Saquon Barkley is a nightmare for the Rams

If you’re the Los Angeles Rams, this game has to be about stopping the run. Why? Because the last time the Eagles and Rams played, this happened:

And this:

...and this:

Poor Omar Speights, man. Couldn’t catch a break.

Rams’ DC Chris Shula comes from Buffalo, where the body composition of their defensive line is very similar to those in Los Angeles. They’re more reliant on shooting gaps than gap control, and want to get fast-flowing linebackers downhill. The problem with that, is that the Eagles’ offensive line is MASSIVE and can blast teams in zone or gap scheme runs. Gap scheme runs like power and counter have given the Rams problems—they gave up the third most yards per game on gap scheme runs, 11th-most rushing yards per carry, ninth-highest EPA per play and tenth-highest Positive Play Rate on these runs. The fast-flowing nature of the defense gets taken advantage of simply because they have no size. Where the Rams can borrow some ideas from Buffalo, is to simply sell out to stop the run. Spin secondary defenders down into the box, play bigger up front in order to continue playing with speed and flowing fast downhill. Los Angeles performed admirably against the Vikings’ run game, using numbers and their defensive line simply winning up front. Watch the Rams’ front on this run rep, able to reset the line of scrimmage, while spinning secondary defenders into the box to give them more numbers. They have to prioritize stopping the run if they want to win the game.

I actually think this Rams team can hold up in the passing game, especially with some of the looks they displayed against Minnesota. Their pass rush dominated the game, but it was some of their coverage work that I think can play against Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts has been...ok as a passer this season, with highs and lows equal to the Rocky Mountain range. Where he struggles is against pressure. The pressure numbers for Hurts this year are...not great! Among passers with at least 100 plays under pressure, Hurts has a -0.52 EPA per play (21st), a 29.9% Sack rate when pressured (3rd-highest), 26.8% Success Rate (21st), which at times can hold the offense back. Where the pressure really starts to kick in isn’t when he’s blitzed (fourth in EPA per play, sixth in Success Rate), but it’s when he’s not that you have to get after him. Simulated pressures and creepers are fine in this situation, but I would advise against leaving AJ Brown and Devonta Smith in iso ball situations. Against the Packers, the Eagles’ passing game felt static, forcing Hurts to make reads that he wasn’t executing. While I don’t think that game plan can be replicated, I do think the Rams can have success in running simulated pressures at him.

The Rams had a lot of success with sim pressures against Minnesota, mixing up who was blitzing and who wasn’t. They won’t have the same success just winning with four against Philly, so throwing in chaotic looks like this one should really help. The Rams only bring four, but one of those four is a nickel defender, and it makes the entire operation go haywire.

Despite being six-point underdogs, I actually think the Rams have a legit shot in this game. It’ll require some Stafford heroics, yes, but the Rams’ defense has to put together another pinnacle performance.