Banged-Up Eagles Blow 10 Point Lead in Home Loss to Rams

The Philadelphia Eagles were in the drivers seat in the fourth quarter of their 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Oct. 4, leading 20-10 with less than ten minutes to play and a first down inside the Rams’ 10-yard line.

Three short runs and an incomplete pass gave Los Angeles the ball back at their own 2; the Eagles (2-2, 1-2 NFC) converted just one of four fourth downs on the afternoon, their injury-caused desperation showing in the worst possible way. Los Angeles promptly went on a 98-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 1-yard rush from running back Kyren Williams; Philadelphia went three-and-out, and the Rams took their first lead of the game with 70 seconds to play on another Williams rush. Los Angeles’ ferocious pass rush got home to Jalen Hurts, with linebacker Byron Young sacking him twice on the ensuing drive.

Facing fourth-and-25 with less than 20 seconds to play, Hurts’ heave to undrafted free agent Darius Cooper — who led the team in receiving with three catches for 33 yards and two touchdowns on a day where top pass-catchers DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert sat due to injury — fell incomplete. The Eagles’ injury situation got even worse when running back Saquan Barkley limped off the field with a hamstring injury on their second drive of the game and never returned. Hurts completed just 12 of 27 passes for 93 yards, adding just 18 yards on five carries.

Turning Defense Into Offense

While Philadelphia managed to take a 3-0 lead on the drive, set up by an interception in Rams’ territory from safety Andrew Mukuba, Los Angeles immediately tied the game with a field goal drive of their own. Britain Covey set up the Eagles’ first touchdown of the game with a 41-yard punt return; Hurts found Cooper for an 18-yard score — one that Cooper ripped out of the hands of Rams’ defensive back Quentin Lake — but the Rams again showed their ability to punch back with an end-around touchdown from Puka Nacua.

Stafford’s second interception of the game fell into the hands of Cooper DeJean, who set up another quick touchdown drive before the half. The Eagles never scored again, but a missed field goal and turnover on downs from the Rams delayed the inevitable.

Up next, the Eagles will travel to London to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11; the Jaguars will serve as the home team across the pond.