Last-gasp drive comes up short for Rams in season-ending loss to Eagles

PHILADELPHIA —  Cooper Kupp walked to the middle of an empty Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday morning.

He looked around, as if he was taking in the scene.

Hours later, Kupp trudged through the snow-covered field with his teammates, retreating to the stadium’s visiting locker room in the wake of the Rams’ 28-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs.

The Rams’ season was over.

Kupp’s time with the team could be too.

PHILADELPHIA —  Saquon Barkley’s final play Sunday was, appropriately, a handoff.

The Eagles running back left the Siberian swirl happening on the field and ran up the locker room tunnel, a cluster of handlers and TV cameras in his wake.

PHILADELPHIA —  It was a cold way to end a season.

The Rams came to Lincoln Financial Field with an opportunity to win an NFC divisional-round game and host the NFC championship.

The Philadelphia Eagles were having none of it.

On a snowy and windy day, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley once again dominated the Rams, who could not overcome two late fumbles in a 28-22 defeat.

The Eagles will play the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game next Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

“I’m happy to be a part of this team and proud of this group, coach Sean McVay said. “And I’m really bummed out that this journey is over.”

🏈 Eagles 28, Rams 22 — FINAL

Jalen Carter sacked Matthew Stafford on third down, and the Rams’ quarterback failed to connect on a pass intended for Puka Nacua on fourth and long to seal Philadelphia’s win in the NFC divisional playoffs.

After Kobie Turner sacked Jalen Hurts for a 12-yard loss to spur a three-and-out for the Eagles, the Rams got the ball at the L.A. 18 with 2:23 left.

Stafford connected on an 11-yard pass to Demarcus Robinson on third down, then found Nacua on an incredible 37-yard catch. Another 10-yard catch by Nacua moved the ball to the Philadelphia 13.

But a false-start penalty on Kevin Dotson, coupled with Carter sacking Stafford for a nine-yard loss, set up a fourth-and-11 situation that proved too much for the Rams to overcome in the snowy conditions at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles will play the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game next Sunday.

Stafford completed 26 of 44 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. Kyren Williams rushed for 106 yards in 19 carries.

Saquon Barkley rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in 26 carries. In November, he rushed for 255 yards in a win over the Rams.

Hurts completed 15 of 20 passes for 128 yards. The Rams’ defense sacked him seven times.

🏈 Rams-Eagles summary

Check out the game summary from the Rams’ loss Sunday.

🏈 Eagles 28, Rams 22 — 2:48 left in the fourth quarter

Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Colby Parkinson on a four-yard touchdown pass to cap a 10-play, 70-yard drive that took less than two minutes off the game clock.

The touchdown was exactly what the Rams needed after their last three possessions went nowhere. A 21-yard catch by Puka Nacua and an 18-yard pass to Tutu Atwell fueled the drive.

🏈 Eagles 28, Rams 15 — 4:36 left in the fourth quarter

Saquon Barkley scored on a 78-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a commanding lead late in the fourth quarter. Jake Elliott missed the extra point.

The touchdown came after the Rams went three-and-out on the heels of two possessions ending with fumbles.

Barkley has 196 yards and two touchdowns in 24 carries.

🏈 Eagles 22, Rams 15 — 6:18 left in the fourth quarter

Another costly Rams fumble has allowed the Eagles to extend their lead.

Jake Elliott kicked a 37-yard field goal to cap an eight-play, 19-yard drive that started after a Matthew Stafford fumble.

Nolan Smith strip-sacked Stafford and Zack Baun recovered the ball for the Eagles at the L.A. 45.

Despite the snowy conditions, the Eagles got into field-goal range when Jalen Hurts completed a nine-yard pass to A.J. Brown on fourth-and-four.

🏈 Eagles 19, Rams 15 — 12:43 left in the fourth quarter

The Eagles had to settle for a 23-yard Jake Elliott field goal after a false-start penalty on fourth-and-goal from the one thwarted a potential touchdown.

On the previous play, Saquon Barkley was initially credited with scoring a two-yard touchdown before it was nullified on review.

After giving up a safety, the Eagles quickly got into the Rams’ red zone off a Kyren Williams fumble. With the snow coming down as hard as it has all game, the Rams running back lost the ball when Jalen Carter punched it out of his arms. Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers recovered it and returned it 40 yards to the L.A. 10.

🏈 Eagles 16, Rams 15 — End of third quarter

Rams defensive lineman Neville Gallimore sacked Jalen Hurts in the end zone for a safety that pulled the Rams to within one point.

Rams punter Ethan Evans had pinned the Eagles at the four-yard line.

Saquon Barkley rushed for four yards before Gallimore broke through and sacked Hurts.

The Rams have six sacks.

🏈 Eagles 16, Rams 13 — 2:19 left in third quarter

Jake Elliott put the Eagles back in the lead with a 44-yard field goal.

The Eagles drove 44 yards in nine plays.

Jalen Hurts’ 31-yard pass to tight end Dallas Goedert was the key play that moved the Eagles to the Rams’ 31-yard line.

🏈 Rams 13, Eagles 13 — 7:37 left in the third quarter

Joshua Karty kicked a 34-yard field score to tie the score.

The Rams had moved into scoring position on a 30-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp and a 30-yard run by Kyren Williams.

But on first-and-goal from the eight-yard line, Stafford fumbled attempting to hand off to Williams, who recovered the ball for a seven-yard loss.

After a short pass to Tyler Higbee, Stafford was sacked for a three-yard loss, bringing on Karty.

Rams rookie defensive lineman Braden Fiske sustained a knee injury in the first half and will not return.

🏈 Eagles 13, Rams 10 — 12:47 left in the second quarter

Joshua Karty trimmed the Eagles’ lead with a 30-yard field goal.

Matthew Stafford’s 48-yard pass to receiver Demarcus Robinson early set up the field goal.

The Rams drove to the 11-yard line, but the Eagles stopped Kyren Williams on a third-and-two play.

Stafford has completed eight of 12 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Williams has rushed for 40 yards in seven carries.

🏈 Eagles 13, Rams 7 — 1:07 left in the first quarter

Saquon Barkley scored on a 62 yard run to put the Eagles back in the lead.

Barkley scored on runs of 72 and 70 yards against the Eagles’ 37-20 victory over the Rams in November.

Barkley’s run capped a three-play, 83-yard drive.

On the first play of the drive, Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was called for unnecessary roughness for a hit on receiver DeVonta Smith on a long pass that fell incomplete.

🏈 Rams 7, Eagles 6 — 6:32 left in the first quarter

Matthew Stafford tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee to give the Rams the lead.

The Rams drove 67 yards in 13 plays for the touchdown.

Higbee was involved in a key play early in the drive when a pass that was initially ruled incomplete was overturned on review.

The play kept alive a drive that included a 20-yard run by Kyren Williams and a 16-yard reception by Puka Nacua.

Stafford has completed four of eight passes for 33 yards. He was grimacing as he walked off the field after taking a big hit during the drive.

🏈 Eagles 6, Rams 0 — 11:55 left in the first quarter

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scored on a 44-yard run to give the Eagles the lead.

Jake Elliott missed the extra-point attempt.

The Eagles drove 74 yards in six plays.

Hurts completed three of three passes for 25 yards. Saquon Barkley had two carries for five yards.

The Rams weathered a soggy downpour and won in Santa Clara. They played in a freezing windchill and won in New Jersey.

On Sunday in Philadelphia, the forecast calls for temperatures in the low 30s and a chance of snow for the NFC divisional-round game between the Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Rams coach Sean McVay is not concerned.

“If it does snow or if it does rain, we have to be mindful of what we need to do to adjust and adapt,” McVay said this week, “but there’s no way it can be as cold as it was at the Jets game.”

Jared Verse spent three years of high school in Pennsylvania.

So the Rams rookie edge rusher knows all about the Philadelphia Eagles, his team’s opponent Sunday in an NFC divisional-round playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Was Verse an Eagles fan?

“I hate Eagles fans,” Verse told The Times on Thursday. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”

Verse repeated the phrase multiple times. And the front-runner for defensive rookie of the year did so with the same passion evident in his pass rushing.

Verse noted that when the Rams played the Eagles in November at SoFi Stadium, Eagles fans gave him an earful of obscenities that he could make out despite wearing headphones.

“I didn’t even do nothing to ’em,” he said. “It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans.”

Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday:

Rams inactives: QB Stetson Bennett, WR Tyler Johnson, S John Johnson III, LB Brennan Jackson, OL Justin Dedich, OL Joe Noteboom, OL AJ Arcuri

Eagles inactives: QB Tanner McKee, CB Eli Ricks, DB Lewis Cine, OL Nick Gates, OL Darian Kinnard, OL Trevor Keegan, WR Ainias Smith

Matthew Stafford played in one Super Bowl with the Rams and won. Jalen Hurts played in one Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles and fell short.

Both quarterbacks aim to return to the NFL’s biggest stage.

One will take a step toward that goal on Sunday when the Rams play the Eagles in an NFC divisional-round game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

“I’m enjoying the hell out of it,” Stafford, a 16th-year pro, said of the preparation. “I know the guys on our team are doing the same.

Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was unemployed when the NFL season began.

Cornerback Cobie Durant weathered injury and declining playing time after midseason.

Defensive lineman Neville Gallimore was inactive for three games, Desjuan Johnson six.

Tight end Davis Allen was targeted only 13 times.

Cooper Kupp was the 2021 NFL offensive player of the year and the MVP of Super Bowl LVI.

But going into Sunday’s NFC divisional-round game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the eighth-year pro has not statistically been a large part of the offense.

Kupp had only one target and one catch in the Rams’ 27-9 wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings. The reduced role in the passing game continued a trend that began in the latter part of the season.

“We really try to get him involved,” coach Sean McVay said. “He’s always a focal point. Sometimes the coverages don’t end up allowing that to occur. ... Like any great leader, I think he was just glad to be a part of winning for our team, but he’ll always be a guy that we want to try to be able to get involved.”

Kupp suffered an ankle injury in the second game of the season and sat out four games. In 12 games, he had 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns.

“You pray a lot,” Kupp said this week when asked how he copes with his reduced role. “You do a lot of prayer and meditation.”

Kupp noted that he had gone through statistical droughts before.

“Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to continue to do that,” he said. “I do believe that if you do things the right way for long enough, eventually things will come back full circle. I’m going to take that mentality, keep praying and these things will work out.”

Quarterback Matthew Stafford said it has been “strange” because there have been several plays when he intended to target Kupp, but the play went awry for other reasons such as being hit before he could deliver the ball.

The quarterback and receiver saw evidence while reviewing tape together.

“He’s like, ‘It’s kind of been the way it’s gone,’” Stafford said. “Sometimes those things happen and he’s an unbelievable teammate, a guy that sacrifices for our team in so many different ways.

“I know that we’re at our best when everybody on the field is touching the ball and he made his presence felt [against the Vikings] with a big-time catch on a third down that we needed. Anything we can do to get him the ball, that’s great. If you talk to him, he’s just such a great team guy. He’s all about us winning and doing whatever he can to help us win.”

Kupp, apprised of Stafford’s comments, agreed.

“That’s been kind of the story of the year,” he said. “It’s just kind of been every time… the few plays that you have a really good opportunity to make a big play it just breaks down somewhere. It doesn’t work out, but that’s football.

“That’s football and I’m on a really long streak with some unfortunate things that happen. It is what it is. I’m going to continue to compete and battle. I’m going to continue to come in here and work for these guys. That’s how it goes sometimes.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. —  First, the Rams played for their city.

Now, they’re playing for their pride.

The Rams staged an incredibly uplifting win Monday night, among the greatest in franchise history, when they beat the 14-win Minnesota Vikings in the NFL’s first relocated playoff game.

The NFC wild-card game was moved to Arizona because of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, and the host Arizona Cardinals took great pains to make their home look like SoFi Stadium.

Questions, anyone?

Going into the season, the Rams defensive line and pass rush was regarded as a major question mark. The retirement of future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald left a humongous hole in a unit that had to be rebuilt with first- and second-year players.

On Monday night, the Rams defense had another coming-out party of sorts.

The Rams tied an NFL postseason record by sacking Sam Darnold nine times in a 27-9 NFC wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium.

It was an embarrassing defeat, a night when Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley dominated the Rams.

On Nov. 24, Barkley rushed for 255 yards and scored on runs of 70 and 72 yards in a 37-20 victory over the Rams at SoFi Stadium.

The defeat marked a turning point for the Rams.

Coach Sean McVay challenged his players to give their best effort over the final 39 days of the season. The Rams reeled off five consecutive victories before McVay rested starters in a season-ending loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

After winning a “home” game in another state to advance to the NFC divisional round of the NFL playoffs, the Rams are truly on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field will be hostile and cold, a stark change from the Rams-friendly conditions during their wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The forecast calls for temperatures in the low 30s with sleet and snow a possibility.

The Eagles defeated the Rams 37-20 on Nov. 24 at SoFi Stadium, but the Rams rebounded to win five of their last six games before eliminating the Vikings.