LA Rams contend with a much stronger Phidalelphia Eagles in week 2

LA Rams contend with a much stronger Philadelphia Eagles lineup in week 2

LA Rams fans know a thing or two about untimely injuries. In 2019, the LA Rams were practically a clinic in how to adapt to player injuries. In that season, the Rams conducted four mid-season trades, restaffed 80 percent of the offensive line, restaffed 75 percent of the defensive secondary, and still managed to finish the season at 9-7.

Of course, the Philadelphia Eagles have endured untimely injuries as well. That is once more the case for the Eagles as the team is well on its way to preparing to face the visiting LA Rams this Sunday. The LA Rams have remained relatively healthy so far. The Eagles are already battling injures in batches. After the week one loss to the Washington Football team, the Eagles announced placing DB Craig James and DE Vinny Curry on injured reserve.

Loaded up on OL

The Eagles added last year reserve offensive lineman Sua Opeta from the practice squad to fill one of the open roster spots.

It’s getting to a point that as players heal and return to the lineup, others fall to injury. The news of two players heading to injured reserve somewhat steals the thunder from the news that both OT Lane Johnson and RB Miles Sanders would likely return to the team for week two.

With two starters back into the lineup, playing at home, and already down 0-1 in the early part of the 2020 NFL season, this is not a game the Eagles will look past. In fact, it may very well be the presence of the Rams on their schedule in week two that may have distracted the Eagles from finishing off their week one win after jumping out to a 17-0 lead.

Los Angeles Rams

Can the Eagles run the ball?

After a brutal game one, the Philadelphia Eagles will try to settle quarterback Cason Wentz down a bit.  That means the team will try to get some production out of the running game. While Sanders is capable of putting up some yardage, he has only rushed for 100+ yards once in his career. For the Rams game, the Eagles will need to do a much better distribution of 17 rushes and 42 passes.  The Dallas Cowboys leaned heavily into their passing game with just 27 rushes and 39 pass plays.

The Eagles passing game featured tight ends. Of 42 pass plays, 16 passes were thrown to tight ends Dallas Goedert or Zach Ertz.  Of the remaining 26 tosses, seven went to Desean Jackson, seven went to Greg Ward, four went to John Hightower and four went to Jalan Reagor.

Running back resolution

The remaining four went to the Eagles’ running backs, Corey Clement and Boston Scott. That’s a pretty healthy distribution to receivers, but a strong bias towards the passing game. Sanders’ return will likely result in more attempts to run the ball early. But if that proves to be unsuccessful, the Eagles will not hesitate to open up the passing game full throttle once more.

That is not to say that the Eagles will go five-wide formations. With Rams DL Aaron Donald on a rampage, the Eagles will likely plan to have a running back in pass protection on each play. If not needed, the running back becomes an outlet receiver.

A New Hope

Still, in spite of the past failures, there are plenty of reasons for optimism for the Rams this time around. Wide receiver, Cooper Kupp, has never faced the Eagles before.  Jalen Ramsey has never faced the Eagles on the Rams roster. In fact, only RB John Kelly had any rushes against the Eagles in 2018. And much like the 2019 Dallas Cowboys, the 2018  Philadelphia Eagles were 6-7 and were desperate for a win.

The LA Rams, though 1-0, are not yet at that stage where they are complacent. Nobody on the roster is looking past the Eagles to the Buffalo Bills.  The players are just starting to grow into the roles envisioned by the team’s coaches.  The Rams have a lot of talent, and new stars will emerge this week. I think the Philadelphia Eagles will be a monster in the second half of the 2020 season. But in this one, it’s the LA Rams who are just a bit more focused and hungrier.

The LA Rams have listened to critics for nine months telling the team just how bad they would be this year. They have a ways to go to silence them.