WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – After a resounding Wild Card victory over the Vikings, the Rams will travel to Philadelphia for a rematch with the Eagles in the Divisional Round on Sunday at 12 p.m. PT. Their last game against Philadelphia ended in a 37-20 loss in Week 12 at SoFi Stadium. This time, they will be in below-freezing temperatures in a hostile environment at Lincoln Financial Field.
On Thursday, head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua spoke with the media about the upcoming Divisional Round matchup.
Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from those press conferences, which can be viewed below:
"I think humbling experiences with the right people can be great learning ops, great growth opportunities. I think there's a ton of respect that our guys have where you think you know what it's like, and then when (Eagles running back Saquon Barkley) gets to the second and third levels in the way that their offensive line is able to come off and get removal on some of their double teams, you have a real appreciation for the type of strain and finish that it's going to take to play at the level that we're capable of." - McVay
McVay called their previous matchup with the Eagles a "humbling experience" after the game. The Rams then went on to win six of their next seven games, including playoffs, and the one loss came with backups playing in Week 18. McVay said that experience was "definitely helpful" and acknowledged that both teams have improved since that matchup.
The Eagles are "as good as it gets defensively," McVay said, behind defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He has a ton of respect for "the way that his guys play, there's an identity, there's a philosophy" and his game plans are always curated for their specific opponents. Offensively, McVay said "obviously the run game is a big factor," after Barkley went for 255 yards in Week 12, but there are other things they need to focus on as well.
He added that Kupp, who hasn't produced as his normal level recently, "is always a focal point" and they are trying to get him involved but that sometimes the coverages "don't... allow that to occur."
The Rams "are aware" of the weather forecast, McVay said, and the biggest issue for them is, if the surface is affected, that their cleats won't be an issue. He added that, if it does rain or snow, they "have to be mindful of" how they should adapt. Still, Stafford has some experience in those conditions, so it won't be a completely new experience.
"I'll take (explosive completions) whenever I can get them, but the sooner the better, there's no question about that. For our team, (it puts) a little bit of wind in the sails. And each game is different, each team is different on how you can back them and how that might look. (It) may not be a bunch of 20-yard completions every single game, but finding a way to get points on the board, get down there, convert on third down, doing the things that it takes, it's huge. " - Stafford
Every time the Rams have scored a touchdown on their first offensive possession this season, they've won the game and scored at least 27 points. They did that last week against Minnesota and were on their way in Week 12 against the Eagles before running back Kyren Williams fumbled in the red zone. Stafford knows how important it will be to start fast against an Eagles team with elite playmakers on both sides of the ball. If they don't score first, Stafford says there will be no head-hanging, you "fight your a-- off on the next drive to try and go get points."
Stafford has faced Fangio various times on numerous teams. He said Fangio has "evolved with the game" and "put his spin on his defenses." He called this Eagles defense "the best in the league" depending on the numbers being considered, adding they will have their "work cut out" for them at all three levels.
In Week 12, Stafford said L.A. "didn't do a whole lot great," and they let the game get away from them, and they "never want that to happen." Since then, Kupp has struggled to produce, which Stafford said "has been strange." He's often been hit before being able to deliver balls to Kupp when he's been open in recent weeks, but Stafford said "anything we can do to get him the ball, that's great."
"Statistically speaking, I've gone through similar things... I just want to be playing good football. I just want to go back and watch the tape and see that I'm doing things the right way, separating, being with my teammates, blocking, doing my assignments, and I am, and that's all I can control and whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to continue to do that." - Kupp
Kupp came up with a clutch 29-yard catch on third down in the Wild Card round, but that was his only target of the game. Kupp hasn't gone for 30 yards or more in four-straight games now, but he's not worried about the production as long as he's doing everything in his power to do his job well, and he feels that he is, things just haven't aligned for him to produce at his usual level. Kupp believes that if he keeps doing his job well, "things will come full circle."
The current circumstances of the Los Angeles wildfires means that many people are out of there homes, and Kupp said "the reality sets back in pretty quickly of the gravity of the situation." He thanked the Rams for figuring out how to play and get fans to a new venue on short notice.
In terms of Sunday's weather forecast, Kupp said he hasn't played in "a true snow game," and it's unclear whether this Divisional Round matchup will qualify. He added that it was "so cool" watching the snow game that Stafford played in with Detroit. In those conditions, it comes down to "who wants it," Kupp said, and he knows L.A. will approach it the right way.
"It wasn't something that just kind disappeared overnight, a lot of people are still being affected (by the wildfires), and we're still trying to make sure that the efforts from our organization and the people of Los Angeles are being applied to everything." - Nacua
Nacau felt the excitement from the fans who came out to support the team in Arizona last week and he wants to make sure the team continues to show up for the city of Los Angeles. After starting 1-4, the theme of this squad has been "resilience" all year long, and the fires have only added to that. Nacua said "the classic saying is, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," and that holds true for the Rams still.
Eagles cornerbacks Darius Slay and Quinyon Mitchell are "two smart football players," Nacua said. He said Slay, as a veteran who played with Stafford in Detroit, knows the different movement patterns and the pair will present an "exciting challenge" for the wide receiver unit. Still, he added "I think we have the advantage in being the young guys."