Matthew Stafford’s heartbreaking loss to Eagles reveals 3 big concerns

The Los Angeles Rams’ offense depends heavily on the play-action pass. When the ground game is clicking, the entire playbook opens up. In Week 3 against Philadelphia, the rushing attack looked sharp early, racking up 37 yards on six carries in the first quarter. By the start of the fourth, the backfield had combined for 134 yards on 24 attempts.

As long as Kyren Williams and Blake Corum can sustain that level of production, the Rams can control the clock, keep defenses guessing, and work in the passing game. But things never fully clicked in their 33-26 heartbreaking loss to Philly. The offense sputtered throughout, and while the defense held strong early, the momentum slowly slipped away.

It wasn’t all bad. Matthew Stafford found Davante Adams for a gorgeous 44-yard touchdown strike, the kind of play fans expect from a pair of seasoned veterans. With that score, Adams has now caught a 40+ yard touchdown from four different teams.

3 takeaways from Matthew Stafford’s Week 3 loss to the Eagles

1. He threw a pick and shrugged it off

The 37-year-old quarterback opened the game with an interception that handed Philly a short 38-yard field. It took just nine plays and 5:21 for the Eagles to capitalize with a touchdown. But Stafford didn’t unravel after the pick. He bounced back by leading the offense to 26 unanswered points. Still, the team settled for four field goals on five scoring drives—hardly ideal when playing a contender.

2. He threw two touchdowns under pressure

Despite shaky protection, Stafford delivered two touchdown passes — one to Adams from 44 yards out and another to Williams from 10. The showing vaulted him past Matt Ryan into ninth place all-time in career touchdown passes. It wasn’t enough to win, but it reinforced why he’s still the Rams’ best option at quarterback.

3. Did you see him grab at his back?

After a hit from Jalen Carter, Stafford was slow to get up and noticeably reached for his lower back. That moment coincided with the offense going cold. Philadelphia rattled off 26 straight points while the Rams mustered only two field goal tries — both blocked. The swing helped create a 13-point gap that proved insurmountable. However, the offense struggled a bit after Stafford appeared to have suffered a tweak to his back.

The loss was a heartbreaker. This was a winnable game that got away. But even with the loss, the team proved to be competitive. As always, thanks for reading.

More Los Angeles Rams news and analysis