Sean McVay reveals what the Rams learned from their Week 12 loss to the Eagles

When is it Los Angeles Rams take the field against the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 Divisional Round. NFL playoffswill mark the second time the two teams faced each other this season.

Will the Rams play better than their first showdown against top-flight Phillies? I hope so… because they can’t play much worse.

Of course, the Rams didn’t terrible or anything in Week 12, especially considering they were still trying to get their roster together after being decimated by injuries earlier in the year, but they they famously allow Saquon Barkley to rush for 255 yards on the ground in an all-time great rush and *spoiler alert* the pride of Penn State will continue to be the focal point of the Eagles offense in the Divisional Round

Asked how Week 12 could affect the Eagles’ decisions in Week 20, Sean McVay noted that their first game was against the Eagles it was an amazing learning experiencebecause he hopes to use that October knowledge in January.

“I think when you have humbling experiences with the right kind of people, those are the places where the real ‘operators’ of growth exist.” I think we had a lot of guys that really, as a team, you can look inside and you can say, ‘Is this what we want to be? Where are the things that we can adapt and adapt from a coach’s perspective? Where is the sense of urgency that will be needed to get the coaches and players to work the way we want, and what kind of work needs to be put in during the week? What should we do? How do we want to conduct ourselves, communicate and react as we go forward?'” McVay told Rams reporters.

“Those humbling nights, when you have the right people… just like I told you guys. I think a lot of the scars we’ve had as a team have gotten us to where we are. I know that the greatest growth opportunities I have ever participated in, especially with myself, are when those are the most challenging times. You’re thinking… man, I don’t like this at all, and you look back and you’re like, ‘I can’t imagine where I’d be without some of those bad times.’ I think it was one of those nights where, because we’ve got the right people, the response has been in line with what we want, but I also think there’s a respect and an understanding of what it’s going to take if we want to keep making money for a while longer. What a great challenge. We love it.”

While the Wild Card round proved to fans in Los Angeles that the Rams’ offense could be among the NFL’s best when they cook, Chris Shula’s unit still allowed over 100 yards on the ground, which is hard to believe considering how often Aaron Jones and Cam Akers was charged at the line of scrimmage.

Unfortunately, the Eagles’ offensive line is much better than what the Vikings ran on the field in Arizona, and Barkley used their efficiency to pick up 3.8 yards before we were contacted. If the Rams can slow down Barkley, then yes, they may have a chance, but if the NFL’s rushing leader averages 9.8 yards per carry once again, it’s going to be a long afternoon.