Rams fumble in upset bid for snow-derailed playoff in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyren Williams made a cut in the snow, then the Rams’ 1,200-yard rusher got the football loose on a clear — yes, clear — slick path that was snow-blasted clean for a wintry mix.

The ball rolled free, recovered and was returned by the Eagles, ending a trip to Los Angeles.

Matthew Stafford dropped back on the next series, tried to get rid of the football, but was strip-sacked, and the Eagles pounced on another fumble.

The Eagles kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter after two game-changing fumbles — Los Angeles turnovers that might not have happened under clear skies at SoFi Stadium.

In the snow and cold, the Rams coughed up late scoring chances and lost 28-22 Sunday to the Eaglesa game is missing for hosting The NFC Championship Game.

“We had two turnovers that don’t necessarily occur in different elements,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.

From a 1-4 start to the NFC West champions, the Rams navigated a short week after a playoff win over Minnesota and kept the game close until the final possession.

Even with the frosty fumbles, rams – who prevailed the last two weeks as Forest fires have destroyed large parts in Southern California — still had an upset in sight.

Stafford, who threw for 324 yards with sore ribs, kept the Rams going with a 4-yard TD pass to Colby Parkinson that made it 28-22. The Rams got the ball back with two minutes left and Stafford completed consecutive passes of 11 and 37 yards to move the ball into Eagles territory.

Stafford, who has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of his first seven playoff games with the Rams, was sacked by Jalen Carter on third down and threw an incomplete pass on fourth down to end the threat.

“I felt like we were in total control the last part of the game,” McVay said. “Momentum was in our favor and we had an opportunity to be able to win that game and we just fell short.”

Cooper Kupp again had a surprisingly small role, catching just five passes for 61 yards. Just six days after spitting up blood in the playoff win over Minnesota and being taken to the hospital with a chest injury, Tyler Higbee returned to catch a 4-yard touchdown pass that tied it at 7 in the first quarter.

Williams rushed for 106 yards — so many more were potentially lost because of his fumble.

“It felt like an offense that we had them on the ropes and they probably felt it too,” Stafford said. “We moved the rock really well the last two drives and then just had a couple of unforced errors here and there and got behind the sticks.”

Saquon Barkley kept his grip on the football for the Eagles and continued to plague the Rams with rushing touchdowns of 62 and 78 yards. He ran for a total of 205 yards.

In two games this season against the Rams, Barkley had 52 carries for 459 yards and four touchdowns — all of 60-plus yards.

“Saquon got to the second level, just like the first game, but there were some different layers we had in our defense,” McVay said. “He was able to pull away.”

Joshua Karty kicked two field goals for the Rams. The defense sacked Jalen Hurts for a safety that put the Rams up 16-15.

Unlike the start of their season, the Rams ran out of time to come back.

“There were a lot of people on the 1-4 talking about who was going to replace everybody at every position on our team and, ‘Should we sell the farm at the trade deadline? Should we tank?’ All that,” Stafford said. “So proud of our guys for not listening to all that and just going and playing and doing what we can. And we did.”

The playoffs ended with a few shirtless fans among the crowd of 65,000 at the Linc going wild for the Eagles.

Yes, the same fans Rams rookie linebacker Jared Verse said he hated.

Vers was trolled by Barkley after the Rams rookie linebacker and Pennsylvania native said he “hates Eagles fans.” The first-round draft pick went to the high school in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, which is about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

Barkley scored on a 62-yard run for a 13-7 lead, but not before the 2,105-yard rusher slowed down near the end zone and looked back to clown the back verse.

Vers egged on fans during pre-game warm-ups and enjoyed the boos that rained down on him in the light snow. When the game started, the Eagles bench verse showed on the big screen and fans booed again.

Vers flashed to the camera, stamping his name on the list of Philly sports villains.

Verse made the Pro Bowl and is a strong contender for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award after racking up 77 pressures and 4 1/2 sacks.

“It’s still cool. I love his game,” Carter said. “He’s a baller.”

Verses ran his mouth. But Barkley and the Eagles ran the ball all the way to within one win of their second Super Bowl trip in three seasons.

___

AP NFL: