Rams DC Chris Shula on the Importance of Gap Integrity Against Eagles

The Los Angeles Rams will travel to Philadelphia to face off against the Eagles in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, setting up the biggest game of the year for the Rams. Can they avenge their earlier loss to the Eagles?

The Rams are a different team since their Week 12 meeting with the Eagles. The young defense has matured and are playing their best football of the season. The offense also showed in the Wild Card game what they are capable of when they have it rolling. The team comes into the match-up against the Eagles as the hottest team in the National Football League.

The Rams defense does not have to stop Barkley completely but they do have to contain Barkley to have a chance to win this game and advance to the NFC Championship game.

It will be important for the defense to have gap integrity. Both Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts can run the ball anytime. Doing your job will be key for the defense of the Rams. The challenge will be big but they know they can get the job done because they believe in the preparation they have done all season.

"It's just that, understanding what your gap is, understanding how to play it, and knocking back at the light of scrimmage," said Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. "We talk about good run defense and just playing good sound run defense with good fundamentals. A lot of the things in that game came down to that. I will say they made us play that way. It's not like guys were jumping out of gaps because they were just doing their own thing or because they wanted to. It's being able to strain, do your job, and focus every single play."

Shula also talked about Hurts is a major threat.

"It's tough. Obviously, his elite trait is being able to use his legs and create off-schedule. Not only the quarterback-designed runs that they have, but anything. If he drops back to pass, he's always a threat to run. He's a nightmare to play against. He's obviously very smart pre-snap as far as knowing where to go with the ball and very decisive in his decision-making. He's very calm back there in the pocket. He has a great 'o-line' that he trusts and he'll stand back there forever if you let him. He's just a really tough guy to play against and he's had success against us really the last two times we've played him. [We're] looking to give him a few more challenges this time."

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