The Eagles are one win away from the Super Bowl and will host the NFC Championship Game next week after beating the Rams 28-22 on Sunday afternoon at the Linc.
This game ended up being a little too close-for-comfort at the end, but the Eagles were able to get it done and advance to the conference title game.
Here are our position grades from the win:
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts: 15/20, 128 yards, 7 sacks for 63 yards; 7 attempts, 70 yards, 1 TD
This is a weird game to grade the quarterback because conditions obviously weren’t great for throwing the football and the Eagles didn’t really ask Jalen Hurts to air it out. Hurts did some good things in this game and didn’t turn the ball over again. But he also took seven sacks, including a safety late in the third quarter and one that took them out of field goal range in the second. His pocket awareness against the Rams wasn’t great. But he did have a 44-yard touchdown run — the longest run of his career. And if A.J. Brown doesn’t drop two balls, Hurts’ numbers look way better. Hurts also suffered an apparent leg injury in this game; he said he will play next weekend but we’ll monitor that injury all week.
Grade: C+
Running back
Saquon Barkley: 26 carries, 205 yards, 2 TDs; 4 catches, 27 yards
We’re running out of ways to tell you how incredible Saquon Barkley is. He had a 62-yard touchdown run and a 78-yard touchdown run in this game. He broke the Eagles’ franchise record for rushing yards in a playoff game and had the fifth-best rushing game ever in the NFL playoffs. When he hits a hole, he’s just gone. And give credit to Kenny Gainwell, who had 10 yards on each of his two touches when Barkley had to get checked out on the sideline late in the first half.
Grade: A+
Receiver
DeVonta Smith: 4 catches on 4 targets, 21 yards
This was a quiet game for the Eagles’ passing offense in a snowstorm. Hurts threw for just 128 yards and Smith led the way for the receivers with just 21 yards. A.J. Brown was targeted 7 times but had just 2 catches for 14 yards, although one of them was a key first-down pickup on fourth down. Brown also had two uncharacteristic drops in this game. But the receivers blocked well in this game to help spring a couple of those long runs.
Grade: B-
Tight end
Dallas Goedert: 4 catches on 4 targets, 56 yards
Goedert had 56 yards and would have had another 19-yarder if it hadn’t been for an ineligible man downfield penalty. Goedert’s 31-yard catch and run in the third quarter helped set up the 44-yard Jake Elliott field goal for the Eagles to take a lead.
Grade: B+
Offensive line
Hurts was sacked seven times in this game but it didn’t seem like a lot of that was on the offensive line. Could they have been better in pass protection? Yeah, probably. There were some leaks. But the Eagles’ offensive line mauled in the run game and led the way for a 285-yard day on the ground against a smaller Rams defensive line. They bullied them again.
Grade: B+
Defensive line
Jalen Carter: 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 QB hits, 2 TFLs, 1 PBU, 1 FF
The Eagles needed a big-time performance from their stud defensive tackle and Jalen Carter came through. His sack on third down late in the game quite possibly saved the Eagles’ season. They also got sacks from Moro Ojomo (his 1st career sack), Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. Both Smith and Carter forced fumbles in this game. It was good to see the Eagles sack Matthew Stafford five times.
Grade: A
Linebacker
Zack Baun: 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 FR
Like he has all season, Zack Baun was all over the field. This time, he had the added responsibility of wearing the green dot in the absence of Nakobe Dean. Give credit to Oren Burks, who replaced Dean in the lineup and played very well. Vic Fangio talked about playing both Burks and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. but stuck with Burks. The veteran had 6 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 pass breakup and 1 quarterback hit.
Grade: B+
Secondary
Darius Slay: 6 tackles, 3 PBUs
The Eagles’ secondary got a little leaky on the penultimate Rams drive and let them march down the field way too quick. They also missed out on a couple interceptions that they should have had — one from Cooper DeJean and one from Isaiah Rodgers. But Slay had a few big breakups, C.J. Gardner-Johnson had a huge TFL on third down. And even though Rodgers gave up some plays in relief of Quinyon Mitchell (shoulder injury) he made some too, like his 40-yard return after scooping a fumble.
Grade: B
Special teams
Jake Elliott: 3/3 on FGs, 1/3 on PATs
The Eagles still probably have some concerns about Elliott, who missed two extra points in this game. But credit Elliott for making all three of his field goals in awful conditions. He drilled field goals from 44, 23 and 37 yards in this game. Braden Mann did a great job of getting some bad snaps down for those field goals. He also punted four times for 199 yards (49.8) with a long of 57 and pinned 2 inside the 20. Kenny Gainwell had a 44-yard kickoff return.
Grade: B+
Coaching
Nick Sirianni definitely had some interesting game management at the end of the first half that could have come back to bite them. And Kellen Moore’s play calling was questionable in some moments too, like a second-down rollout for a hobbled Hurts late in the game. But the Eagles’ defense came through when they needed it and the offense leaned into a dynamic run game to get them into the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles are back in the NFC Championship Game for the second time in four seasons under Sirianni.
Grade: B
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