Eagles Prep For ‘First-Ballot’ Matthew Stafford And An Explosive Rams Offense

PHILADELPHIA - Matthew Stafford’s production and experience are framing the Eagles’ preparation for Sunday’s visit from the talented Los Angeles Rams.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio called the veteran a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Jalen Hurts praised the work habits that have kept Stafford at the top of the quarterback position for nearly two decades, and head coach Nick Sirianni understands his team’s previous success against the Rams is just that.

“Good teams against good teams,” Sirianni said Friday when asked about his 4-0 success against the Rams. “... All those games can go either way, and I can't tell you how much respect I have for those guys over there, the players and their coaches. Obviously, [Rams QB Matthew] Stafford's a heck of a quarterback. They've got really good playmakers all over the place, and I think the world of Sean [McVay] and all his coaches.”

This week, Fangio used the Rams’ recent offensive output, not counting the season-opening loss to San Francisco in Australia, to define the tough assignment the Eagles will face in Week 4.

Dating back to the NFC Championship Game, Los Angeles has topped 500 yards in three of four with games against Seattle, the Giants and Denver — three defenses Fangio described as some of the best.

“They run it very well,” Fangio said of McVay’s well-regarded offense. “They stay committed to the run and they’ve got a really good play-action game off of it that they marry very well to the run game.

“You’ve got Stafford at quarterback, guy’s going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Got the weapons and the tight ends that they have, and they’re probably having the [Puka] Nacua back this week.”

During the run Fangio cited, Stafford completed 22 of 35 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in the NFC Championship Game at Seattle. In a 28-6 win over the Giants on Sept. 21, he was 22 of 31 for 327 yards and four scores with one interception, a strong performance without Nacua. Against Denver last Sunday, he threw for 390 yards in a 30-26 loss, even as two interceptions and a late officiating decision swung the result negatively.

Through three regular-season games this season, Stafford already has 872 passing yards and six touchdowns.

Nacua’s expected return would restore the receiver room, pairing him again with Davante Adams and a tight-end group that McVay has used heavily in the play-action and insert game.

A Bad Spot?

Sep 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The talented Rams are 1-2, though, and desperate heading to South Philadelphia. They have stayed committed to the run — Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have kept the ground game near the top of the league in yards per game — and used that commitment to open the play-action looks Stafford has lived on since arriving in Los Angeles.

Hurts, who will start opposite him at Lincoln Financial Field, connected the resume with Stafford’s daily habits.

“I have a ton of respect for Matthew Stafford,” Hurts said. “I know he’s very diligent about his process and a hard worker for him to be able to play as long as he has. I mean, that’s commending to him and his approach, his work ethic and really his commitment to the game.

“So I know he loves the game. He’s won at a high level with a Super Bowl champion, being an MVP.”

Stafford won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams after the 2021 season and added league MVP honors on the way to last January’s conference title game.

The Eagles saw a version of that quarterback in the 2024 playoffs, when Stafford threw for 324 yards in a divisional-round loss in Philadelphia and had the Rams on the verge of the upset before Jalen Carter took over with two late-game rushes.

Sunday is a different version of each and a short week for an Eagles team coming off a Monday night loss to Chicago and the likely absence of two of its biggest stars: wide receiver DeVonta Smith and linebacker Zack Baun.

It doesn’t look great on paper for the Eagles, with perhaps the most logical path to victory speeding on Stafford.

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