Rams have Chris Shula's defense to thank for outdueling the Eagles

The Los Angeles Rams understood their Week 4 game in Philadelphia meant far more than the schedule suggested. They'd need a win to avoid plummeting to 1-3.

The Eagles weren't about to lay down, either, after being embarrassed on Monday Night Football in a lopsided loss to the Chicago Bears. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford brought in a four-game losing streak versus the Birds since arriving in Los Angeles.

The Horns could not dare look past Week 4. Too much was riding on a victory.

Chris Shula's defense certainly did its part, holding the Eagles to 172 total yards, 104 rushing, and a whopping 68 net passing yards. LA's pass rush recorded four sacks, while Eagles failed to convert a single third-down conversion on 12 attempts.

By all accounts, the Rams defense dominated. And had to. LA squeaked out a 24-20 win on Kyren Williams' second rushing score of the day with less than two minutes on the clock.

Rams DC Chris Shula called his A game despite depleted roster

You may have expected the defense to struggle in this one. Edge rusher Myles Garrett, defensive lineman Aaron Donald, and cornerback Jaylen Watson were out. Fans were well within their rights to be skeptical about LA's chances on the road.

Let's be clear. Winning in a hostile environment leaves little margin for error. The Eagles had motivation, confidence, and home-field advantage. They entered the game 4-0 against Los Angeles in the teams' most recent meetings. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was one of the reasons. He seems to have Sean McVay and Stafford's number.

The Rams offense sputtered until the fourth quarter. Credit Shula for ensuring that his defense did not let the game get completely out of hand. He called the shots for a very aggressive game plan that bombarded Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts with a carpet bomb of third-down blitzes.

Look no further than Philly's 0-for-12 third-down attempts for proof that the tactic worked.

Early on, Fangio's defense humbled the Rams once again. But in the final quarter, he allowed the them to score 14 unanswered points. Shula's defense, on the other hand, held the Eagles scoreless in the second half. LA stopped them on fourth down three times, and forced six punts.

Against the odds, with some help from a self-stagnating Eagles offense, Shula outmastered the defensive master. It was an ugly win, but beating Fangio's defense on the road is beautiful. On that, Rams fans can agree.

As always, thanks for reading.

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