Los Angeles Rams 22-28 Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley stars in the snow as the Eagles reach the NFC Championship Game | NFL news

Saquon Barkley sat in the snow as the Philadelphia Eagles survived a late scare to beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in a dramatic but thrilling performance to advance to the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Barkley started with a 62-yarder in the opening quarter before extending his lead to 28-15 with a 78-yard touchdown burst with five minutes to play on his way to 205 yards on the night, and continued a remarkable first year. Philly that saw him reach 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season.

Second-year defensive tackle Jalen Carter paced the Eagles with two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble as the Rams were made to pay for the loss.

Jalen Hurts finished 15 of 20 for 128 yards and a rushing touchdown, while Matthew Stafford threw for 324 yards and two scores as the Rams saw their career end.

The Eagles now travel to face Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans next week, a month after losing 36-33 in a thriller against their NFC East rivals.

Leaders of statistics

Los Angeles Rams

Passing: Matthew Stafford, 26/44, 324 yards, 2 TDs
Speed: Kyren Williams, 19 carries, 106 yards
Reception: Puka Nacua, 6 catches, 97 yards

Philadelphia Eagles

Passing: Jalen Hurts, 15/20, 128 yards
Speed: Saquon Barkley, 26 carries, 205 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving: Dallas Goedert, 5 catches, 56 yards

As Rocky Balboa music played in Philly, snow fell and chaos erupted in the second half of slips, slides, drops, plays and a smidgen of Saquon.

The Rams threatened to turn it around late at Lincoln Financial Field when Stafford connected with Colby Parkinson for a four-yard pass with 2.48 to play just minutes after Barkley thought he had put the game away with a 78-yarder.

When the Eagles next stalled, Stafford – carrying a game-high 51 drives – was able to convert on third-and-10 to Demarcus Robinson before surprising the Eagles with a 37-yard touchdown to Puka Nacua, who was there. hand for a sideline catch to move his side to the 21-yard line with 1.33 left.

After a foul penalty against Kevin Dotson forced Los Angeles to go back to second and 12, Carter all-but sealed the game later by sacking Stafford for a loss of nine on third and two. With the last chance, the Rams quarterback couldn’t find Nacua while the Eagles breathed a sigh of relief.

Touchdowns by Jalen Hurts and Barkley gave the Eagles a 13-10 lead at halftime, before Joshua Karty’s 34-yard field goal tied things up at the start of a snow-covered second half.

Jake Elliott responded with a 44-yard field goal to restore the Eagles’ lead, but not panic after Hurts injured his knee while being tackled by safety Jaylen McCollough. The quarterback was taken to the blue tent for treatment before returning in a knee brace.

The pain seemed to deepen as his lack of movement allowed Neville Gallimore to bring him down for a safety to bring the Rams within 16-15.

Rams running back Williams then felt the wrath of an inspired Carter, who fired the ball well before seeing teammate Isaiah Rodgers run to the 10-yard line. Barkley was later stuffed at the one-yard line, but where the Eagles could often choose to ‘kick the tush’ in ‘instead turned to Barkley due to Hurts’ injury.

It led to another stop by the Rams’ defense, followed by a false start penalty against Lane Johnson that forced the Eagles to settle for Elliott’s 23-yard field goal to make it 19-15.

Carter wasn’t the only one who was aggressive in the Georgia Bulldog, Nolan Smith making his presence felt on the Rams driving by forcing another fumble, which Zach Baun found to make Elliott’s 37-yard kick to lead 22-15. 6.18 left.

Aware of the impending snowfall, both teams detonated traps in search of a safe place. And it was the Eagles who struck first on the sixth play from scrimmage when Hurts missed a 44-yard touchdown run, Elliott missing the extra point. It served as the longest of the Eagles quarterback’s NFL career and an immediate reminder of Philadelphia’s threat to read through Hurts and Barkley.

The Rams responded immediately when Tyler Higbee pulled Stafford’s needle pass between two defenders en route for a four-yard touchdown at the end of the 13th play.

The drive looked like it might go ahead on third-and-seven when Stafford’s pass to Higbee was ruled incomplete, Sean McVay made a fumble. Williams later had a turnover on fourth-and-one to set up a first down from the four-yard line.

Barkley’s moment wasn’t far behind, the NFL’s leading rusher following Mekhi Becton’s broken block to drop a 62-yard touchdown and a 13-7 lead.

Karty extended the lead to three with a 30-yard field goal before Verse provided driving sacks on Philadelphia’s next two possessions leading up to the half.