The Rams are due.
For the fourth time in less than three years, they'll challenge the Eagles. A third trip to Philadelphia in 21 months.
The environment is hostile, and the series has been unkind. At times, the losses have been as improbable as they have been devastating.
Last season's defeat from up 26-7 in third quarter was too horrific to believe or relive.
A win on Sunday has the power to dull that memory and flip LA's early-season fortunes.
The Rams have only beaten the Eagles once in the last 22 seasons. There's no getting around that. They'll have to go through it.
It's time.
Admittedly, there is a disconnect so far.
The Rams' yards aren't converting to points. Their pressures have yet to become sacks.
It's very unlike the Rams to commit double-digit penalties like they did in Denver, and until they play a game without multiple giveaways, it's tough to gauge how good they can be.
And we all know there's still a ton of room for growth in the kicking game, which will be spotlighted as the Rams return to the scene of the two fourth quarter blocked field goals that cost them a win in their most recent trip to Philadelphia.
We dug into all those dimensions on Between the Horns, and why there's plenty of reason to be optimistic about the near-and-long-term future of this team.
Once again in 2026, the Eagles are dealing with a bit of an early-season malaise. It's not unlike them, and based on precedent, it's probably only a matter of time until they find their form.
While Philadelphia is dealing with key injuries on a short week, following a prime time loss in Chicago, like the Rams, they still boast one of the most complete rosters in the NFL.
So what's plaguing them?
Let's start with Jalen Hurts, who's already thrown three interceptions – something he didn't do until Week 14 last season. The under-center, play-action based attack many were expecting with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has not materialized. It's been seldom utilized and mostly unproductive.
Hurts is running less often, and behind a reshuffled offensive line, Saquon Barkley has not been able to get on track while dealing with a stinger. Fellow running Tank Bigsby lost a first quarter fumble last week, as well.
Early down inefficiency has been a steady talking point around the Eagles, who have gone three-and-out on 29 percent of their drives since 2025, the worst rate in the NFL.
Defensively, Philadelphia does not have a takeaway yet this season and the Eagles are tied with the Rams for fewest sacks (three) in the league. That doesn't compute given their talent and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's sterling reputation.
For the first time under Nick Siriani's leadership, they've given up at least 20 points three straight games to open the season. Here's to a fourth.
Notable & Quotable
Far more characteristic is that the Eagles' defense has loaded the box on a league-low 29 percentof snaps this season, according to NFL Pro, marking back-to-back seasons in which they have led the league in light boxes. That should bode well for Kyren Williams, who routinely sees loaded boxes in response to the Rams' tight end usage. Williams was phenomenal on Sunday Night Football; he and Bijan Robinson are the only two players with 70 rushing yards and 70 receiving yards in a game this season.
As for finishing drives with touchdowns?
"What's great about it is there are a lot of good things and there are things that if we want to be a team with the standards that we do have, we have to execute more consistently," Sean McVay said this week. His team is leading the league in yards but somehow is down at 20th in scoring.
They may be shorthanded at tight end this week, with injuries to Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson. For a unit that has used 13 personnel on a league-high 42 percent of snaps this season, that may necessitate a pivot. Thankfully, Tyler Higbee has a track record in Philadelphia and is coming off another history-making performance.
"(Higbee's) what it's all about when it comes to our team and how he plays and how he leads that room," Matthew Stafford told the media this week. Despite being 0-4 against the Eagles as a Ram, Stafford has the same 8:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio as Hurts in their four head-to-heads.
Higbee was targeted 11 times in Denver, while Davante Adams got 13 opportunities. The 33-year-old has a career-high yardage total (358) through three games, but he'd prefer to tout his young apprentice.
"(Konata Mumpfield) plays X, F, Z. He literally plays every position," Adams said about the second-year pro, after Konata Mumpfield caught four balls for 93 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos. "There's not a lot of players that are able to do that, let alone get asked to do that by a coach like Sean (McVay)."
Now, the receiver room gets Puka Nacua back on the field for the first time since Australia. He led the Rams with 11 catches for 112 yards the last time they faced the Eagles.
The Rams have scored at least 24 points in seven straight road games, representing the longest active streak in the NFL. Sunday, they have a chance to tie the franchise's longest streak (eight games between 1999 and 2000).
Defensively, they boast the top corner in the NFL so far this season. Trent McDuffie has been every bit as advertised and should be an early candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
We'll be curious to see how much the Rams can keep McDuffie on DeVonta Smith this week, who is second only to Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seahawks in terms of his team's target share.One in every three passes Hurts throws goes to the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner. As of this writing, however, Smith is dealing with a hamstring injury and has not practiced on a short week.
With McDuffie leading the way, and with a nod to Quentin Lake who has also been outstanding, the Rams are allowing the second-fewest passing yards per attempt (5.1) in 2026, trailing only the Seahawks (4.6).
They'll be down a major piece without Jaylen Watson on Sunday, after he injured his shoulder in Denver. It's another opportunity for Josh Wallace, who played a resilient game in prime time. In the closing seconds, the versatile defensive back was incorrectly denied what should have been his second and game-clinching interception.
"He came back to me after a couple of those plays and said, 'Hey, I owe you one'," defensive coordinator Chris Shula recounted this week. "Then he comes out and gets the pick and said, 'I told you, Coach.' He's just unfazed… He's the guy that we've always trusted to go play good football for us and we don't expect any drop off."
Watching the West
The Commanders did LA a solid last week and picked off Seattle (2-1) in Sam Darnold's return to the lineup. The Seahawks allowed 33 points in Week 3 after only allowing 17 combined in their first two victories. Now, they look to bounce back at home against the winless Chargers.
Atop the division, the 49ers (3-0) are the only team with a top-five scoring offense and scoringdefense in 2026. Injury depleted though they are, they've scored touchdowns on all but one of their 10 red zone trips and Brock Purdy has yet to be sacked. This week, the Broncos team that just beat the Rams visits Santa Clara.
And lastly, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love had the most productive day of his young Cardinals career with 90 rushing yards at Levi's Stadium. Now he and the Arizona Cardinals (1-2) go to New York for a matchup with the Giants, who recently surrendered 163 rushing yards to the Rams.
