Saquon Barkley had an incredible performance in the snow, scoring two long touchdowns, one of 78 yards and another of 62 yards, finishing with a total of 205 rushing yards. Jalen Hurts also contributed with a 44-yard touchdown run.
Despite some challenges, the Philadelphia Eagles managed to hold on and defeat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 on Sunday, advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three seasons.
Barkley’s 62-yard touchdown came in the first half, and then in the fourth quarter, he ran 78 yards for another score. As he crossed into the end zone, he celebrated by smacking his helmet and flapping his arms before sliding into the snow.
The Eagles will now face the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday after the Commanders upset the top-seeded Detroit Lions. The Eagles are currently favored by 5.5 points in the matchup.
“The elements were great, but the atmosphere was even better,” Barkley said. “Our fans were amazing. That was a close one, but that’s playoff football. And at the end of the day, we got the job done.”
The Rams put up a strong fight, thanks in part to two missed extra points by Eagles kicker Jake Elliott. Matthew Stafford threw for 324 yards, keeping the Rams in the game with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson that made the score 28-22.
The Rams had a chance to tie the game with two minutes left, as Stafford completed passes of 11 and 37 yards to move into Eagles’ territory. But Stafford was sacked by Jalen Carter on third down, and his fourth-down pass was incomplete, ending their hopes of a comeback.
The Rams also committed multiple turnovers in the fourth quarter. One was a fumble by running back Kyren Williams, which led to a field goal for the Eagles, and another was a strip-sack of Stafford, leading to another Elliott field goal that gave Philadelphia a 22-15 lead.
The Eagles are set to host the NFC Championship Game for the fifth time since Lincoln Financial Field opened in 2003.
As snow continued to fall, Eagles defenders celebrated by making snow angels in the end zone after the turnovers. Some dedicated fans braved the cold, even going shirtless, while Santa Claus made an appearance without any reports of snowball throwing.
Stadium workers used snowblowers to clear the yard lines and hash marks, and the Eagles cleared the snow in the area where Elliott would kick his field goals.
Hurts threw for just 128 yards and struggled with mobility in the second half after being fitted with a knee brace. He didn’t miss any snaps but was easily tackled when he was sacked seven times. Hurts had previously suffered a concussion in a loss to Washington in December, causing him to miss two games. That was the only loss the Eagles had after returning from their bye with a 2-2 record.
“It comes through Philly. That means everything for this city, this team, and we’ve got everything we want in front of us,” Hurts said.
At halftime, Barkley had 118 total yards, but the Rams’ defense, which had recently recorded nine sacks against the Minnesota Vikings, sacked Hurts three times in the first half. Hurts was sacked twice on consecutive plays to end the half, knocking the Eagles out of field goal range.
The Eagles used a similar strategy to their November win over the Rams in Los Angeles, relying on big plays. Barkley had touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards in that game, and in this one, his runs helped push the Eagles to victory.
Hurts had the longest touchdown run of his career with a 44-yarder on the fifth play of the game, getting the crowd fired up. However, Elliott missed an extra point following the touchdown.
The Rams responded with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Tyler Higbee, who had been hospitalized earlier in the week for a chest injury. Barkley then gave the Eagles a 13-7 lead with his 62-yard touchdown run.
He slowed down near the end zone and looked back at Rams linebacker Jared Verse, mocking him for trailing behind. Barkley’s run was his fifth of the season of 50 or more yards, and he became the first player to score three touchdowns of 60-plus yards against a single team since Jamal Lewis did it against the Browns in 2003.
Verse, a rookie linebacker and Pennsylvania native, had stirred up some tension before the game by taunting Eagles fans. His actions didn’t sit well with the Philly crowd, who booed him during warm-ups and after the big screen showed him sitting on the bench.
Joshua Karty kicked two field goals in the first half for the Rams. Meanwhile, Elliott redeemed himself with a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter, giving the Eagles a 16-13 lead.
