The number is seven is iconic and even lucky, some say. Across all different landscapes, the number is prominent. There’s the Seven Wonders of the World, seven days in a week, 007 in the James Bond world and so on. Well, the Eagles have a chance to make is seven straight wins if they come out on top Sunday night in a clash against a now healthy Los Angeles Rams team who currently sit at 5-5 and winners of four of their last five.
Here’s a look at five key matchups to focus in on when these two teams due battle to cap off Sunday’s action out in Los Angeles.
Quinyon Mitchell, Darius Slay, Cooper DeJean vs. Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson
By now you must have heard the Eagles have two impressive rookie cornerbacks in Mitchell and DeJean and Slay has provided veteran leadership to the young group. The trio will be tested often in this game. The Eagles do not move their corners around, meaning Mitchell stays at right cornerback and plays whoever he matches up with, Slay does the same on the left side and DeJean is in the slot.
Now the secondary for the Eagles has been sensational, holding opponents’ wide receivers to 113 or fewer yards and just one touchdown over the last six weeks. During that stretch, only Ja’Marr Chase was able to have a decent game against this trio (9 REC, 54 yards, 1 TD) while they have shut down the likes of Terry McLaurin (1 REC for 10 yards), CeeDee Lamb (6 REC, 21 yards), and Malik Nabers (4 REC, 41 yards) during that span.
However, the Rams love to move their three wideouts around in motion with Kupp, Nacua and Robinson, but the trio primarily lines up on one side of the field throughout the games. Nacua, back from a PCL sprain that sidelined him for five weeks, is back to form is poses as a serious perimeter threat who stations on the right side of the field (74%) so Slay will be tasked with defending one of the top up and coming receiving stars in the league.
The Eagles’ rookie will have to handle Robinson (65%) on the left side while the lethal Kupp (37%) in the slot will go against DeJean. It will be another tough task for this defense, but for Mitchell who has started to garner the nickname “Quinyanomo Bay” thanks to becoming one of the top lockdown cornerbacks in the league, he will once again look to keep that trend going Sunday night.
Eagles’ Pass Rush vs. Matthew Stafford
The Rams’ quarterback continues to defy logic when it comes to his age and ability. The 36-year-old has passed for 2,557 yards so far this season which ranks 7th in the NFL and now has all of his weapons back at his disposal while keeping the Rams above water during the injuries to Nacua and Kupp. Stafford is your typical pocket passer and when you give him time, he still can dissect a defense better than your 8th grade biology teacher.
The pass rush has come on strong as of late for the Eagles, racking up 21 sacks during this six-game winning streak. The defense will need to get pressure Sunday night and will need to do it without EDGE rusher Bryce Huff who is getting surgery on his wrist. Huff, who was signed to be the team’s top pass rusher, got off to an extremely slow start, but started to pick it up a bit as of late, tallying two sacks and a forced fumble over the last five games.
Jalen Carter vs. Kevin Dotson
Carter turned in a big performance last week against Washington, playing on every defensive snap, the first time he’s done so in his young career. According to Next Gen Stats, Carter is the only interior defensive lineman in the league who has generated multiple pressures in every game this season. He has taken off after a very solid He will look to get by Rams’ right guard Kevin Dotson.
Dotson, a 4th round pick by the Steelers in 2020, was traded to the Rams in a pick swap for the 2024 and 2025 NFL draft. After a big 2023 season, the Rams signed him to a 3-year, $48 million contract extension this offseason. Prior to the season was ranked the 12th best right guard in the league per PFF after a big 2023 season where he ranked behind only Atlanta’s Chris Lindstrom with an 85.2 PFF overall grade. He did not allow a pressure in the Rams win against New England last week for just the second time this season and has struggled more so in pass protection this year, grading out at just 58.6 according to PFF.
Zack Baun & Nakobe Dean vs. Kyren Williams
Williams exploded on the scene for the Rams last season and has picked up where he left off this season, although he has come back down to earth a bit in terms of finding the end zone and the Eagles linebackers will need to keep it that way if they want the best chance to win Sunday night.
Williams scored a touchdown in each of the first six games, eight total, running for 50 or more yards in five of those six games. However, over the last four games, Williams has scored only once, on a reception, against the Vikings four weeks ago. The shifty back is a threat out of the backfield, commanding as many as seven targets in a game this season. He might not be as involved in the passing game with Nacua and Kupp back in the mix, but Baun and Dean along with the EDGE rushers will need to set their focus on not only shooting gaps and sealing edges, but also cover Williams out of the backfield effectively to avoid any dump offs or check downs that could break out for big gains with the skillset Williams possesses.
Jake Elliott vs. Himself
Elliott has become a beloved athlete in Philadelphia for his huge kicks throughout his Eagles’ career as he has put himself in the same conversation with David Akers as the franchise’s best kicker. However, an abysmal showing last Thursday certainly will be on the minds of many fans when he trots out for his first field goal attempt in this one.
Elliott missed two field goals and an extra point in the Eagles 26-18 win over Washington, leaving seven points on the scoreboard. The eighth-year kicker had his best season in 2023 where he had a career-best seven field goals of 50 yards or more and entered the season as the 8th-most accurate kicker of all-time in terms of field goals. However, Elliott has not been nearly as successful this season, going 14-for-19 on field goals and has yet to make a 50-yarder.
The good news for Elliott is that SoFi Stadium is a climate-controlled venue so he shouldn’t have to deal with any elements. This is a game where one of the game’s best kickers has to get back on track and to avoid any further uncertainty from not only himself, but the coaching staff and fans down the home stretch of the regular season.
The Eagles visit the Rams on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium with kickoff slated for 8:20 p.m. Make sure to follow the entire PSN Eagles’ team for updates, content and more throughout the season.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
