The Los Angeles Rams’ young defensive front faces a significant challenge against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, especially with the formidable duo of quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley leading the run game. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula emphasized the importance of controlling the line of scrimmage and maintaining disciplined fundamentals in stopping the Eagles’ offense.
“Earning the right to pass rush” is a common mantra for defensive linemen, underscoring the need to first stop the run and force opponents into obvious passing situations. For the Rams, this means ensuring no movement at the line of scrimmage, securing knockback, and rallying to the ball with population tackling.
Facing a multifaceted rushing attack like Philadelphia’s, which combines Hurts’ dual-threat abilities with Barkley’s explosive running style, will test the Rams’ young defense. Their ability to execute Shula’s strategy and limit the Eagles’ ground game could play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the game.
The Rams (5-5) are making strides against the run after a rough start to the season, but they’ll face their toughest test yet against the Eagles (8-2) and their league-best rushing attack, which averages an imposing 181.3 yards per game.
A key figure in the Eagles’ ground game is Saquon Barkley, thriving as the centerpiece of the offense behind a dominant offensive line after signing a three-year deal in free agency. Barkley’s vision and power make him a challenge on every down, but what truly sets the Eagles apart is quarterback Jalen Hurts’ impact as a dual-threat. His ability to run forces defenses to account for an extra player in the ground game, complicating defensive strategies.
“It kind of changes up the blocking scheme,” Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner noted. “When you’re used to a quarterback that maybe won’t be used too much in the run game, then they’re not able to gain an extra hat.”
The Rams will need to stay disciplined and execute sound gap integrity to slow down the Eagles’ versatile rushing attack. Successfully limiting both Barkley and Hurts could put the Rams in position to disrupt Philadelphia’s potent offense and stay in the playoff hunt.
The Rams’ defense will need to address the unique challenges posed by the Eagles’ rushing attack, particularly the added complexity Jalen Hurts brings to the table. Under normal circumstances, the Rams’ three down linemen and two outside linebackers can engage all five offensive linemen on a rush play. But Hurts’ involvement in the run game allows the Eagles to manipulate blocking schemes, often freeing up a lineman to double-team an interior defender like Kobie Turner.
“The backside defender can’t just crash and take the dive right away,” Turner explained. “He has to honor it.” This forces the Rams to adjust their approach, as Turner pointed out: “On a different week, you would expect a different look, where maybe I’ll get a single block… but now that base block turns into a double team, and so it’s a harder down.”
The Rams experienced these difficulties last season when the Eagles rushed for 159 yards in a 23-14 victory, even with Aaron Donald in the lineup. Hurts was a major factor, recording 72 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, with many of those yards coming on the “tush push” quarterback sneak. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula acknowledged the challenge of preparing for such a play, noting, “There is no good way to simulate it… It’s an extremely hard play to stop, and it’s a very efficient play for them.”
While stopping the “tush push” is no small feat, the Rams’ focus will be on limiting the situations where the Eagles can use it. If they can force longer third downs, they’ll have a better chance to unleash their improving pass rush. Over the past four games, the Rams have recorded 16 sacks, led by rookie standouts Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, who have combined for 7.5 sacks during that stretch. Their contributions, along with those of second-year players Turner and Byron Young, have created a competitive yet cohesive defensive line group.
“It’s a lot of competition for who gets the sacks, but they’re very happy for each other,” Shula said. “They love rushing together, and they’re just continuing to grow and get better and better every week.”
If the Rams can neutralize Philadelphia’s rushing attack and force Hurts into more obvious passing situations, their improving pass rush could make the difference in a critical matchup against one of the NFL’s top teams.
