By Nick Tricome
Copyright phillyvoice
The Eagles held on to take the Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs last week, and now they’ll no sooner have another from 2024’s postseason run.
The L.A. Rams, who the Eagles topped through the snow in the Divisional Round back in January, will be coming back to Lincoln Financial Field 2-0 and aiming to stay unbeaten.
The Eagles, also at 2-0, have the same aspirations, though with some mounting concerns after the first two weeks of a new campaign.
One of them has to go in the loss column. Here’s the PV staff’s predictions for who it will be in Week 3…
• GAME INFO •
2025 Regular Season Week 3
Eagles (2-0) vs. Rams (2-0)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pa.)
BROADCAST INFO
TV: FOX (Joe Davis, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver)
RADIO: 94.1 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Devan Kaney)
BETTING LINES
*Lines as of Monday, Sept. 15
Jimmy Kempski (2-0)
Eagles 26, Rams 21
In Week 1, the Eagles’ defense kinda got roasted by a talented wide receiver duo in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and it would’ve been worse if they hadn’t dropped a bunch of passes. They got a bit of a reprieve Week 2 against the Chiefs, who were missing their top two receivers. In Week 3, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will be another big test. I do like that matchup for the Rams.
However, I like a bunch of matchups in the Eagles’ favor more, beginning with the Eagles’ rushing attack against a Rams front that got straight-up bullied in the run game in the two matchups between these teams last season. I also like A.J. Brown’s chances of breaking out against maybe the smallest set of corners in the NFL, even if we haven’t yet seen much from the Eagles’ passing attack.
It’s also worth noting that the Rams could be without a small handful of starters, while the Eagles could be getting Dallas Goedert back from a one-game absence.
MORE: Five things to watch in Eagles-Rams
Evan Macy (2-0)
Rams 27, Eagles 20
The Rams’ duo of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams is going to be the issue here. Adoree Jackson is already beat up a bit and he’s been pretty shaky so far at CB2.
The Eagles skirted by the Cowboys in Week 1 thanks to Dallas having a subpar defense. LA’s defense, in contrast has allowed just one touchdown this season and is allowing the third fewest yards per play at 4.3. I am concerned that the Eagles’ offense is still stuck in neutral and this is not the opponent for them to find their footing against. This is a brutal stretch to start the year and they won’t get out unscathed. This will be their first loss.
Geoff Mosher (1-1)
Eagles 26, Rams 20
No matter how ugly they’ve looked offensively, the Eagles keep winning. And they’ve beaten two teams that aren’t pushovers.
The Rams are the perfect elixir for the Eagles’ recent lack of explosive plays, because their light defensive front was overwhelmed twice last season by Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 460 yards and four touchdowns total in two games against them. I don’t expect a 180 from the passing offense in one week but given the Rams being down a cornerback already, I’d expect Jalen Hurts to find a few big plays downfield.
Defensively, the Eagles will have trouble with Puka Nacua, as all teams typically do, but they’ll get enough pressure to make Matthew Stafford just uncomfortable enough to keep the Rams from moving the ball with ease. They’ll be good for one or two turnovers, which has been the difference so far for the Eagles in their first two games.
The Rams’ pass rush is somewhat concerning, with Byron Young already having three sacks and with Jared Verse already having three QB hits. They won’t blitz nearly as much as the Chiefs did, but they can collapse the pocket in a way that forces Hurts to be uncomfortable and rush with the discipline to keep Hurts from improv runs.
But I still think the Eagles will look better offensively than they have the first two weeks. If not …. yikes.
MORE: Eagles-Rams Week 3 injury report, with analysis
Nick Tricome (2-0)
Rams 28, Eagles 17
I think this is where luck catches up to the Eagles in the early going.
The Eagles’ defense and its adjustments to contain offenses as the game goes on have been the team’s true strong suit to start, but the way Matt Stafford has started and how he threw the ball against the Titans last week might prove too much if he carries it over. The Adoree’ Jackson matchup that will be against either Puka Nacua or Davante Adams especially seems ripe for Stafford to pick apart.
Offensively, this feels like the week where the Eagles’ stagnation and struggles to get the ball to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will bite them. Teams don’t want Saquon Barkley to beat them, so they’re keying in on him and taking their chances with Jalen Hurts.
Obviously, the Chiefs lost big on that bet in the Super Bowl, but two weeks into 2025, the results have varied. Hurts can run, too, but the Eagles’ offense just can’t seem to get any passes beyond a few yards until way late into the game, when they’ve usually been in need of a bailout.
It just doesn’t seem like sustainable football to chip and struggle your way to 20 points, then retreat into clock-killing mode.
In fairness, last year’s Eagles did that for a long time, too, and it worked out. But 2023’s Eagles also stumbled like that a lot and it blew up in their face.
We don’t know which is which yet for 2025, but a loss this week might be a good reality check for the Eagles that they can’t get by like they have.
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