Eagles-Rams preview: Five things to watch when the Rams have the ball

The Philadelphia Eagles' Divisional Round opponent will be the Los Angeles Rams, who the Eagles blew out Week 12 in L.A. Offensively, the Rams had two long drives to start the game, with one ending in a fumble and the other ending in a touchdown. Thereafter, Vic Fangio and the defense clamped down and held the Rams' offense in check the rest of the night.

Here are our five things to watch, when the Rams have the ball.

1) The Eagles' secondary vs. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua

Kupp and Nacua are a very good wide receiver tandem. Both players have been banged-up at times this season, but are healthy now. 

Kupp has been a volume receiver throughout his career. In 2021, he had the second-most catches in a single season in NFL history, when he had 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 TDs. He hasn't been that level of player since, but is still a good receiver, particularly out of the slot. 

Nacua had the most receiving yards by a rookie in NFL history last season, when he had 1,486 yards and 6 TDs on 105 catches.

Both Kupp's and Nacua's numbers were down significantly in 2024, at least relative to their career capabilities:

In years past, Eagles fans might look at this matchup and think, "Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Matthew Stafford... Uh oh! 😬." But in 2024, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been major upgrades over James Bradberry and (take your pick of whoever has played in the slot for them in recent years).

Of course, the Rams as a team pose problems for opposing defenses with their heavy use of pre-snap motion.

"No. 1, we've got to be able to react to it and adjust to it correctly," Fangio said prior to the Week 12 matchup. "They do motion a lot at various tempos, and they are trying to get you out of position and back on your heels a little bit. We've got to be ready for it and be able to play correctly and not let the motion confuse us at all."

Nacua had 9 catches for 117 yards against the Eagles Week 12, with 8 of those catches coming after Nacua went in motion, pre-snap, as shown in the two videos below:

Fangio will have to have a better answer for those plays to Nacua where he comes across the formation uncovered.

2) The Eagles' Peanut Punchers vs. Rams RB Kyren Williams

Rams RB Kyren Williams finished 7th in the NFL with 1299 rushing yards and tied for 5th in rushing TDs with 14. The NFL's 1000-yard rushers in 2024:

As we noted last week, from the above list, the Eagles faced Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, Josh Jacobs x2, Chuba Hubbard, Bucky Irving, Rico Dowdle x2, Najee Harris, and, of course, Williams himself this season. So, you know, they've faced a bunch of good backs this year.

Williams was among the league leaders in yards because he got a lot of carries, but he's not much of a threatening back. Of the players listed above, only Harris had a worse yards per carry average. He also only had 2 runs of 20+ yards, tied with Dowdle for worst among the backs listed above. By comparison, Saquon Barkley had 17 carries of 20+ yards.

Williams is also a fumble machine. He had 5 fumbles this season, including 2 against the Eagles Week 12:

The Jalen Carter punch at the end of the above video is vicious.

The Eagles had 13 takeaways via fumbles this season, 4th in the NFL. Most of those came against ball carriers, as opposed to strip sacks on opposing quarterbacks. They do an excellent job of punching at the football, and Williams is careless with his ball security.

3) Rams TE Tyler Higbee vs. the Eagles' new-look LBs

Higbee is a good player who tore an ACL and MCL in the playoffs last season and didn't return to the field until Week 16 in 2024. He didn't get a lot of action initially upon his return, but he had a huge first half against the Vikings, making 5 catches for 58 yards.

However, he suffered a chest injury (he was coughing up blood) and had to be taken to the hospital. He was the Rams' leading receiver at the time he got hurt.

The Rams didn't get a lot of production in the passing game from their tight ends otherwise in 2024. Their leading receiver at the tight end position was Colby Parkinson, who had 30 catches for 294 yards and 1 TD.

Higbee's injury isn't serious, and Sean McVay said on Tuesday that he expects Higbee to play. The Eagles will have to replace Nakobe Dean, whose season is over with a patellar tendon tear. To be determined if Oren Burks or Jeremiah Trotter will get the start, and how Dean's snaps may be split between the two, but expect the Rams to test the middle of the field with Dean out.