The Philadelphia Eagles are riding high as they prepare for their divisional clash against the Los Angeles Rams, especially buoyed by their impressive rushing performance in their prior encounter. In Week 12, the Eagles amassed a remarkable 314 rushing yards, mainly through Saquon Barkley, who had a career-best 255 yards in a 37-20 victory. Despite this success, history suggests that replicating such numbers in the playoffs may be challenging for Barkley.

Statistically, running backs who have rushed for over 200 yards against a team in the regular season have historically struggled to reach even 100 yards in their subsequent playoff matchup. The seven previous instances show a dismal average of only 43 yards per game in the playoffs among these players. This trend illustrates the adjustments defenses make to prevent repeat performances in critical postseason games.

Since their loss to the Eagles, the Rams' defense has tightened up, allowing just 14.8 points and 100.5 rushing yards per game over the last six games. Rams' head coach Sean McVay recognizes the importance of containing Barkley, noting his unique skills and explosive capabilities. As the teams gear up for this pivotal matchup, both squads understand that the ground game will be crucial to their success.