Published Oct 1, 2026 · 7:18 PM ET
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IC LITE – NFL EDGE ::
GAME SETUP ::
- Rams (1-2) face Eagles on short rest after Philadelphia’s Monday night loss to Chicago.
- Puka Nacua expected back; DeVonta Smith doubtful with a hamstring injury.
LOS ANGELES PATH ::
- Nacua and Adams anchor a pass-heavy approach against an Eagles defense Case Keenum just carved up.
- Tight end losses (Parkinson, Ferguson) shift volume toward receivers and elevate Tyler Higbee.
PHILADELPHIA PATH ::
- Saquon Barkley and the ground game must carry the offense with Smith likely out and Lemon struggling.
- Eagles rank 28th in success rate and face a Rams defense second in yards per play allowed.
LIKELIEST GAME FLOW ::
- Rams lean pass-heavy early, chasing points against an Eagles team not built to play from behind.
- Philadelphia’s shrinking weapon pool makes sustaining drives a chore against a strong Rams defense.
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GAME OVERVIEW ::
- The Rams enter Week 4 with a disappointing 1-2 record and are looking to right the ship after a difficult schedule to open the season.
- Philadelphia is playing on a short week of rest after losing to the Bears on Monday Night Football in a game where the Eagles offense looked completely out of sorts.
- Los Angeles expects star receiver Puka Nacua to return to the field after a two game absence that was caused by a hip/groin injury he sustained in practice.
- The Rams lost their top two tight ends, Colby Parkinson and Terrance Ferguson, to injuries in Week 3 and both have yet to practice this week.
- Eagles star receiver DeVonta Smith missed practice both Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring injury, leaving his status in doubt.
HOW LOS ANGELES WILL TRY TO WIN::
The Rams season has been disappointing in the standings, but zooming out things are not as dire as they may seem. While a 1-2 record is far from what they envisioned entering the season, their two losses have been against very good teams in difficult environments. Playing two games without their best offensive player doesn’t help, either. After a disappointing opener in Australia for the entire team, Puka Nacua suffered a hip/groin injury in practice prior to Week 2 and missed the last two games. There were rumors that Nacua could be out long-term, but the team never put him on IR and he is back practicing now and expected to return for the trip to Philly. After losing to arguably the best team in the league right now (49ers) and getting hosed by a couple of late calls in Denver, the Rams can get back on track with a big road win over the Eagles. They play the Bills next week, but after that they have a soft schedule for the next several weeks. If the Rams can take care of business here, they can get right back on track with their Super Bowl aspirations. On the other hand, a loss would put them at 1-3 with a primetime matchup against Josh Allen on deck. Make no mistake, this is a huge game for the Rams rest of season outlook.
Los Angeles loves to use their tight ends in their offense and have one of the deepest rooms in the league, but that depth is being tested. Their top all-around tight end is Colby Parkinson, who left early with shoulder and knee injuries in Week 3, and their third best receiving option behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams is second year tight end Terrance Ferguson – who is a matchup nightmare. Ferguson hurt his ankle in the first half of Week 3. Both Parkinson and Ferguson have yet to practice this week and are unlikely to play. Without them on the field, veteran Tyler Higbee stepped up with eight catches for 62 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets.
The tight end dynamic, along with the return of Nacua, puts the Rams in position to lean into a pass-heavy approach against an Eagles defense that just got picked apart by veteran journeyman Case Keenum. Nacua is a top-3 receiver when he is healthy and Davante Adams proved the last two weeks that he certainly still has the ability to be an elite receiver. The longest reception Adams had all of last season was 44 yards. He has a 49-yard and 64-yard reception in the last two games. Along with Adams and Nacua, the Rams saw Konata Mumpfield step up last week as another big play threat. The Eagles have serious talent in their interior defensive line and have given opponents fits on the ground this season. The Rams were 6th in EPA per rush in 2025 and 1st in rushing success rate. This year, they rank a lowly 26th in EPA per rush but still a respectable 7th in rushing success rate. Essentially this is telling us that their rushing has been consistently solid, but they are not breaking off the chunk runs we saw for much of 2025. This dynamic along with the hits to their tight end depth and the profile of the Eagles defense leads me to believe they will pass at a very high rate in this spot. Expect the Rams to be creative in how they approach this game and to find ways to move the ball through the air, with the priority being to play with a lead and force the Eagles offense to press.
Where This Game Turns
Mike Johnson sees Philadelphia’s offensive erosion reaching a tipping point, and details why Saquon Barkley and the Rams’ defensive matchup could define this game. Free signup.
DFS+ Interpretations::
Added Oct 1, 2026 · 7:18 PM ET
The Volume Play
Mike Johnson is building a surprising Rams-Eagles stack, zeroing in on Kyren Williams at a price point he rarely endorses and a Makai Lemon angle most will overlook.
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