When the Eagles go for their seventh win a row Sunday, they'll do so on the national stage.
The Los Angeles Rams are slated to welcome the Eagles to SoFi Stadium for Sunday Night Football in Week 12, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on the call for NBC.
The Eagles were pretty underwhelming across the first month of the 2024 season, as they entered the bye week with a 2-2 record. However, Nick Sirianni's squad appears to have been one of the rare teams to have benefitted from such an early bye week, as Vic Fangio's defense has gone from allowing 24 points per game over the first month of the season to 13.8 points over the last six games. Rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell appears to be a franchise cornerstone. Offensively, Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley are both playing at high levels, with the latter a favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year.
Still, this won't be an easy game. Beyond having to travel across the country, Sean McVay's Rams have gotten healthy with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp forming one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL. Even at 36, Matthew Stafford remains one of the most gifted throwers of the football in the sport. At 5-5, the Rams are right in the thick of a wide-open NFC West, so this is a big game for them.
Depending upon where you look, the Eagles are either a 2 1/2 or 3-point favorite over the Rams on Sunday Night Football. Here's what our On Pattison staffers believe will happen Sunday evening.
Tim Kelly
Score: Rams 26, Eagles 20
Game MVP: Jared Verse
If you watch football for long enough, you do start to get gut feelings about certain games.
A couple come to mind in this one. 1) The Rams need this game way more than the Eagles. 2) The Eagles have proven to be one of the better teams in the NFL, but I'm still not sure they're win seven in a row and push the Detroit Lions for the NFC's No. 1 seed good.
We've talked quite a bit about how great Mitchell has been, but Jared Verse — the No. 19 overall pick back in April — has had that type of impact for the Rams. He's a game wrecker, even if it doesn't always translate to him getting a sack. Verse has 4 1/2 sacks, but also has 42 combined tackles, 14 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. I think he'll make a game-sealing play for the Rams late, handing the Eagles their first loss since September.
Anthony SanFilippo
Score: Puka Nacua
Game MVP: Rams 23, Eagles 20
This just reeks of a game that trips up the Eagles. The offense takes a hit with no DeVonta Smith and the Rams offense is sneaky good. Jake Elliott misses another field goal in this one and sends the city into an all-out panic that the kicker is going to prevent the Eagles from winning a championship. Those are my favorite overreactions.
Eagles 2024 Uniform Schedule: What Will Philadelphia Wear on SNF?https://t.co/MWByu7qXWx
John Foley
Score: Eagles 27, Rams 17
Game MVP: The Eagles' secondary
This is a really fun matchup for the Birds. I can’t wait to see how Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and the rest of the Eagles’ secondary handle the Rams’ talented wide receivers.
I think they’re up for the challenge. By the numbers, this Eagles defense is balling out. But so far, it’s been hard for people to wrap their heads around the D’s rapid improvement. Not sure if everyone fully trusts what we’re seeing yet.
One more dominant performance this week and everyone will be on the bandwagon.
Austin Krell
Score: Eagles 24, Rams 17
Game MVP: Saquon Barkley
I have to eat my words. This team looks legit. The Rams certainly won’t have home-field advantage. No DeVonta Smith makes the offense a little more difficult to come by. But, 8-2 is better than 5-5. How’s that for math?
