10 Takeaways From Rams’ Comeback Win Over Eagles

The Los Angeles Rams got a win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, coming back from 10 points in the fourth quarter. When all was said and done, the Rams won 24-20 and improved to 2-2. While the final eight minutes were impressive, the first 52 weren’t pretty. The Rams looked to be on their way to another loss against the Eagles. There was a lot to like in this game and the Rams winning certainly allows for positive vibes. However, there is a lot to clean up if the Rams are going to hit their ceiling. Here are 10 takeaways from the Rams’ win over the Eagles.

The Rams Need More From Matthew Stafford

We might need to have a conversation about Matthew Stafford and his start to the 2026 season. There was always going to be some regression to the mean after his MVP season. It's as if his level completely flipped. For the first time in his career, Stafford has thrown an interception in all four games to start the season. He was directly responsible for 10 of the Eagles’ 20 first-half points. He missed Davante Adams open on another deep ball.

The thing about Stafford is that he can play poorly for three quarters and then perform well in the final quarter when it matters most. On the final two drives, he was 12-for-15 for 140 yards and nearly flawless. Still, the first three-plus quarters need to be talked about as well. If the Rams are going to hit their ceiling, they need a much better version of Stafford. Stafford became the first quarterback since Jameis Winston in 2018 to win a game while having more than 50 pass attempts, throwing for more than 300 yards, and having two interceptions with zero touchdowns. Prior to Sunday, teams were 1-27 in such games.

Special Teams Remains a Major Problem

It feels like we talk about special teams every single week and it absolutely shouldn’t be that way. The Rams allowed a 41-yard punt return that set up the Eagles to score a touchdown. Prior to the big return, Alex Bachman set up the Rams’ offense deep in their own territory. Additionally, Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard field goal and had a kickoff go out of bounds.

It’s hard to blame the coordinator right now given how bad the unit was last year. While they moved on from Xavier Smith last week, that can’t be the end of the changes. Late in the game, the Rams passed up a 56-yard field goal and instead decided to go for it on 4th-and-8. It’s worth asking how much the Rams trust him outside of 45 yards. Alex Bachman was a band-aid, but he’s not the solution. More changes need to happen.

Rams Defense Delivered When It Mattered

In the first half, the Rams’ defense gave up 20 points. However, on 17 of those points, the defense was put in a bad position. Given how stagnant the offense was for most of the game, the Rams do not come back in this game without the defense performing the way it did.

Yes, the Eagles were short-handed on offense without DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley for much of the game. At the same time, the defense held the Eagles to 172 yards of total offense. Jalen Hurts had 93 yards passing. It’s the fewest passing yards the Rams have allowed since 2018 when Sam Bradford threw for 90 yards with the Arizona Cardinals. The defense also held the Eagles to 0-for-12 on third down. It’s the first time in franchise history that the Rams have accomplished that. If the defense allows a touchdown on 4th-and-goal from the two-yard line in the fourth quarter, the game is over.

Puka Nacua Made an Immediate Impact in His Return

The Rams were happy to have Puka Nacua back in action after he missed the last two games with a hip/groin injury. For the most part, Nacua looked like himself. He had nine receptions for 125 yards and had a rushing touchdown. He played with the same physicality that many are used to seeing. When the Rams’ offense was working, it was typically tied in with Nacua getting involved. On three of the Rams’ four scoring drives, Nacua had at least one reception for 15 yards and on two of them he had at least one reception for more than 25 yards.

Welcome back, Puka Nacuapic.twitter.com/N7g4I1JmA8
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 4, 2026

The Rams Need More From Their Other Wide Receivers

Without Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson in this game, the Rams had to go back to utilizing more 11 personnel and three-wide-receiver sets. The Rams used 11 personnel at an 87 percent rate, which is their highest rate in a game since Week 5 of 2025. However, for as much as the Rams may not have had the personnel to operate out of 13 personnel, it’s fair to wonder if they have the personnel to operate out of 11 personnel.

Outside of Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, Rams wide receivers caught three passes on six targets and none had more than 10 yards receiving. The Rams simply can’t rely on Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, and Tutu Atwell to get open consistently. Both of Stafford’s interceptions came when targeting Mumpfield and Whittington. Stafford was unsettled for most of the game, and some of that is likely because the receiving options were limited. As much as some continue to deny it, the Rams need a third wide receiver.

Kyren Williams Took Over When the Rams Needed Him

When the Rams needed a player to rely on in the second half, it was Kyren Williams who stepped up and delivered. After averaging 3.4 yards per carry in the first half, Williams had nine carries for 56 yards in the second half. On both touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, Williams was the one to punch it in the end zone. His seven-yard touchdown run, breaking three tackles on his way to score was especially impressive.

Williams may not be Todd Gurley, but he had a Gurley-esque stat line against the Eagles. He became the first Rams running back since Gurley in 2018 to record at least 10 receptions in a game,, coincidentally also against the Eagles. Williams is the fourth Rams running back in the last 65 years with 80+ rushing yards, 10+ receptions, and 60+ receiving yards, joining Gurley II, Steven Jackson, and Robert Delpino. Williams stepped up in a big way on Sunday.

Kyren Williams Carry Chart — NFL Next Gen Stats

Chris Shula Deserves Credit for Defensive Performance

For as much as the defense deserves credit, Chris Shula also deserves his flowers. Shula has been criticized heavily at times this season, despite the Rams’ defense being one of the better units in the NFL since Week 1. The Rams were without key starters in Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, and Jaylen Watson on defense and still managed a dominant performance.

Shula blitzed Hurts at a 60.6 percent rate, which is the highest blitz rate since he took over as defensive coordinator. On those blitzes, the Rams had a 65 percent pressure rate and allowed just five completions on 16 passes. Shula called a blitz on every third down except the last one. Without Watson, the Rams still played man coverage on 40 percent of their snaps.

The Rams Have to Eliminate the Self-Inflicted Mistakes

The only thing consistent about the Rams right now is how inconsistent they are. Too often, they hurt themselves with self-inflicted wounds. In the first quarter, with the offense in the red zone, Davis Allen got called for a holding penalty that stalled the drive. There were obviously the turnovers from Stafford and special teams errors that essentially handed the Eagles free points.

In the second half, the Rams had a sequence in which a 23-yard run from Williams got moved back 15 yards because of a penalty on the bench. Two plays later, Nacua caught a pass for 24 yards, but it was called back because of offensive pass interference. In the fourth quarter after the Eagles turned it over on downs, Williams had a seven-yard run that was taken away because Nacua was called for an illegal blindside block. These are mistakes that we aren’t used to from a McVay-coached team and they are mistakes that good teams don’t make.

This Was a Character-Building Win

There’s no debating that the Rams’ win against the Eagles wasn’t pretty and they won’t get any style points. At the same time, it feels like a turning point and a win that this team desperately needed. For much of the game, it felt like the Rams were going to lose a game that they probably should have won with a cleaner game. When they faced a 98-yard field with around 7:26 left, they looked as good as done.

However, the Rams fought back and scored a touchdown on each of their final two drives. The Rams were staring 1-3 directly in the face and decided what type of team they were going to be. They didn’t give up when many other teams would have folded and earned a hard-fought victory on the road. No, the Eagles weren’t at full strength, but it’s a good win nonetheless. At one point, the Rams had a 3.2 percent chance to win. It’s officially the most improbable comeback by the Rams under McVay.

Dug deep for the dub! pic.twitter.com/JpLfnmyoGM
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 4, 2026

Rams May Have Saved Their Season in Philadelphia

An argument can be made that the Rams coming back from 10 points in the fourth quarter to win saved their season. Had the Rams lost, they would have fallen to 1-3 with a game against the Buffalo Bills on deck. Not that the Bills are an automatic loss, but 1-4 would have certainly been possible. It’s possible the Rams could have bounced back from that and made the playoffs. With that said, they likely would have been looking at a second-round exit.

Even if the Rams fall to 2-3 next week, the schedule after that eases up and a 7-3 record at their bye week is very realistic. The Rams still need to take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead. Anything can happen, but the Rams look to be in a good spot with their only conference loss coming in Week 1 in a weird game played in Australia.

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