Eagles-Rams Game Preview: Who Will Win in Week 4?
The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 4. After an embarrassing loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night, the Eagles will attempt to bounce back against the preseason Super Bowl favorites. Yet Philadelphia will be forced to do so without several key starters, on both sides of the ball.
While the Rams entered the regular season with astronomical expectations, injuries have already derailed the team’s start. Following a controversial loss to the Denver Broncos last week, Los Angeles is now forced to pick up the pieces. Yet they’re getting a few key players back on Sunday and should be in a good spot on the road in Philadelphia.
Here’s my game preview for the Week 4 matchup between the Eagles and the Rams.
Three Storylines To Follow
Jalen Hurts Must Answer His Own Question
Following Philadelphia’s embarrassing loss to the Bears last week, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts said that he asked the team a question: “Who are we?” While Hurts was the one that proposed the question, he’ll also have to answer it himself. Hurts is slated to start only the second game in his NFL career without any of DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown or Dallas Goedert on the field alongside him.
Therefore, Hurts needs to prove that he’s more than just a QB that force feeds a handful of targets. Hurts will be forced to adapt in Week 4, as he’ll likely have to throw more to Makai Lemon, Zach Ertz, Darius Cooper and others. While Hurts has established a strong connection with Dontayvion Wicks, he’ll need to get out of his comfort zone and show more trust in Philadelphia’s other pass catchers. If he’s able to do so, it’ll go a long way in answering his own question.
Opportunities Could Provide Clarity
Through the first three weeks of the regular season, it seems like the Eagles have somehow created more questions than they have found answers. There have been plenty of discussions about certain players being benched and others deserving bigger roles. Yet due to injuries in Week 4, we should gain more clarity regarding several of those situations.
With Smith out, we should see Lemon asked to do more than just catch screen passes. With Zack Baun out, we’ll see Jeremiah Trotter Jr. get a chance to prove himself during the regular season. With Marcus Epps out, we’ll likely see Michael Carter II receive a full workload at safety. While the Eagles may not win on Sunday, the injuries could be a blessing in disguise as they may very well provide clarity for the rest of the season.
Get Right Game for Defense
After once again being exposed by Bears head coach Ben Johnson, Philadelphia’s defense will have a chance to bounce back in Week 4. While going against an offense led by Rams head coach Sean McVay seems less than ideal, it could actually be exactly what the Eagles need. Philadelphia’s defense has recorded just three sacks and has forced zero turnovers through the first three weeks of the regular season.
Despite being led by a veteran, MVP QB in Matthew Stafford, the Rams have been careless with the football in 2026. Los Angeles has two turnovers in each of their first three games this season. Stafford has thrown an interception in every game, totaling four interceptions on the year. The Rams also just allowed the Broncos to sack Stafford four times. It may not seem like a typical get right game for the defense given the star power on the Rams, yet it’s a surprisingly promising matchup for the Eagles.
Two Underrated Players To Watch For
Michael Carter II
It’s no secret that the Eagles have had issues at safety this season. Second-year starter Andrew Mukuba has been inconsistent, while being forced to play next to a revolving door. Eagles DC Vic Fangio has already used Mukuba, Cooper DeJean, Epps and Carter at safety in 2026. Yet we could finally get a long look at Carter in that spot against the Rams.
Carter split time with Epps against the Bears last week, as he played 20 total snaps on defense. Fangio has seemed high on Carter’s potential at safety since the summer, yet he didn’t have enough time on task to truly gain Fangio’s trust. Fast forward to Week 4 and it seems like the 68-year-old is finally ready to give Carter a real chance to earn the starting job.
Konata Mumpfield
While the Rams WR duo of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will rightfully get most of the attention, Los Angeles may have found another hidden gem. Rams second-year WR Konata Mumpfield has already surpassed his rookie season production of 92 receiving yards in just three games. Mumpfield is coming off a breakout performance against the Broncos last week, where he hauled in four receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown.
With Nacua returning to action on Sunday, it’ll be interesting to see how often Mumpfield is out there. Yet after being targeted by Stafford eight times last week, it’s clear that the veteran QB is starting to trust him. The Eagles have already given up far too many big plays to third or fourth options at wide receiver through the first three weeks of the regular season. If they continue to do so, watch out for Mumpfield.
One Key Matchup To Monitor
Jonathan Greenard vs. Alaric Jackson
Eagles EDGE Jonathan Greenard made his team debut last week in the Windy City. While Greenard was limited to just 18 snaps, he made a few plays in his return to action, recording two total pressures. It’s important to note that Greenard lined up as the right edge defender on all 18 of his snaps in Week 3. If that’s the case, he’ll he matched up with Rams LT Alaric Jackson on Sunday in Philadelphia.
Jackson, like a few other members of the Rams OL, has struggled to start the regular season. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson has allowed eight total pressures and has been called for two penalties. To put that in perspective, Eagles highly-criticized LG Cam Jurgens has allowed seven total pressures. If Greenard is going to see his workload increased this week, he could have a big game against Jackson.
Kalshi Trades for Eagles-Bears
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Final Score Predictions
Anthony’s Pick: Rams 26, Eagles 21
Back in May when the regular season schedule was first announced, I had this chalked up as a loss. Now fast forward to this week and the Eagles are down several key starters. Despite the injuries, I still think that Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts have too much pride to just rollover, especially following last week’s debacle against the Bears. The Eagles will do just enough to make this a respectable loss — if that’s even a thing.
Josh’s Pick: Rams 24, Eagles 20
This is only the second time in 4 years that the Eagles aren’t favored at home. And the last time that happened they lost to the 49ers, 42-19. Now I’m not expecting a blowout but with the Birds down Devonta Smith and Zack Baun, they’re going to have to play a complete game in all three phases if they hope to get the job done. Unfortunately, I think it’s just too much to overcome for a team still trying to find its identity.