Saquon Barkley sizzled in the snow as the Philadelphia Eagles survived a late scare to beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in picturesque but drama-privy playoff conditions to reach the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
Barkley broke out for a 62-yard house call in the opening quarter before extending his team’s lead to 28-15 with a 78-yard touchdown burst with five minutes to play en route to 205 yards on the night, continuing a phenomenal first year in Philly that saw him eclipse 2,000 rushing yards during the regular season.
Sophomore defensive tackle Jalen Carter starred for the Eagles with two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble as the Rams were forced to pay for costly turnovers.
Jalen Hurts finished 15 of 20 for 128 yards and a touchdown, while Matthew Stafford threw for 324 yards and two scores as the Rams saw their campaign come to an end.
The Eagles will now move on to face Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders for a spot at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans next weekend, a month after losing 36-33 in a thriller against the NFC East division rivals.
Heads of state
Los Angeles Rams
- Passed: Matthew Stafford, 26/44, 324 yards, 2 TDs
- Urgent: Kyren Williams, 19 carries, 106 yards
- Recipient: Puka Nacua, 6 catches, 97 yards
Philadelphia Eagles
- Passed: Jalen Hurts, 15/20, 128 yards
- Urgent: Saquon Barkley, 26 carries, 205 yards, 2 TDs
- Recipient: Dallas Goedert, 5 catches, 56 yards
As Rocky Balboa music played in Philly, snow fell and chaos ensued in a second half of slides, slides, falls, drama and a little bit of Saquon.
The Rams threatened a late twist at Lincoln Financial Field when Stafford connected with Colby Parkinson for a four-yard touchdown with 2:48 to play just moments after Barkley thought he had iced the game with his 78-yard score.
When the next Eagles drive stalled, Stafford — armed with 51 game-winning drives to his name — was able to convert on third-and-10 to Demarcus Robinson before stunning the Eagles with a 37-yard strike to Puka Nacua, who was on hand to make a superb leaping grab at the sideline to move his side down to the 21-yard line with 1.33 left.
After a false start penalty on Kevin Dotson brought Los Angeles back to second-and-12, Carter nearly closed the game moments later by sacking Stafford for a loss of nine on third-and-two. With one last chance, the Rams quarterback was unable to find Nacua as the Eagles breathed a sigh of relief.
Touchdown runs by Jalen Hurts and Barkley had given the Eagles a 13-10 halftime lead before Joshua Karty’s 34-yard field goal tied things up early in a second half that was heavily impacted by the snowfall.
Jake Elliott answered with a 44-yard field goal to restore the Eagles’ lead, but not without a scare after Hurts suffered a knee injury during a pounding hit from lightning-quick safety Jaylen McCollough. The quarterback was taken to the blue tent for treatment before returning wearing a knee brace.
The pain appeared to linger as his lack of mobility allowed Neville Gallimore to pull him down for a safety that would pull the Rams within 16-15.
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley scores a stunning 62-yard touchdown to give his team the lead over the Los Angeles Rams
Rams running back Williams would then feel the wrath of an inspired Carter, who successfully fumbled the ball loose before watching teammate Isaiah Rodgers run it back to the 10-yard line. Barkley was subsequently stuffed at the one-yard line, but where the Eagles might have normally opted for the ‘tush push’, they instead turned to Barkley again in light of Hurts’ injury.
That resulted in another stop by the Rams defense followed by a false start penalty on Lane Johnson that forced the Eagles to settle for Elliott’s 23-yard field goal attempt to make it 19-15.
Carter wasn’t the only former Georgia Bulldog to run riot, Nolan Smith made his presence felt on the Rams, the ensuing drive by forcing another fumble, this one recovered by Zach Baun to tee up Elliott’s 37-yard kick for a 22- 15 lead with 6.18 to go.
Knowing the incoming snow, both teams exploded the traps in search of an early stronghold. And it was the Eagles who struck first on the sixth play from scrimmage when Hurts broke free for a 44-yard rushing touchdown, with Elliott missing the ensuing extra point. It served as the longest run of an Eagles quarterback’s NFL career and an immediate reminder of Philadelphia’s read-option threat through Hurts and Barkley.
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scores a 44-yard touchdown early in the first quarter of their NFL playoff divisional round game against the Los Angeles Rams
The Rams issued an immediate response when Tyler Higbee dragged Stafford’s needle-thread dagger between two defenders at the goal line for a four-yard touchdown at the end of a 13-play drive.
The possession had appeared to stall on third-and-seven when Stafford’s low pass to Higbee was ruled incomplete, only for Sean McVay to make a successful challenge. Williams later was on hand to convert on fourth-and-one to set up first-and-goal from the four-yard line.
Barkley’s moment wasn’t far behind, the NFL’s leading rusher following a broken Mekhi Becton block to rip away for a 62-yard touchdown and a 13-7 lead.
Karty cut the lead to three with a 30-yard field goal before Verse delivered drive-derailing sacks on Philadelphia’s next two possessions heading into the half.
What’s next?
It’s Conference Championship Sunday, with the Eagles hosting the Commanders in the NFC.
Super Bowl LIX will take place on Sunday, February 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, live on Sky Sports NFL.