WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – After a 33-19 victory in Tennessee, the defending Super Bowl Champions await the Rams in Philadelphia for a Week 3 showdown. The Eagles beat the Rams twice last year, including in the NFC divisional round, both teams are 2-0 heading into this week's game and added some integral new pieces in the offseason.
On Wednesday, head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Davante Adams spoke with local media about the win over the Titans and preparation for a playoff rematch with the Eagles. Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from those press conferences.
"You don't want to allow (running back Saquon Barkley) vertical seams. He's so damn dynamic and he's so explosive and if he gets a vertical seam and he gets clean to the second and third levels, he's as special of a slash runner as there is." - McVay
In last year's divisional round matchup, Barkley ran for 205 yards, which included 62- and 78-yard touchdowns. This time around, McVay said they will focus on filling the vertical seams that led to those big gains. He then added that Barkley's dynamic rushing style makes him just as effective in close quarters, however, so they will need to keep both him and quarterback Jalen Hurts bottled up as much as possible.
McVay said that Hurts, who also broke off a big touchdown run in that playoff game, is "a winner" and "a competitor." He can beat defenses with his "arm, legs or mind" and doesn't turn the ball over much.
As a team, Philadelphia plays the game "on their own terms" and McVay has "a ton of respect" for them. When asked if this game can serve as a "measuring stick" for the strength of each team, McVay said it's a "fun narrative" because of how good Philadelphia is, but he thinks of every game as a measuring stick. "Every week, when you get out there, and you go play in this competitive league, every opportunity you have is a measuring stick," McVay said. This week will just be one that's "a great challenge" because of the opponent.
"(Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is) as good as there is doing it, has been for a long time... They got a ton of talent on that defense at the moment and they're doing a hell of a job letting those guys go play. When you look at his defenses, they're multiple, they'll match personnel, they won't match personnel, they'll pressure certain games, not pressure other games, he just does a really nice job mixing it up, keeping you on your toes and making me think as a quarterback." - Stafford
Stafford has had several battles with Fangio over the years, both as a head coach and a coordinator, and the 17th-year quarterback has "a ton of respect" for the way he coaches and puts his players in positions to succeed. He also appreciates just how talented that defense is at all three levels.
The rookies and young players from last year, such as cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, did "a heck of a job," Stafford said. He also shouted out new additions like cornerback Adoree' Jackson, who he's played against numerous times, as "a really talented player" along with rookie safety Andrew Mukuba, saying he "looks to be the part." Top to bottom, Stafford praised the unit as being "really, really talented."
Thinking back to last year's playoff loss, Stafford said, "the closer you get, if you don't get there, it stings." So while this is a new season and both teams are different, he hasn't forgotten that heartbreak.
To start off the press conference, Stafford assured reporters that his back, which kept him out of training camp and most preseason practices, feels good and he's "ready to go" for Week 3. He came out "unscathed" against the Titans after taking just one sack in the road win where the Rams' star wide receiver duo of Davante Adams and Puka Nacua shined. When asked about the two, Stafford said, "It's nice being me," with a smirk on his face.
"Just like in the real world, whoever your boys' enemies are, those are kind of your enemies, so you adapt to that and you jump in and kind of just pick up where everything left off." - Adams
Adams acknowledged that the Philadelphia crowd is "a beast," and the team always comes ready to play. This year, with the Eagles coming off a Super Bowl and starting the year 2-0, Adams said they have "a really strong team, one of the best in the league." That means "there's going to be some extra intensity you have to bring to that and attention to detail to make sure you can win a game like this."
But this time around, Adams will be in the fold, along with inside linebacker Nate Landman and defensive tackle Poona Ford. Last game, Adams hauled in six receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown, and four players had at least 37 receiving yards in the victory. Adams said that depth "keeps these defenses honest" and makes double-teaming anyone dangerous for the defense.
Adams is confident in Stafford and his connection with the veteran quarterback, especially after last week's performance. So, when Stafford stepped up in the pocket and side-armed a ball that Adams scooped up just above the ground last week, he wasn't surprised. "(I'm) never surprised when he's throwing it, but some of the arm angles, maybe sometimes it'll throw me off, but I'm always ready," Adams said.
