/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73856989/2194763738.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "The Linc – “Saquon Barkley has been the best player in the NFL this season”")
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … Handing out 10 awards from the Eagles-Rams playoff game – PhillyVoice 1) The ‘Superhero’ Award: Saquon Barkley. Barkley ran 26 times for 205 yards (7.9 YPC) and 2 TDs. His first TD, which was 62 yards. And his second TD, on a field that looked a lot different than the one above, that went for 78 yards. In two games against the Rams this season, Barkley carried 52 times for 460 yards, and 4 TDs, that were distances of 78, 72, 70, and 62 yards. They’re going to give the MVP Award to a quarterback, but Barkley has been the best player in the NFL this season. Eagles vs. Rams Divisional Round: The good, the bad, and the ugly – BGN Saquon Barkley rolled over the Rams again, finishing with an Eagles’ single-game playoff record 205 yards rushing on 25 carries, with touchdown runs of 62 and 78 yards. Jalen Hurts was not great, though an efficient 15 of 20 for 128 yards, although he was sacked seven times for 63 yards. Hurts is 4-0 in home playoff games, and in each home playoff victory his passing yards were under 200. Defensively, the Eagles sacked Matt Stafford five times for 33 yards, the key sack coming in the waning moments of the game when Jalen Carter got his second sack during the most pivotal moment in the game. Saquon Barkley dashes through the snow on massive Eagles’ TD against Rams – SB Nation It has become something of a recipe for the Philadelphia Eagles this season. Play a tight game into the fourth quarter, and let Saquon Barkley take over from there. With the Eagles holding a 22-15 lead over the Los Angeles Rams late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s NFC Divisional Round game, Philadelphia took over on their own 22-yard line, 78 yards from a touchdown that would seal the game, and send the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game. They — and Barkley — needed just one play. ‘You chase greatness’: Saquon Barkley adds to legend with record-setting 205 rushing yards through snow in Eagles playoff win vs. Rams – PHLY “This is what you dream about,” Barkley said. “This is why I came to Philly — to be part of games like this.” They wouldn’t be here without Barkley. He rushed for a franchise postseason record 205 yards and two touchdown to pace the Eagles offense. Barkley confessed that he knew it was a franchise record. A student of running back history, Barkley researched the Eagles’ history books this week. He thought he played well against Green Bay in the opening round and knew the success he had in the first meeting against the Rams, so Barkley wondered what it would take to top another Eagles record. He saw in was 196 yards by Steve Van Buren’s record in 1949 — also against the Rams. The record lasted 76 years until Barkley’s performance Sunday. “You chase greatness,” Barkley said. It seems greatness is chasing Barkley. Everybody else is — especially the Rams. NFL Divisional Round Recap: Philadelphia Eagles 28, Los Angeles Rams 22 – PFF Eagles interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter delivered a dominant performance on Sunday, earning 80.0-plus grades as a pass rusher and run defender. Carter recorded a game-high six pressures, highlighted by two critical sacks and two hits on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, his biggest play came against the run when he forced a fumble from Kyren Williams late in the game. This pivotal play swung momentum in the Eagles’ favor amid challenging weather conditions. NFL divisional round playoffs: Overreactions, big questions – ESPN+ Overreaction? The Eagles need a lot more from their passing game to beat Washington. Not an overreaction! Yes, I watched the game. I know the second half was played in a blizzard and no one could do much. I’m not holding the Eagles’ mere 65 passing yards — 128 total with 63 sack yards — against them, per se. But they weren’t getting much through the air early in the game when the weather was less intense, and the Rams threw the ball fine in the fourth quarter. Plus, the Eagles’ passing game has been middle of the pack all season. The issue has gotten plenty of attention — receiver A.J. Brown was seen reading on the sideline and the Brown/Jalen Hurts/Brandon Graham drama in December. Even so, the Eagles have won 16 of 19 games this season. How bad can they be in any aspect? We’re talking about champagne problems here. But the Eagles probably will need to win a shootout next week against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, who scored 36 points against them in a Week 16 victory. I’m not sure how confident we can be in the Eagles’ ability to do that. Roob’s Obs: Big Barkley plays, ferocious defense sends Eagles to NFC Championship Game – NBCSP 3. It’s easy to say the Eagles don’t really need a high-powered passing game because of their running game and defense. But once again the passing game was just not good enough . It’s great that Jalen Hurts isn’t turning the ball over, but he just hasn’t looked comfortable since he came back from his concussion. He’s not throwing with confidence, he’s standing in the pocket way too long, he’s taking way too many sacks and he just doesn’t look right. Let’s go deeper: Hurts had 11 completions of at least 35 yards in his first 10 games this year and none in his last seven games. He dropped back 27 times and was sacked seven times, which is ridiculous. He got sacked more than a quarter of the time he dropped back. Including a ridiculous sack. Now, A.J. Brown dropped what would have been a 35-yarder down to the 2-yard-line just before halftime Sunday. And obviously by the middle of the second half the conditions had deteriorated to the point where nobody
The Linc – “Saquon Barkley has been the best player in the NFL this season”
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Buffalo Bills 27, Baltimore Ravens 25
The Buffalo Bills secured a hard-fought 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round on Sunday, advancing to the AFC Championship for the second time in quarterback Josh Allen’s career. Premium Content Sign Up NFL Divisional Round Recap: Buffalo Bills 27, Baltimore Ravens 25 2S7NP9F Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes) By Mark Chichester Posted Jan 19, 2025 10:14 pm EST • Buffalo Bills • Baltimore Ravens The Buffalo Bills secured a hard-fought 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round on Sunday, advancing to the AFC Championship for the second time in quarterback Josh Allen‘s career. The win also ended a streak of three straight divisional-round exits for Buffalo. The Ravens mounted a late comeback, cutting the Bills’ lead to two points in the final minutes. However, a dropped 2-point conversion attempt by Mark Andrews and an onside kick recovery by Buffalo sealed the victory. Allen’s passing numbers were modest — he finished 16-of-22 passes for 127 yards — but he didn’t record a single turnover-worthy play and found the end zone twice as a runner. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson struggled under pressure, committing two turnovers in the first half — an interception and a lost fumble — and now falls to 3-5 in postseason play. PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET. In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field. Sign up for PFF+ for in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more! HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS S Taylor Rapp, Buffalo Bills (85.7) DI Ed Oliver, Buffalo Bills (85.4) Note: Follow along with PFF’s in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed. Click here to see PFF’s initial grades from this game! PLAYER OF THE GAME Interior defender Ed Oliver was a disruptive presence for the Buffalo defense in the divisional round, excelling both against the pass and the run. Oliver led the game with four pressures — all hurries — and added another pass-rush win that didn’t result in pressure, finishing with an impressive 22.7% pass-rush win rate. Against the run, he made his impact felt with three solo tackles and two defensive stops, including a tackle for loss, capping off a standout performance in Buffalo’s most crucial game of the season so far. ADVANCED BOX SCORE
5 takeaways from Ravens 27-25 loss to the Bills in AFC Divisonal Round
5 takeaways from Ravens 27-25 loss to the Bills in AFC Divisonal Round glenn erby In a game that’ll be talked about for years, Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns, Buffalo’s defense forced three Baltimore turnovers, and the Bills advanced to the AFC championship game with a 27-25 win over the Ravens in the divisional round on Sunday night. Lamar Jackson drove the Ravens down the field and was within a two-point conversion of tying things up when a wide-open Mark Andrews dropped a 2-point conversion pass from Lamar Jackson, allowing the ball to bounce off his chest with 1:33 left. Penalties ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Rashod Bateman #7 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a touchdown with Mark Andrews #89 and Tyler Linderbaum #64 against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Midway through the fourth quarter, Buffalo had one penalty for 10 yards and no turnovers. Baltimore had five penalties for 53 yards and three turnovers. Bills brought the pressure ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Matt Milano #58 of the Buffalo Bills tackles Rashod Bateman #7 of the Baltimore Ravens in the third quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) According to Next Gen Stats, the Bills blitzed Lamar Jackson on 15 of 31 dropbacks (48.4%), their 5th-highest blitz rate in a game under Sean McDermott and the highest since Week 15, 2021. The Bills generated nine pressures across 15 blitzes (60.0%), compared to just four without blitzing (25.0%). Matt Milano led the Bills pass rush with four pressures on nine pass rushes, including three unblocked pressures. Of the five career games Milano has generated at least four pressures, three have come in the playoffs. Damar Hamlin Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the second quarter in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images The Bills safety had eight tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and one pass defended. Bills defensive line ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball against Greg Rousseau #50 of the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) AJ Epenesa had six tackles and two tackles for loss, while Greg Rousseau had five tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit. More Bills defense ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball against Greg Rousseau #50 of the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) Buffalo’s defense held up, limiting Derrick Henry to 84 yards rushing and a touchdown on 16 carries. In Week 4, Henry had a season-best 199 yards rushing in the Ravens’ 35-10 win — the Bills’ most lopsided defeat.
Mailbag: Would Ben Johnson have made the 2024 Raiders better?
Ben Johnson | Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week We’re a couple of weeks into the offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders and the head coach search is heating up with buzz surrounding Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson heading to the Raiders gaining steam. While this week’s mailbag will focus on Johnson and the head coach search, it’s also open to any NFL Draft and free agency questions. Q: If Ben Johnson and the Raiders agree to a contract, could he do more with this same (offensive) roster than what was done last season? A: Adding Johnson wouldn’t solve all of Las Vegas’ offensive issues as the team still has question marks at running back, on the line and, of course, at quarterback. But I do think he would have gotten more out of the personnel than this past year’s staff. Johnson is a pretty creative play-caller, especially in the running game, so I’d trust him to adjust his scheme to fit his player’s strengths more than Luke Getsy and company. Also, Aidan O’Connell is a much better fit in Johnson’s passing game, which uses a heavy dose of play-action, than Getsy’s system. He’s not a miracle worker who would have made the Raiders a playoff contender in 2024, but I feel confident that Johnson would have gotten better results this season. MichiganRaider I have been watching and researching Ben Johnson’s offense. He ran a ton of 12 personnel with Detroit. Do you think that is a staple of his offensive philosophy or Dan Campbell’s? Also do you think having Bowers and Mayer might be a draw for him offensively? A: The offense is definitely Johnson’s since Dan Campbell isn’t much of a scheme guy, having never served as an offensive coordinator before becoming the Lions’ head coach. Granted, Campbell was a tight end and a tight ends coach, but he likely hired Johnson for his system or vision of an offense that leans heavily on the position. For what it’s worth, Johnson is also a former tight ends coach. I think Brock Bowers would be a big draw for any offensive-minded coach and having Michael Mayer, who was widely considered a top tight end in the draft two years ago, could be intriguing as well. Though Mayer hasn’t done much during his first two seasons, a young and talented tight end duo could certainly entice a coach that used the third-highest rate of 12 personnel this season, per Sumer Sports. Q: Any insights into why the Raiders haven’t requested interviews with Joe Brady or Liam Coen? Mark Konezny-Imagn ImagesJoe Brady A: I don’t have any inside information on that and I am also surprised they haven’t interviewed Brady or Coen yet, especially the latter since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got eliminated last week. Las Vegas could still chat with those two, but my current read on the situation is that the organization’s first choice is Johnson, and Plan B is Pete Carroll. I think Johnson being the top candidate in this hiring cycle—and arguably last year’s too—trumps any criteria Mark Davis has for the next head coach. But if the Lions’ OC doesn’t want the job, Davis would prefer to have an experienced candidate after it didn’t work with Antonio Pierce. Again, we’ll see if that changes next week or the week after as the Raiders don’t need to be in a hurry to make a decision. Q: Could the Raiders trade the sixth pick for J.J. McCarthy? A: Las Vegas would probably take that deal but I’d be surprised if Minnesota was willing to trade McCarthy away with how Sam Darnold finished the season. I was dreaming of that scenario a few weeks ago, but that feels like an even bigger pipe dream now. Q: What’s your opinion of Champ Kelly and whether he was responsible for any of our draft picks, especially D.J. Glaze? And do you think he’d be a good fit as GM, not wanting too much power but is a good talent evaluator and understands the cap stuff? A: To be honest, I don’t know how much influence Kelly has had in the draft or any personnel decisions. Obviously, he has some say but to what extent is unknown. I think Kelly could have a future as a general manager, but it will probably be elsewhere. Tom Brady and Davis let Tom Telesco go so the next head coach can influence the GM hire. So, I’d imagine the job will go to someone outside of the organization who likely has ties to the new HC. Q: The Raider franchise in the past has not done well recruiting talent when the HC was basically the GM too. In the Franchise’s current GM, HC search it looks like the HC will be picked first then the GM. It seems like the Franchise is making the same mistake, but what is the hierarchy on winning Franchises? Do Harbaugh, Payton, Reid, Tomlin, Belichick etc run the GM side of their franchises too? A: Most successful franchises have a head coach who has say on the roster decisions but the general manager has ultimate power. That’s the structure the Kansas City Chiefs have with Brett Veach and Andy Reid. Granted, the longer the coach sticks around the more pull he gets, and sometimes that can lead to some head-butting between the two decision-makers. That’s what happened with Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco and New England eventually gave Belichick GM powers and that ended up being a disaster. Ultimately, what needs to happen is the head coach and general manager need to be on the same page while there’s an understanding that the GM has the final say. I think (or hope) that’s what the Raiders are aiming for by hiring the two positions at the same time rather than having a head coach who calls all the shots and a head nodder at general manager. In other words, the
National reactions: NFL world is pumped for Bills vs. Chiefs
National reactions: NFL world is pumped for Bills vs. Chiefs National reactions: NFL world is pumped for Bills vs. Chiefs Nick Wojton The NFL got the game it sounds like they wanted in the 2024 AFC Championship. The Buffalo Bills (13-4) advance to a clash with the Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) in the conference title matchup. That has come about following Buffalo’s 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional round at Highmark Stadium. After the final whistle, plenty expressed how ready they were for the next round which will determine who represents the AFC in the Super Bowl. Here is a roundup of national media reaction to the Bills’ win over the Ravens:
Saquon Barkley’s former Giants teammates cheer him on at the Eagles-Rams playoff game
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images Several of Barkley’s good friends went to Philly to show their support. Saquon Barkley has stayed classy since the Giants’ disrespected him and he went on to sign with the Eagles in free agency. While it’s something that has clearly motivated him at times this season, he’s maintained it’s all love with the guys in New York. That proved to be true, with at least a few of his former Giants teammates, who showed up to Lincoln Financial Field to cheer on Barkley against the Rams on Sunday. Reports note that Daniel Jones and Sterling Shepard were among those in the RB’s suite. Saquon Barkley (205 yards rushing, 2 TDs) and the Eagles reach the NFC Championship. Daniel Jones and Sterling Shepard were among those in his box cheering on their close friend. — Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) January 19, 2025 Even Odell Beckham Jr. tweeted his support of Barkley during the game. Barkley is such a great teammate and it’s nice to see so many people cheering for him during this historic season. The running back deserves it. So fknnn proud of that boy!!! Since day one the illesttt I seeen put on cleats, that’s on my soul @saquon — Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) January 19, 2025 Barkley made some great friends with the Giants, but he’ll leave a legacy with the Eagles.
Jalen Hurts gives knee injury update following Eagles’ win over Rams
The Eagles QB spoke after the divisional round win and talked about his knee injury and what it was like playing in the snow. The Philadelphia Eagles managed to pull off a win against the Rams and advance to the next round of the playoffs. Before the team turns their attention to the Washington Commanders, Jalen Hurts spoke to reporters about his knee injury, and how the snow impacted the game. He didn’t hold back about how much it means to be able to play in the NFC Championship Game and continue toward the Super Bowl. “It is everything. This is what you work for. This is what all of our energy and all of my energy has been geared towards.” Hurts didn’t have a particular reaction to facing the Washington Commanders for a third time this season, and noted it didn’t really matter to him who the opponent was. Here’s what else the QB had to say: On his knee injury “Tough game. A challenging game. I was able to finish the game, and we will see how the week goes.” The QB clarified that he did not suffer two different injuries during the game. Hurts said that this would not affect his status throughout the week, and when asked if he’s confident he’ll play next week, he simply said, “Yeah.” On playing in the snow “It was a new experience. Definitely, next time that happens, I’ll be able to look back and pull from this game and be better from it.” Hurts went on to say that he learned that in a game like that, communication and fundamentals are important, and being in attack mode. He admitted that those are things they should be focused on anyway, but particularly in those conditions. “I want to give a ton of credit to the team we just played. They’ve evolved as the years have gone on, and offensively, defensively, they’ve been very, very efficient in what they do. We talked about their front seven all week and how they’re able to affect the pass, and they did that tonight. On the other side of the ball, they were able to move the ball at certain points, but our defense nutted up and played a hell of a game. They got some crucial turnovers in those moments. Just attest that to the work that everyone has put in and be able to come out here and play in a snow game.” He was later asked if the game was challenging with those weather conditions, but he said they’re all the same if you have the right mental approach. He explained that it all bounces back on their preparation – conditions vary in every game, but it’s their job to prepare for what’s expected. “It was a different game, but we were able to weather the storm. That took complementary football, that took big-time plays on offense in the right moments, that took big-time plays on defense in the right moments, and special teams being able to play the way they did. I would’ve loved to capitalize on those turnovers when we had those opportunities, and we will the next time around. But just happy we were able to pull this one out and get a win as a team.” On Saquon Barkley’s 78-yard TD “I knew exactly what was about to happen. Just the run we had on, how they were playing the run, and then the man you’re handing the ball off to. You know that there’s an opportunity to take advantage of it, and [Saquon Barkley] took advantage of it. It was a big-time play we needed.” Other notables One thing Hurts took away from the pressure he faced against the Rams, was that rhythm is everything. They have to be able to find their rhythm – and that doesn’t necessarily mean quick passes, or long passes, or whatever, it’s just finding their niche. The QB had good things to say about Jalen Carter and his late-game sack to nearly secure the win. He called it a great defensive play, and while he was on the sideline preparing for two minute offense, the defense ended the game on their terms. “I couldn’t be more proud of them for that.” Hurts wouldn’t answer about the offense’s approach to play-calling when starting drives deep in their own territory, only saying that he tries to execute what is called and then deferring to Kellen Moore or Nick Sirianni for that answer. He didn’t seem too concerned about the missed connections on deep passes, saying they just didn’t connect — but also admitted it’s been a minute since they’ve done those in general, so it’s about learning and improving.
Eagles celebrate playoff win over the Rams
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images All’s well that ends well, and the Eagles will advance to the NFC Championship — but not without taking a minute to enjoy this snow game victory first. It wasn’t clean football. It wasn’t dry football. But the Philadelphia Eagles managed to win against the Rams and advance to the NFC Championship Game in a slippery snow game. The injuries to Jalen Hurts and Quinyon Mitchell aren’t considered long term concerns, the Eagles will get to host against the Commanders next Sunday in The Linc, and those are reasons to celebrate. As the snow fell and the Eagles secured their victory with just over a minute to play, the players were energetic in their celebrations from the sideline to the locker room. Sliding into the NFC Championship like….@saquon | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/V6xxsLa2Ol — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 19, 2025 Howie Roseman and Saquon Barkley celebrate the #Eagles advancing to the NFC Championship Game. pic.twitter.com/65lvZwWsMV — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 19, 2025 Howie Roseman and C.J. Gardner Johnson celebrate the next home game – the NFC Championship Game. pic.twitter.com/STJg18C4qe — Ashlyn Sullivan (@ashlynrsullivan) January 19, 2025 Best verse: E-A-G-L-E-S With the best fans in sports! NFC Championship pic.twitter.com/zwRUYOW9ta — Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) January 20, 2025 3 straight Conference championships….. GOD ! — C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) January 19, 2025 And, honorable mention to the defense doing snow angels in the endzone earlier in the fourth quarter. If there’s snow, make snow angels.That’s the rule! ¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/xIZlR70MD3 — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 19, 2025 The Eagles were getting a lot of love throughout the game from Philly alumni and other players around the league, too. Everyone was pretty much in awe of Saquon Barkley and all of the things that he does with the football in his hands. GREAT https://t.co/Oa67c6AssF — DIG B0ston. (@BostonScott2) January 19, 2025 So fknnn proud of that boy!!! Since day one the illesttt I seeen put on cleats, that’s on my soul @saquon — Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) January 19, 2025 Slay still hoopin!!! — Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) January 19, 2025 Good Game Eagles — Tay Gowan (@focused_4) January 19, 2025 Jalen Carter is different. — DJ Reed (@D7_Reed) January 19, 2025 So happy for Saquan, such a good dude Freak athlete While he was rehabbing his ACL he wanted to race one of the specialists to see where his speed was (kicker field games) 10 yards and he went on my movement… he beat me by 4 yards hahaha I was 4.9ish-40time here pic.twitter.com/xOZnwztmjc — Carson Tinker (@carsontink) January 19, 2025
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Philadelphia Eagles 28, Los Angeles Rams 22
The Philadelphia Eagles punched their ticket to the NFC championship game with a 28-22 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, led by a dominant performance from Saquon Barkley and a clutch defensive stand late in the game. Premium Content Sign Up NFL Divisional Round Recap: Philadelphia Eagles 28, Los Angeles Rams 22 2S7KY55 Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) sits in the snow as he celebrates his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) By Mark Chichester Posted Jan 19, 2025 6:38 pm EST • Los Angeles Rams • Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles punched their ticket to the NFC championship game with a 28-22 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, led by a dominant performance from Saquon Barkley and a clutch defensive stand late in the game. Barkley looked as good as ever in the snowy conditions, rushing for 205 yards (including 170 yards after contact) and two long touchdowns. His first came in the opening half on a 62-yard dash, and he sealed the game in the fourth quarter with a 78-yard run, breaking through the defense untouched. The Rams kept things close despite their struggles with turnovers. Matthew Stafford connected with Colby Parkinson for a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to 28-22. Stafford then drove Los Angeles deep into Eagles territory with two late completions, but Philadelphia’s defense held firm. Jalen Carter delivered a key sack on third down, and Stafford’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, ending the Rams’ comeback hopes. PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET. In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field. Sign up for PFF+ for in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more! HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS G Landon Dickerson, Philadelphia Eagles (94.6) DI Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles (91.3) Edge Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams (78.4) Note: Follow along with PFF’s in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed. Click here to see PFF’s initial grades from this game! PLAYER OF THE GAME Eagles interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter delivered a dominant performance on Sunday, earning 80.0-plus grades as a pass rusher and run defender. Carter recorded a game-high six pressures, highlighted by two critical sacks and two hits on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, his biggest play came against the run when he forced a fumble from Kyren Williams late in the game. This pivotal play swung momentum in the Eagles’ favor amid challenging weather conditions. ADVANCED BOX SCORE
Sean McVay ‘pretty shocked’ at finality of season
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images L.A.’s leading man processed some of what this loss means when he spoke to the media after the final whistle Sean McVay gave plenty of credit to the Philadelphia Eagles who defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoff Round, but he also expressed his own “shock” as the Rams season officially came to an end. The head coach reflected on being “bummed out that this journey is over.” “I think I’m up here pretty shocked because I know a lot of people didn’t believe we could come in here, but we have the full expectation to come in here, and I don’t think anybody ever really expected the end of the season to be right now, and the finality of it is tough for me to swallow because of the love and appreciation I have for this group.” LIVE: Sean McVay & Matthew Stafford postgame press conference following Divisional matchup vs. Eagles. https://t.co/t78MmoOcgq — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 19, 2025 You can blame turnovers, you can blame L.A. stalling out in the redzone a bit too often, you can blame Saquan Barkley, but no matter how you slice it L.A.’s season has come to an end, and it stings for the organization. The loss doesn’t mean that the head coach and team can’t reflect on how successful the season has been. The Rams gave it their all, and there’s something to be said for that. “Damn proud to be associated with this football team. I didn’t see it going any other way than us winning that game 29-28, and I think this game in a lot of ways epitomized the resilience, the grit, the ability to overcome adversity. Just had couple things that we couldn’t overcome, and they’ll be some things that we can learn from, but you know this is the time for gratitude, for appreciation. I love this group. I love this coaching staff. I love these players. And I also understand and appreciate how difficult it is to be in positions like this. Where you’ve got the game…you’ve got the game in hand. I felt like we had total control towards the latter part of that game. Momentum was in our favor, and we had an opportunity to be able to win that game, but we just came up short.” Despite how proud the team should be with how fun and successful their season was overall, that does not change how crushing, gutting and heartbreaking this loss has to be for the team who had aspirations of getting to the NFC Championship game and beyond. However, advancing further was not in the cards for the Rams, and that’s the hard reality for the head coach, the team and the fans. “I’m just really sad that this journey is over. This was a special season; it’s as much fun of a season as I’ve had.” And so, the Rams season has come its end, and whether McVay was ready for it or not that’s what happened. There will be plenty of time to look at how L.A. can bounce back next year, but for now the team will be watching the rest of the season from home. As shocking as it might be, that’s their reality.