Eagles' Saquon Barkley gets playoff date against Rams after 255-yard outing in 1st game

PHILADELPHIA -- — Sean McVay dissected the ways the Rams could potentially stop Saquon Barkley — only the ninth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history — when he considered the consequences if they did not.

“If they get a beat on what you’re doing,” McVay, the Super Bowl champion Rams coach said, “they will pound you and they will embarrass you.”

McVay and the Rams should know, better than any other team.

In a season full of splendid games, there was none better for Barkley than his November outing against the Rams.

Barkley ran for scores of 70 and 72 yards in the second half and finished with 255 yards rushing, an Eagles record. It was the ninth-most yards rushing in a game in NFL history, and he had 302 yards from scrimmage — the 12th player in NFL history to top 300, and the first Eagles player to hit that mark.

Against LA on Sunday in the divisional round, Barkley is ready for an encore.

For the second straight week in the playoffs, the NFC East champion Eagles get a regular-season rematch. A week after knocking off Green Bay for a second time, the Eagles host the Rams just seven weeks after Barkley sparked a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium.

“They will see stuff on tape that they will want to do differently,” coach Nick Sirianni said.

The same applies to the Eagles.

The Rams' defense, just 22nd in the NFL against the rush, would have been just as happy erasing the game video than being forced this week to watch Barkley run roughshod over them.

Barkley topped the Eagles franchise records of 217 yards rushing by LeSean McCoy in 2013 and 296 total yards by Duce Staley in 2000. He also had the biggest rushing performance ever against the Rams, exceeding DeMarco Murray’s 253 yards for Dallas in 2011.

The Rams couldn’t stop Barkley the first time, and there isn’t much statistically that says they’ll stop him this time. Los Angeles allowed 353.1 yards per game this season, including 130 yards rushing.

“I think when you have humbling experiences with the right kinds of people, those are where the real growth (opportunities) exist," McVay said. “I think we had a lot of guys that really, as a team, you can look inward and you can say, ‘Is this really what we want to be about? Where are the things that we can adjust and adapt from a coaching perspective?’”

The Rams' defense rebounded from the humbling defeat. Not only did it adjust, it became arguably the team's strength down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

Just ask Minnesota.

The Rams not only harassed Sam Darnold and his hapless blockers for nine sacks, they also held All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson without a catch in the second half of their 27-9 wild-card win over Minnesota.

That put the Eagles on notice.

“Any time guys play together, build cohesiveness, build connection, they are going to play better and better and better,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said.

Barkley ran for 119 yards in his Eagles playoff debut, and the Pro Bowl back who spent his entire career playing in East Coast winters should be up for the challenge in a game where temperatures are expected in the teens with some snow expected.

Chip off the old chopping block

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is better known of late for his outstanding play than simply just being the son of Eagles Hall of Fame linebacker Jeremiah Trotter.

The elder Trotter was known as the “Axe Man” from his childhood days chopping logs into firewood with his father. The younger Trotter doesn’t quite have a catchy nickname just yet -- but the 6-foot, 225-pound rookie has caught on as a special teams contributor and emerging defensive player.

With Nakobe Dean out of the season with a knee injury, Trotter is expected to play the bulk of the snaps against the Rams.

“I think Trot’s got a good future and that future may be now,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “He’s got good instincts. Really likes the game. He’s smart. He’s got a lot of good qualities.”

It helps that Trotter was raised around the game. His father was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors three times. He held 2-year-old Jeremiah Jr. in his arms on the field after the Eagles beat the Falcons in 2005 in the NFC championship game.

“I've been watching the Eagles ever since I was a kid,” Trotter said. “I was around the facility, around the people here that are still here now. Being able to put on the jersey is definitely a great feeling. It's a different point of view. It's definitely something that's surreal playing for your hometown team.”

Now 22 years old, the fifth-round pick out of Clemson recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff against Green Bay that led to an Eagles score on their first drive.

He's ready to show what he can do on defense on the postseason stage.

“Just coach Fangio saying that about me shows the confidence he has in my abilities,” Trotter said.

The book on the Birds

A.J. Brown wants to add another successful chapter to the Eagles’ postseason run with a win over the Rams.

Launching a little-known self-help book to No. 1 on Amazon’s bestseller list was just a bonus. Brown went viral when he passed time on the bench against Packers by flipping through the pages of “Inner Excellence” by mental skills coach Jim Murphy.

The book hit No. 1 overnight because of Brown’s influence.

“Hats off to Jim. I talked him, he’s a great guy,” Brown said. “The book is amazing. For all who bought the book, check it out.”

He might also want the Eagles to open a book — a playbook that will call his number.

Brown, who topped 1,000 yards receiving for the third straight year, was held to one catch for 10 yards against Green Bay. He had six catches for 109 yards and a TD the first time out against the Rams.

QB battle

Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes for 209 yards and completed his first 10 passes, including all six on the opening touchdown drive, against the Vikings. Hurts threw for a modest 131 yards and two TDs against the Packers in his return from three-week layoff because of a concussion.

Los Angeles — the football team, but especially the city — had a tough week as wildfires have devastated large portions of the metropolitan area.

Stafford played a key role in settling the Rams as they were forced to move their home playoff game to Arizona.

“There’s an aura that he had about himself,” McVay said. “I could really feel that when we were practicing on Saturday at Arizona’s facility. I felt that really from our whole team but certainly with him as the leader and being in a position where you’re naturally thrust into a leadership role. When number nine is feeling good, it sure makes me feel good too.”

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