Barkley was this season’s dashing chief with 2,005 yards – the eighth highest of all-time – and Philadelphia even have the league’s second-best dashing offence.
The climate forecast was additionally removed from preferrred for a passing recreation, so it was sure to be a run-heavy match-up.
But it was Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, not Barkley, who broke a sort out on the opening drive to attain a 44-yard landing – the longest run of his profession.
The Rams replied with Stafford making a four-yard landing move to tight finish Tyler Higbee, earlier than Barkley made his first burst for a 62-yard rating.
The Rams kicked a subject aim to chop the half-time deficit to 13-10 and the snow bought considerably heavier after the interval, with each groups settling for a subject aim within the third quarter.
Hurts injured his knee on that Eagles’ drive, and on their subsequent possession he was trapped in his personal finish zone by Neville Gallimore for a security, reducing the rating to 16-15.
Dealing with grew to become more and more tough and the Rams fumbled on successive drives, with the Eagles punishing every error with a subject aim at first of the fourth quarter.
Barkley’s subsequent 78-yard rating helped him end with 205 yards – the fifth-best dashing complete in post-season historical past.
That landing in the end proved decisive, however the Eagles wanted their defence to step up in a nail-biting finale.