the exclamation point with a 78-yard touchdown run -- his second touchdown run of 60+ yards on the day.
The Rams rallied with a touchdown after the Barkley run, a 4-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Colby Parkinson to cut the deficit to 28-22. The Eagles went 3-and-out on the ensuring possession, giving the Rams and opportunity to steal a victory. Carter stopped the rams from making that happen.
Barkley finished with 205 yards rushing, tying Steve Van Buren for the most rushing yards in a playoff game in team history (Van Buren rushed for 196 yards against the Rams in the 1949 NFL Championship Game). The Eagles rushed for 286 yards -- a franchise postseason record -- and averaged 8.7 yards per carry in the win.
Saquon Barkley guided the offense to 285 yards rushing -- 205 of which were of his own volition. Barkley had a 62-yard touchdown run and 78-yard touchdown run to set the Eagles up with double-digit leads they were able to hold on throughout the game. The Eagles averaged 8.4 yards per carry in the game, being able to run the ball before the snow came and during it.
Jalen Carter was the game changer on defense, finishing with two sacks and a forced fumble in the dominant performance. The forced fumble came in the first play of the fourth quarter with the Eagles clinging to a 16-15 lead, in which Isaiah Rodgers returned the fumble 40 yards to set up a field goal. The second sack was on Matthew Stafford on a third-and-2 with 1:14 left at the Eagles 13-yard line in a 28-22 game. Without that play, the Eagles don't go to the NFC Championship.
Los Angeles put up a valiant effort to come back down 28-15 with 4:47 left, but the attempt fell just short despite Matthew Stafford throwing for 324 yards a two touchdowns. Two fumbles in the fourth quarter only led to six points, but the fumbles were crucial in the final score and how the team initially played in the snow that came down heavily in the second half.
Kyren Williams' fumble in a 16-15 game changed the course of the game for the Rams, as they needed a touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Matthew Stafford's fumble also led to three points, putting the Rams down a full touchdown before Saquon Barkley put Los Angeles in a two-score hole.
The Rams also had no answer for Barkley again, who had 205 yards rushing. Their defense was dominated in the run game.
With the Eagles clinging to a 16-15 lead to start the fourth quarter and the snow coming down, Jalen Carter forced a Kyren Williams fumble that Isaiah Rodgers returned 40 yards to the Rams' 10-yard line. The Eagles only were able to get a field goal, but it was enough to give them a cushion that the Rams needed a touchdown in order to steal a win in Philadelphia.
A snow punch out 🥊❄️ pic.twitter.com/XXmHmtRr3G
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
Two fumbles in the fourth quarter doomed the Rams. Too many mistakes to mount a true comeback.
Jalen Carter sacked Matthew Stafford on a third-and-2 from the Eagles' 13-yard line with 1:14 left, right when the Rams were driving down the field looking to score the tying touchdown and win it with an extra point in the final minute.
Carter used a swim move to put pressure on the interior and get to Stafford, sacking him for a 9-yard loss and forcing a fourth-and-11 at the Eagles' 22. The Rams were in desperation more, as Stafford's pass went incomplete on the next play and the Eagles advanced.
JALEN CARTER SACK!
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/xbICRDUTHw
If it wasn't for Carter, this game would have been significantly different.
The Eagles host the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game next Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, with the winner heading to Super Bowl LIX.
The Eagles beat the Rams and advance to the NFC Championship Game. Jalen Carter with the huge third down sack on Matthew Stafford, followed by the fourth down incompletion to seal it.
Philly vs. Washington in the NFC Championship Game next week.
First down Los Angeles, followed by a 37 yard completion to Puka Nacua. The Rams are at the Eagles 21.
Buckle up. 3rd-and-10 for the Rams. On their own 31.
The Rams will get the ball back. Eagles up 28-22 -- 2:35 left.
Rams went right down the field with a TD. Eagles went 3-and-out. Not over yet.
The Eagles are the first team since the 1947 Cardinals to have 3 40+ yard rush TD in a playoff game.
Saquon Barkley has 196 yards rushing.
The 78-yard TD run is the longest in Eagles playoff history.
Another Jake Elliott FG. 37 yards. The Eagles are up 22-15 with 6:18 left.
Nolan Smith 3 tackles, 1.0 sacks, TFL, QB hit, FF
Jalen Carter 4 tackles, 1.0 sacks, TFL, QB hit, FF
These are the Eagles 2023 1st-round picks.
The Rams have fumbled twice since the snow started really coming down (and the field turned white).
The Eagles have recovered both times.
Nolan Smith with the FF. Zack Baun with the recovery.
Kyren Williams has seriously struggled in the snow today.
First play after this. Kyren Williams fumbles. Isaiah Rodgers recovers it and take the ball to the Rams 10. 40-yard return. Fumble forced by Jalen Carter.
Hurts takes a sack. The 6th of the day given up by the #Eagles. It's 16-15 Eagles, and Rams get the ball.
End of 3Q. Eagles 16, Rams 15
Jalen Hurts is hobbling to the sideline. Thought he was holding his groin after that run.
Jake Elliott hits a 44-yard FG to give the Eagles the lead. Elliott has still never missed a FG in the postseason -- 20-of-20.
Eagles 16, Rams 13
The Eagles had blanket coverage on that Jalyx Hunt sack. No receiver was open.
Big stop for this defense. Karty still hits the FG to tie it at 13-13.
Rams are 1-of-3 in the red zone.
The Rams are in the red zone. Zack Baun stops a Kyren Williams TD. 30-yard run for Williams as he's up to 84 yards rushing.
The Eagles have ran 24 plays for 66 yards since the start of the 2nd quarter. They went 3-and-out to start the 3rd.
The Eagles start the 2nd half with a 3-and-out. Rams have punted on each of their last two possessions.
The Rams have 4 sacks in the first half. The Eagles have lost 41 yards on those 4 sacks.
The Eagles are up to 148 yards rushing. Averaging 10.6 YPC.
Must have worked. The Rams are punting. They went 3-and-out.
Jared Verse sacks Jalen Hurts on third down. He pointed both fingers up in the air after the sack (I think from the press box view). Beat Lane Johnson to get the sack.
The Rams have a 6-play, 58-yard drive with a 30-yard Josh Karty FG to cut the Eagles head in half. C.J. Gardner-Johnson answers with a third down stop on Kyren Williams to hold teh Rams in the red zone.
Eagles 13, Rams 10
The snow is coming down at the Linc. It's starting to stick in the end zone.
The Eagles are the first team in the Super Bowl era (first since 1963) to have multiple 40+ yard TD in a quarter of a playoff game.
Jalen Hurts -- 44 yards
Saquon Barkley -- 62 yards
Barkley has a 62-yard TD -- tied with Brian Westbrook for the longest TD run in Eagles playoff history -- to give the Eagles the lead. Barkley has 3 60+ yard TD in 5 quarters against the Rams. 4 carries, 71 yards in the first quarter.
Eagles 13, Rams 7
Jalen Carter sacks Matthew Stafford on 3rd down.
1 sack, 1 TFL so far today. Rams will punt.
Isaiah Rodgers is still in for Quinyon Mitchell. Mitchell has a shoulder injury, per the Eagles. Return QUESTIONABLE.
The Eagles went 3-and-out on offense on their last possession.
Isaiah Rodgers was in for Quinyon Mitchell on that TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Tyler Higbee.