The Rams this season weathered a soggy downpour and won in Santa Clara. They played in a freezing wind-chill and won in New Jersey.
On Sunday in Philadelphia, the forecast calls for temperatures in the low 30s and a chance of snow for the NFC divisional-round game between the Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Rams coach Sean McVay is not concerned.
“If it does snow or if it does rain, we have to be mindful of what we need to do to adjust and adapt,” McVay said this week, “but there’s no way it can be as cold as it was at the Jets game.”
But are the Rams well-suited for a game in the snow?
“We can’t simulate what that weather is like out here,” McVay said Friday after practice, “but that’s not going to be an excuse for us to not be locked in.”
When it comes to adjustments, the biggest will be how the Rams attempt to slow Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
On Nov. 24, Barkley rushed for 255 yards and two long touchdowns in a 37-20 victory over the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
First-year defensive coordinator Chris Shula, echoing coach Sean McVay, described it Friday as a “humbling” night.
So Shula must devise a scheme to keep Barkley under control, while also taking into account quarterback Jalen Hurts, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert.
Shula showed an ability to adapt in last Monday’s wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, scheming a blitzing pass-rush plan that netted nine sacks. One caused a fumble that edge rusher Jared Verse returned for a touchdown.
Is there an equivalent schematic adjustment to slow Barkley?
“There’s no perfect defense,” Shula said, adding, “so if you want to devote a lot of resources to the run, they obviously have some really good receivers and a really good quarterback.”
Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore also has the benefit of one of the NFL’s biggest and best offensive lines.
But the Rams showed against the Vikings that they are “playing as well as any defense in the league right now,” Moore said.
“You could tell just every phase of that defense is tied together, and the front is doing an excellent job getting pressure,” Moore told reporters in Philadelphia. “The challenge when you get in obvious passing situations, those guys are as good as it gets in this league collectively “
The Eagles defense, under coordinator Vic Fangio, once again offers McVay one of his greatest challenges.
Fangio was the architect of the 2018 Chicago Bears defense that limited a high-powered Rams offense to six points. Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick borrowed heavily from that scheme and limited the Rams to three points in Super Bowl LIII.
In the November loss to the Eagles, the Rams totaled 290 yards and failed to convert all eight third-down opportunities.
Fangio’s defenses reveal “an identity and a philosophy, but I think there’s a flexibility” that enables Fangio to adapt to his personnel, McVay said.
“They’re obviously at the top of the charts in every single metric that really matters,” McVay said. “We know what a great challenge it’s going to be, and how little margin for error you have if you expect to consistently move the ball and ultimately finish drives.”
Fangio also respects McVay.
“He’s got a great offense that he has great command of,” Fangio told Philadelphia reporters this week. “And he’s a really good play-caller.
“During the game he can change gears on you at a moment’s notice. He’s one of the top play-callers in this league, for sure, without a doubt.”
Etc.
Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (thigh) was limited and defensive lineman Bobby Brown III (shoulder) and offensive linemen tackle Alaric Jackson (chest/knee) and Justin Dedich (illness) did not practice. All are listed as questionable, but McVay said he expected all would be available to play against the Eagles. Inside linebacker Troy Reeder and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison, who returned Thursday from injured reserve to practice, are out.
