Why the Eagles Have Become the Rams’ Most Difficult Opponent (And Why Sunday Is a Must-Win)

Over the past four seasons, the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles have developed quite the rivalry. Head coaches Sean McVay and Nick Sirianni met for the first time in 2023, with the Eagles coming out on top, 23-14. The next season, the two teams met twice, including in the playoffs. Last year, the Rams led 26-7 before losing, 33-26.

Since 2005, the Eagles have won 10 of 11 matchups against the Rams. Under McVay alone, the Rams are 1-4, with their lone win coming in 2020. Over their last four matchups against the Eagles, the Rams and McVay’s offense have averaged 20.5 points per game. That’s the fewest points per game by the Rams against any opponent they’ve faced at least three times since 2023, including the playoffs, according to NFL Pro.

Vic Fangio Has Consistently Given Sean McVay Problems

McVay is 0-4 against Sirianni, but more notably, he is 0-3 against the Eagles since Vic Fangio arrived as the defensive coordinator. Going back to 2018, McVay and Fangio have gone back and forth. It started in 2018 on Sunday Night Football against the Chicago Bears when Fangio’s defense completely shut down the Rams’ high-powered offense and Todd Gurley with 6-1 fronts.

Brian Flores and the New England Patriots implemented a similar game plan later that season in the Super Bowl. Defenses used that against the Rams in 2019 as McVay missed the playoffs for the first time.

When the two met for the first time since that game in 2018, the Rams’ offense struggled to move the ball. While they lost 37-20, the Rams scored once in garbage time to make that closer than it was. Finally, McVay seemed to find something last year as the Rams took a 26-7 lead, scoring on all but one of their first-half possessions and again on their first drive of the second half. The Rams didn’t score on their final four drives and lost.

These have consistently been two of the best teams in the NFL. Only the Rams, Eagles, and Packers have made the postseason in each of the last three seasons in the NFC. They’ve consistently competed with and tried to match each other.

Rams Have Built Their Roster With the Eagles in Mind

During the 2025 offseason, the Rams made changes on defense to compete with the Eagles after allowing 285 yards rushing in the playoffs. An argument can be made that had the Rams found a way to beat the Eagles, they may have been the team hoisting the Lombardi Trophy against the Kansas City Chiefs. So, the Rams signed Poona Ford and Nate Landman to help their run defense that offseason.

When these two teams have played, playoff implications have typically been on the line. That won’t be any different on Sunday. With the Rams at 1-2 and the Eagles looking to bounce back following a loss to the Chicago Bears, it’s possible this game has implications when it comes to playoff tiebreakers.

Again, McVay is 0-4 against Sirianni and 0-4 against Fangio in his last four games against each coach. It feels like something has to give on Sunday. For all of McVay’s success, dropping to 0-5 against Sirianni would be difficult to fathom. The only other coach and team to give McVay and the Rams this much trouble is arguably Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers.

Much like the 49ers, beating the Eagles has become somewhat of a measuring stick for the Rams. The Eagles have beaten them each of the last three years despite the Rams changing personnel and their offensive identity.

Rams Can’t Afford Another Loss to the Eagles

If the Rams are going to keep their season alive, McVay will need to find a way to break both of those streaks. A loss against the Eagles would put the Rams at 1-3 with a game against the Bills next week. That’s not to say that the Bills are an automatic loss, but at the same time, it’s also not an easy win by any means.

It’s been no secret that the Rams are a team with Super Bowl aspirations. The only team in NFL history to start 1-3 and win the Super Bowl was the 2001 New England Patriots.No team has started a season 1-4 and gone on to make the Super Bowl.

There’s a big difference in 2-2 and 1-3, especially when the Rams have the Bills coming up. If the Rams enter Week 6 at 2-3 with Myles Garrett eligible to return, it’s very realistic that they could be 7-3 at their bye week and in a good spot entering the second half of the season.

Losing to the Broncos was certainly disappointing, especially when it can be argued that it should have been a win. Still, it was to an AFC opponent. Unless the Rams tie with a division opponent or with the Carolina Panthers, the loss to the Broncos doesn’t necessarily matter in tiebreakers. Conference games are weighted more when it comes to the playoffs.

If the Rams and Eagles were to have the same record, a win would give Los Angeles the head-to-head advantage. The fourth tiebreaker is the best win-loss percentage in conference games, which would apply to the Eagles.

It seems almost crazy to be talking about playoff tiebreakers in Week 4 when the Rams sit at 1-2, but these games matter more later than they do now. A loss to the Eagles now may have a negative effect after Week 18 when playoff seeding comes into play.

The Rams can still make up for their loss to the San Francisco 49ers by beating them later in the season. Beating the New York Giants in Week 2 was important, but given that the Eagles are seen as a playoff team, a win on Sunday is almost a must.

Beating the Eagles Would Be a Defining Win for the Rams

Since McVay took over in 2017, he’s consistently found answers when coaches have presented him with problems. McVay moved away from the wide zone run game that he had success with in 2017 and 2018 because of Fangio. It’s a big reason why the run game is so multiple now, incorporating inside zone and man/gap concepts.

The Rams have spent the last few years trying to close the gap with the Eagles. They’ve been one team that the Rams simply cannot get past, as evidenced by last season’s loss. Through three weeks, the Rams are looking for a defining win that can help turn their season around. A win against an Eagles team that has been the Rams’ kryptonite would be exactly that.

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