Washington (AFP) – Running back sensation Saquon Barkley rushed in two touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the snow to reach the NFC Championship game on Sunday. The Eagles will host NFC East divisional rivals the Washington Commanders next Sunday for a place in the Super Bowl.
The Eagles’ power in the running game proved decisive in a game played in heavy snow, with Barkley, a candidate for the league’s Most Valuable Player, putting up 205 yards on 26 carries. Even before the snow began to fall late in the first quarter, the Eagles exposed the Rams’ run defense, opening the scoring on the opening drive of the game when quarterback Jalen Hurts broke out and sprinted 44 yards for the touchdown.
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The Rams fought back quickly, though, with quarterback Matthew Stafford leading a 13-play, 67-yard drive which ended with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight-end Tyler Higbee. The Rams will have spent all week preparing for the threat of Barkley, but they were still unable to stop him when he found a gap and sprinted 62 yards to put the Eagles up 13-7 at the end of the first quarter.
With conditions worsening as the snow fell heavily, the game became a gruelling battle – the Rams’ second field goal of the third quarter bringing them within a point. The Eagles extended their lead with two field goals in the fourth before Barkley turned on the turbo charges again with 4:36 left, the snow no obstacle to his power and speed as he burst 78 yards for his second touchdown.
The Rams weren’t about to roll over, though, with Stafford connecting with Colby Parkinson for a 4-yard touchdown pass to bring them within six points. The Rams had one last chance, knowing a touchdown would complete their comeback, and their hopes were raised when Stafford found Puka Nacua with a superb deep pass. But with the clock against him, Stafford was unable to finish off the drive, leaving the Eagles one win away from a return to the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons.
Barkley said the snow had not dampened his enjoyment of the occasion. “The elements were great but the atmosphere was even better. Our fans are amazing. It was a close one, but that’s playoff football, and at the end of the day, we got the job done,” he said. Hurts stated that the conditions had taken him back to his childhood memories. “I love playing football. Look, I used to put (snow) on when we played a video game as a kid. I’d put the snow on 100 and all that,” he said. But Hurts ended the game wearing a brace on his knee and, when asked about his condition, said simply, “I finished the game.”
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