Eagles hold on to beat Rams in NFL play-off thriller

After winning 28-22 against the Los Angeles Rams in the snow, the Philadelphia Eagles were one game away from the Super Bowl.

With less than five minutes left, the Eagles made it 28-15 with a chance to advance to the NFC Championship game.

However, with less than two minutes left, the Rams immediately responded with a touchdown run led by Colby Parkinson, who then forced a quick three-and-out for the Eagles.

Matthew Stafford, the Rams’ 2022 champion quarterback, completed 51 game-winning drives and appeared to be on the verge of another when Puka Nacua threw a superb catch on his shoulder to take the Rams to Philadelphia’s 21-yard line.

The Eagles’ defense, however, increased to prevent LA from entering their third NFC Championship game.

Next Sunday, they will face the Washington Commanders for a spot in Super Bowl 59.

Barkley was this season’s rushing leader with 2, 005 yards – the eighth highest of all-time – and Philadelphia also have the league’s second-best rushing offence.

It was bound to be a run-heavy match-up because the weather was not ideal for a passing game.

However, Barkley, the Eagles’ quarterback, broke a tackle on the opening drive to score the longest run of his career, 44-yard touchdown.

After Barkley burst for a 62-yard score, Stafford gave tight end Tyler Higbee a four-yard touchdown pass before giving up his first run.

The Rams scored a field goal to cut the Rams’ 13-10 half-time lead, and both teams eventually settled for a field goal in the third quarter as a result.

Hurts suffered a knee injury on that Eagles’ drive, and Neville Gallimore forced him to end the game for safety, cutting the lead to 16-15.

The Eagles punished each error with a field goal at the start of the fourth quarter as the Rams’ handling became more difficult and they lost to the Rams on subsequent drives.

Barkley’s subsequent 78-yard score helped him finish with 205 yards – the fifth-best rushing total in post-season history.