Sitting at 2-1, the Philadelphia Eagles are in a comfortable spot at the top of October.
Sure, most fans would rather be 3-0, dominating the Chicago Bears to prove they are the unquestioned best team in the NFC, but when the schedule was announced, 2-1 heading into Los Angeles Rams week was more or less the expectation.
1-2 is not, however, what most Rams fans were expecting heading into Week 4, not even close.
After coming mere plays away from a Super Bowl appearance last year, LA loaded up in a major way during the offseason, trading for Myles Garrett, handing Trent McDuffie a $100 million contract after another trade, and coaxing Aaron Donald out of retirement to go all-in on making The Big Game at SoFi Stadium. Sure, their schedule has been tough, with the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos both unquestioned playoff squads, but even the New York Giants gave the Rams some trouble early on before Jaxson Dart was knocked out of action and Jameis Winston entered the game.
Sitting two games back from first place in a division that could have three teams in the postseason when everything is said and done, the Rams really can't afford to drop to 1-3 heading into Week 5, and thus will be going all-in on taking down the Eagles, even if they are down both Garrett and Donald on the defensive line.
Did Vic Fangio learn his lesson against the Bears in Week 3?
In Week 3, the Eagles' defense turned in one of the worst games of the Vic Fangio era, seemingly by design.
Facing off against a third-string quarterback who hasn't appeared in a game in over 1,000 days, Fangio recalled the last time the Eagles faced the Bears – on last year's Black Friday – and decided he wouldn't allow Ben Johnson to beat the Birds on the ground, sending his linebackers down to play the run to seemingly start every play while leaving holes open for Case Keenum to exploit down the field.
Article Continues BelowThis commitment to stopping the run, when coupled with defensive lapses by Jihaad Campbell, Marcus Epps, Andrew Mukuba, and Riq Woolen, created a perfect storm that the Eagles just couldn't overcome, surrendering a season-high 27 points as a result.
Fortunately, in Week 4, the Eagles should have a better defensive plan queued up, as they know they can't just focus on stopping the run against a Rams team with a very good passing game. Unfortunately, LA has an MVP-caliber quarterback with just as much NFL experience as Keenum but with a much higher talent floor.
For all of the hoopla surrounding Keenum's game on Monday Night Football, he pretty much just took what the Eagles' defense gave him. When he was pressured, he made mistakes, including a few almost-picks, but because Philadelphia didn't generate a single sack, Keenum was largely able to sit in the pocket, watch the play develop, and hit his man when he was open.
Stafford, by contrast, can make plays happen all on his own.
Now granted, Stafford's numbers are somewhat down from his usual Rams averages, completing an LA-low 60.4 percent of his passes while throwing just six touchdowns versus four interceptions, but his 290.7 yards per game is the most he's averaged since 2019 in Detroit, including his MVP campaign last year. Some of Stafford's ineffectiveness could come down to playing largely from behind, but even with their best collection of cornerbacks maybe in franchise history, the Eagles will be playing at least two new players in their back seven with Zack Baun and Marcus Epps ruled out, which is good news for Sean McVay on the sidelines.
Factor in Puka Nacua returning opposite Davantae Adams, and that's a scary proposition for Fangio.
Can the Eagles secure a win in Week 4? Most certainly, especially if they commit to running the ball against a diminished Rams defensive line in order to set up big passes down the field for players like Dontayvion Wicks. But one thing is for sure: Los Angeles is entering Week 4 in desperation mode and will do whatever they can to get a win.