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Can the Rams learn anything from the Eagles and Chiefs to make the Super Bowl in 2025?
The NFL is a copycat league and teams will be looking to replicate what the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles did this season. However, some things can’t be replicated. Teams tried to copy the New England Patriots for years and it was something that was impossible. That was a system that worked in a vacuum. Parts of it could be taken, but the system itself was lightning in a bottle. The Los Angeles Rams are no different. While they have their own system in place, Sean McVay and co. are always looking to get better. Here’s what they can learn from this year’s Super Bowl team.
The Eagles are one of the best teams in the trenches and it shows. They lost a future Hall of Fame center in Jason Kelce and still managed to have one of the best run-blocking and pass-blocking offensive lines in the NFL. According to PFF, the Eagles ranked sixth in the NFL in pass-blocking and fourth in the NFL in run-blocking. It’s a reason why they were able to sign Saquon Barkley and really take advantage of how much of a special player that he is at running back.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles are built the same. They traded away Haason Reddick and their free agent signing that they acquired to replace him turned out to be a bust. Bryce Huff only had 2.5 sacks this year. They also lost Brandon Graham in the middle of the year. However, the Eagles are built strong on the defensive line. Jalen Carter impacts games. His presence helps players like Milton Williams, Moro Ojomo, and Jordan Davis. Having the ability to create interior pressure and disrupt the immediate areas of the pocket, allows Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith to find success as well.
This isn’t to say that running backs don’t matter, but the Rams also shouldn’t go out this offseason and sign a running back or draft a running back high. What Saquon Barkley did this season was special. However, it was also a combination of pairing Barkley with an elite offensive line and a mobile quarterback. Those things put together made it extremely stressful for defenses to defend.
What the Eagles did in the running game with Barkley this season isn’t something that can be replicated. It’s similar with Todd Gurley. Gurley struggled in 2016, but in a better offense with a better offensive line, he was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2017. The Rams can certainly look to get more explosive in the running game, but the answer isn’t necessarily overspending on the position either.
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