Eagles-Rams: Countdown To Kickoff, With Final Score Prediction

PHILADELPHIA – Nine teams entered Week 3 of the NFL season undefeated at 2-0. The Bills became the first 3-0 team with their win over the Dolphins on Thursday night, and there is at least one team guaranteed to be undefeated after Sunday, when the undefeated Rams and undefeated Eagles kick off at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.

Here’s my countdown to kick off with game prediction at bottom:

5…PLAYERS

Saquon Barkley. Is this his first 100-yard running game this season that everybody is expecting against an opponent that was shredded to the tune of 460 yards rushing in two games last year? Giving the star running back 25 times or more would go a long way in helping keep the Rams’ high-powered offense off the field.

Jalen Hurts. The quarterback seemingly has all the answers, no matter what comes his way, and has won 16 straight games that he has started and finished. It’s reasonable to assume that he will need his first touchdown pass of the season to beat the Rams.

Matthew Stafford. As Britain Covey said about the quarterback he spent the summer with as he tried to make their roster, “There’s nothing you can throw at him that he hasn’t seen.” The 37-year-old who was the first overall pick in the 2009 draft is the league’s seventh-ranked passer in leading them to a 2-0 start.

A.J. Brown Needs To Be Visible Again

A.J. Brown. He has been mostly invisible in two games this season. Is this the game we finally see him again?

Za’Darius Smith. It was quite the debut last week for the Eagles’ pass rusher, who was signed on Sept. 5. He record a half-sack and four tackles in just 20 snaps. A strong pass rush will be required if the Eagles want to get to 3-0 and he could be a key to helping get that done.

4…NUMBERS

0: Turnovers for the Eagles, which is tied for the fewest with five other teams.

3: Field goals in three tries from more than 50 yards for Jake Elliott a season after he made only one in seven attempts.

11: Straight wins at Lincoln Financial Field, which is the longest streak in the stadium’s history.

18: Wins for the Eagles in their last 19 games, an incredible 18-1 record in that, with that lone loss coming against the Commanders in a regular-season game that Jalen Hurts had to exit in the first quarter with a concussion.

3…MATCHUPS

Eagles pass rush vs. Rams offensive line. Obviously, the less time you give Stafford to throw the ball, the better chance at success. If he has too much time, he will pick the Eagles apart. The Eagles had two sacks last week against the mobile Patrick Mahomes and the Rams have listed guard Steve Avila doubtful with an ankle injury.

Jordan Mailata vs. Jared Verse. Last year’s rookie of the year, Verse had two sacks in last year’s playoff matchup. Eagles right tackle said that the Eagles are expecting Verse to line up over Mailata on about 80 percent of the defensive snaps, with the other 20 coming against Johnson. While Verse is a handful, the entire Rams defensive front is very good. They had seven sacks overall in the playoffs. Defensive tackle Braden Fiske is listed as questionable (oblique).

Quinyon Mitchell and Adoree Jackson vs. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. This will be a tough matchup for the Eagles corners against the Rams’ receivers. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio may have to get creative to find a way to keep the two of them from each going over 100 yards.

2…FACTS

-Jordan Davis leads all defensive tackles in the league with three passes defensed and is tied for second among all DTs in tackles with 11.

-Rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell is Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded defender with a grade of 83.7.

1…PREDICTION

Not many are picking the Eagles, fearful of the receiver matchup against the defensive backs. I’m veering left and counting on a pass rush that occasionally makes things difficult for Stafford, a 100-yard game from Saquon Barkley, and A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith breaking out. A 55-yard field goal in the final two minutes by Jake Elliott gives the Eagles some breathing room at the end.

Eagles 27, Rams 23

Season record: 1-1

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