Rams-Eagles bold predictions

Cooper Kupp gets his step back

The Los Angeles Rams decimated the Minnesota Vikings on Monday thanks to an absurd defensive showing. Did anyone correctly predict that Sam Darnold would be sacked nine times and possible lose millions of dollars on his next contract? Here is my best shot at getting the predictions right this week.

Only one team scores above 20 points

The Rams defense is not getting enough love after matching a NFL playoff record with their nine sack performance against the Minnesota Vikings in their Wild Card matchup. After stifling multiple offenses on their route to the playoff contention many analysts have claimed that Sunday’s bout is the “true test” to see if the Rams defense has become one of the best in the league… They might be right. The last time LA saw Philly it was in their own house and it was Saquon Barkley chasing Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record to a tune of 255 yards on the ground. A lot has changed since then. The Rams wouldn’t lose another game and their young defense appears to have improved mightily thanks to the re-emergence of Akhello Witherspoon in the back field and a fearsome defensive line that has kept opposing quarterbacks up at night.

The Eagles have nothing to prove on defense and have the number one ranked unit in the league. Jalen Carter and Darius Slay headline their vaulted group and just held the Green Bay Packers to 10 points during Wild Card Weekend. Jordan Love was picked off three times and sacked twice.

With both teams playing other-worldly on defense at the tail-end of the season and the forecast showing a potential snow-bowl on Sunday, I predict that it will be a low scoring affair with the team that scores over 20 walking away with the win.

Cooper Kupp leads team in receiving

The Rams have found a number of different ways to win games this season and recently have not had to rely on the pass game to get the W, but when they have it usually means Puka Nacua is going off for a 100+ receiving game. Lost in the offense is Cooper Kupp who has not been targeted more that three times in a game for four weeks in-a-row. Against this defense LA will need all of their personnel ready to make an impact and after a few week hiatus I believe Kupp will answer the bell. Nacua should get most of the secondary’s attention after burning them for 117 yards on nine receptions during the regular season. It should give Kupp just enough opportunity to be his normal self and come away with a big game when his best is required. I am predicting that he will lead the team in receiving yards when it is all said and done.

Jonah Jackson sees the field

With everyone talking about Barkley and the likely impact he will have this weekend it’s Kyren Williams that has been lost in the sauce, but he is also bound for a big day. Sean McVay will have to establish the run early to set up the pass game later and that means winning in the trenches against a stout defensive line. If there was one weakness that could be exploited though it is the Eagle’s run defense who the last time Williams played against averaged 4.5 yards per attempt and finished with 72 yards on just 16 carries. How does that mean Jonah Jackson will get to see the field? McVay will be in his bag of tricks and lay it all on the line in hopes of advancing which is why I am predicting he goes with a six linemen package to get the run game going early.

As much as Jackson has struggled, having an additional big-body to run through will exploit the Eagles defense and allow the Rams run game to win in the trenches.

AJ Brown is caught reading another book

We may never understand the true message that AJ Brown was trying to deliver to his team when he brought out a book on the bench to read against the Packers last week. Maybe it was a nod to his defense, maybe he was sending a message to Nick Sirrani, or maybe he was just bored after being targeted just three times and coming down with one reception for 10 yards. The last thing that Sirrani and the rest of the staff want to see is the game coming down Jalen Hurts’ arm and not Barkley’s legs. Would Brown double-down on his charades if he saw minimal targets again? More importantly, where can I put money on it? Because if there was cash to be made my bet is on seeing another book come out this Sunday.