Over one year ago, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay watched his team throw away a 19-point lead in a road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The loss was made even more bitter by the fact that quarterback Matthew Stafford drove the team into field goal range, but the game-winning attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
The game was supposed to be a turning point for the team. After their loss to Philadelphia in the playoffs, the Eagles' closest margin of victory in their Super Bowl run, some believed that would be the moment the Rams announced to the NFL that they were the team to beat in the NFC.
On that day, the humbling truth hit the franchise. Their special teams were their fatal flaw, their secondary
was weak, and they couldn't close the door against the big dogs. Stafford was their ultimate savior, but he is only one man, and he could only do so much.
An omen for the rest of the 2025 season, the Rams looked like the best team in football, let their conference and division lead slip in the final weeks, before their issues led to their loss in the NFC Championship Game.
That Eagles game defined the rest of the Rams' season, and the same situation will occur on Sunday. The Rams are without Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Jaylen Watson, and crucial pieces of their 13-personnel offense (pending on Colby Parkinson's status). All offseason, the media stated the team's biggest weakness was their lack of depth. Their stars are out; can the rest of the roster respond?
The Eagles are down a plethora of players, so this is an early-season tone-setting contest. One team will establish themselves as a true contender; one will leave looking like an overrated joke. There is no reason for the Rams not to win. They still have the better team and the stronger operation.
If the Rams win, we will know they have the championship-caliber depth the media kept calling a concern. If the Rams lose, the harsh reality will set in that this team is closer to division contender status than championship favorite status.
With all to play for so early in their campaign, can the Rams finally show the grit they have been promising? Their weakened defense should provide the answer.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: For 2nd straight year, Eagles game puts Rams at a crossroads
