5 Keys To Victory: St. Louis Rams At Philadelphia Eagles

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams travel to Philadelphia after their bye to take on a struggling Eagles team. They are dealing with their fair share of injuries and struggles, which makes them vulnerable against a hungry Rams team that has had two weeks to gameplan against Chip Kelly. Here are Ramblin’ Fan’s 5 Keys to Victory for the Rams at Eagles game:

1.) Austin Davis must own the offense

QB Shaun Hill is listed as probable against the Eagles, but head coach Jeff Fisher opted to go with the hot hand. QB Austin Davis has far exceeded the expectations set by many when he took over for Hill in week one against the Vikings. He has shown poise, accuracy and a feisty attitude thus far. Now that he has been given the keys to the offense, he must own it and  show that he can consistently orchestrate drives down the field.

2.) Control the tempo

Chip Kelly and the Eagles thrive on the hurry up offense. The Rams must run the ball when they have possession to control the pace of the game. This will keep QB Nick Foles and company off the field while also ensuring the Rams defense is well rested. Expect a heavy dose of RB’s Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham against an underachieving Eagles front seven.

3.) Brian Quick vs. Bradley Fletcher

Quick has been living up to the hype this season, posting a 16/235/1 stat-line through the first three games. Fletcher, on the other hand, has been victimized repeatedly this season by opposing quarterbacks. Quick will have plenty of opportunities to make plays on the outside.

4.) Rams D-Line vs. Eagles O-Line

The Eagles are glad to have RT Lane Johnson back in the lineup after serving his four game suspension. On the other side, LT Jason Peters will be tested by DE Robert Quinn, who is yet to register a sack this season. Philadelphia is weakest in the interior of the line after losing standout C Jason Kelce. Look for DT’s Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers to push the pocket from the inside.

5.) Limit explosive plays

The Eagles are loaded with offensive weapons that can take it to the house on any given play. Lesean McCoy, Darren Sproles, Jeremy Maclin and an improving Jordan Matthews make up the core of the Eagles attack. McCoy has been struggling so far this year and the Rams will need to do their part to make sure that continues if they want to even their record to 2-2.

Check back with us after the game to see our Keys to Victory: Revisited.