Early weather forecast for Rams-Eagles is bad news for the LA Rams

The LA Rams had only faced one bitter-cold game this season. But if the weather forecast for Philadelphia holds, the team will need to overcome the time zone, the Philadelphia Eagles, and Mother Nature. While the Rams will not face sub-freezing temperatures, the team is undoubtedly preparing for the worst of Mother Nature's winter's fury.

Per nflweather.com, the Rams are forecasted to face snowy conditions, with a kickoff temperatue of 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Steady winds are projected out of the NorthWest at 8 miles per hour, gusting up to 20 miles per hour. The chance of snow will drop through the game, from 40 percent chance to 35 percent, while temperatures are projected to fall as the game progresses, down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit at the final whistle.

When the Rams faced the New York Jets (4-11) on the road in Week 16, there was a lot of thought placed on how the team might strategize to get optimal performance in the cold. The Rams passed 19 times, and rushed 32 times, in that game. And to get how the team deployed their sub-packages, I turned to Lineups.com to find that the Rams deployed their 12-personnel on 20 percent of the offensive snaps.

But that was the Jets, a team that had long since been eliminated. Do not expect a similar game from the Eagles.

Everyone understands how weather impacts football games. With cold and snow, the production from the passing game diminishes, and the production of the rushing game magnifies. That is evident in Week 16, when the Rams gained 110 yards through the air, and 132 yards on the ground. In terms of scoring, the Rams got one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown.

But here comes Eagles RB Saquon Barkley. He gashed the Rams for over 300 yards of offense and two touchdowns the first time these two teams met. If the weather forecast pans out, that will give the Eagles an even greater homefield advantage than they already have. In other words, all things (but the weather and time zones) being the same, Barkley would likely have even more offense against the Rams' defense in Week 12 than he originally generated.

The Rams team entering the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs is not the same team that lost to the Eagles in Week 12. Not only have young rookies gained more experience, but the team has elevated starters to optimize the team's performance. And the team is much healthier, getting starting right tackle Rob Havenstein back is a huge plus.

Then there is the fact that the LA Rams are playing for the city of Los Angeles, California. Even now, the city has been decimated by wildfires, displacing thousands of families and destroying hundreds of businesses in the Los Angeles community. The players on the Rams roster are not just playing for a paycheck and a shot at an NFL trophy. This is a team on a quest to rally and unite the citizens of their community, to cling to hope for some positive outcome, and to make good on the hopes and aspirations of Rams fans worldwide.

As long as the Rams are playing football, there are more opportunities to use their platform to share how people can aid firefighting and rescue efforts, and the victims of wildfires. The LA Rams players and coaches have used their podium well so far. I think they will leave it all on the football field in an effort to advance to the NFC Championship Game, continue to play football, and continue to publicize how to aid Los Angeles residents and businesses.

The Rams have more to play for than any other team in the NFL.

As always, thanks for reading.

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