Sep 21, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a touchdown catch over Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32) during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Eagles Struggle In All Three Phases, Trail Rams, 19-7 At Halftime

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Ed Kracz | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 2:33 PM ET

The Eagles passing game struggles continued into the first half against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The running game didn’t work well, either, with Saquon Barkley unable to find the slightest crack to run through.

And the defense? Special teams? Bad and bad. So bad, the Lincoln Financial Field boobirds were out in full force early in the game and got louder as the half went on as the Rams opened a 19-7 lead at halftime.

The Eagles lost starter Lane Johnson in the first quarter to a neck injury, and he did not return. Matt Pryor took over for him.

Johnson's absence probably didn't matter given the complete breakdown in all three phases of the game.

For starters, the Eagles seemed completely ill-prepared to receive Joshua Karty’s knuckleball kickoffs, with Tank Bigsby letting one clank off his hands and go over the end line, a mistake that gave the Eagles the ball at the 20.

Bigsby and fellow kickoff returner John Metchie III continued to let the ball hit the ground before trying to field it. Their starting field position after kickoffs were the 20, 19, 9, and 14. All four possessions led to three-and-outs by the offense. The Eagles’ offense mustered just 33 total yards.

One First-Half Bright Spot

If not for Zack Baun’s interception on the Rams’ first possession, the Eagles may have been shut out in the first two quarters.

Baun stepped in front of a ball intended for Davante Adams to give Philly’s offense the ball inside plus territory. It still took two fourth-down conversions, with Jalen Hurts’ 18-yard, sweep to the right and his 1-yard tush push being the conversions on that down.

Hurts finished the half 4-for-8 with 17 yards passing while Saquon Barkley managed just 13 yards on seven runs for a 1.9 yards per carry average. A.J. Brown did not have a catch and had only one target.

The offense was 0-for-6 on third down in the first half.

The defense allowed a 44-yard touchdown throw from Matthew Stafford to Adams, who appeared to get away with a late push on safety Reed Blankenship that gave the Rams a 10-7 lead.

The defense allowed L.A. 212 yards of offense and couldn’t stop the run, allowing Kyren Williams to gash them for 69 yards on 13 runs for a 5.9 yards-per carry average. Blake Corum added 40 yards on six runs (6.7 yards per carry).

Maybe the only thing the Eagles did right in the first half was holding the Rams to four field goals by getting off the field on third down. The Rams were 0-for-4 on third down, and Stafford was just 8-for-17 for 97 yards and a passer rating of 60.2.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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