Eagles-Rams predictions: Can Philadelphia rebound without DeVonta Smith and Zack Baun?

PHILADELPHIA -- Jalen Hurts asked the Philadelphia Eagles a simple question with significant implications: "Who are we?"

The question came after the Eagles' 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears and before Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, preseason Super Bowl favorites.

"That's a choice we can make, and being deliberate and intentional in how we move forward so we can improve," Hurts said.

The Eagles must rebound without top wide receiver DeVonta Smith and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun. Both were declared out Friday. The Eagles are undefeated against Sean McVay's Rams in the Nick Sirianni-Hurts era but will be challenged by injuries, though the Rams are also missing key players.

"I hate (losing) more than anything in this world. But at the same time, we need it," Hurts said. "It's something that is natural and part of the process of winning. To win, you have to lose. You have to build resilience and character within that, reflecting on that, choosing to learn from it."

What they learned -- and who they are -- will be clearer after Sunday's matchup.

The Athletic's Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena answered six pressing questions about the matchup:

1. How concerning is the injury report vs. the Rams?

Berman: It's a major concern. If you asked me before the season to rank the five players the Eagles could least afford to lose, DeVonta Smith would be near the top. And if you asked me which week the Eagles would need Zack Baun most, I would say Week 4 against the Rams. This significantly hinders a team that was already a home underdog.

The offense is also without Dallas Goedert, Landon Dickerson, and Hollywood Brown, leaving them even lighter at receiver. Look for Dontayvion Wicks to be the clear top option at wide receiver. Wicks has looked superb early this season. There's no replacing Smith, but my sense is the Eagles still feel as if they have a high-level receiver on the field. Makai Lemon must prove to be a strong second option.

Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. replaces Baun. Trotter has good instincts and can take over the green-dot responsibilities, but he's not the playmaker or athlete Baun is in the middle of the defense.

The Eagles also need to turn to Michael Carter II as an every-snap safety with Marcus Epps out.

Kubena: The Eagles ought to have confidence in Trotter. He looked like a veteran in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme during the preseason. I thought he improved as a blitzer in training camp. He's also always tackled well, so his substitution shouldn't add to a tackling problem that's plagued other parts of the defense. The offensive injuries spell out a significant problem. The Eagles already lead the league in 11 personnel usage, which offensive coordinator Sean Mannion acknowledged is partly because of the injuries to tight ends Dallas Goedert and Eli Stowers. Now, with Smith and Brown both sidelined, it's questionable whether 11 personnel puts their best lineup on the field. Forget the offense's long-term identity for a moment. With two receivers sidelined, what personnel gives them the best chance Sunday?

2. At what point should we be concerned about Sean Mannion?

Kubena: I consider concern to be cautionary. So… now. The 2026 Eagles have totaled -16.67 offensive EPA through three games. That's their lowest total since coach Sirianni was hired in 2021, ranking in the league's bottom tier. What I've heard from players and coaches since Mannion was hired has been consistent: Mannion has conviction about what he wants to do. Some players I spoke to this week described it as knowing the Point A and Point C of what they wanted to be. Getting through Point B -- the defensive looks (such as the blitz packages that gave them trouble against the Bears and Washington Commanders) -- is muddying things up.

Adjustments are a critical part of Mannion's job description, and as a first-time playcaller, it's clear he's still trying to find the best process for adapting on the fly. Injuries will alter his game plan against the Rams. But that's also part of the job description. The Bears just thrashed the Eagles with a third-string quarterback, Case Keenum, who hadn't played since Christmas Eve 2023.

Berman: It's still premature. I expected growing pains. It hasn't gone as I expected, but I need to see more than a month before sounding an alarm. The three-and-outs are excessive (No. 31 in the NFL in three-and-out rate), and the third-quarter ineffectiveness stands out because the opposing defensive coordinator starts to adjust to the offense.

What's the counterpunch? But the first two weeks had promising moments, with players schemed open and middle-of-field usage, that would counter that concern. If there's not marked improvement by the end of October, then concern would be more reasonable.

3. What are you watching on offense vs. the Rams?

Kubena: I'm interested to see how Wicks performs as the No. 1 wide receiver. Our profile on him from a few weeks ago showed why the Eagles (and so many others) believe in him. How much can he shoulder in the passing game? Wicks already leads the Eagles with 19.9 yards per reception. Can the offense be explosive without Smith? Smith's absence means rookie Makai Lemon will take on more. He's had moderate success on midrange crossers but struggled in the screen game. Could this be his breakout?

Berman: Saquon Barkley. As troubling as the Bears game seemed for the Eagles, he rushed the ball effectively in the first half. The Rams kept him contained last year, but he topped 200 yards in two games against them in 2024. The Rams rank No. 11 in rush defense this season and have yet to allow a rush of 20-plus yards. Without DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, the Eagles lack their top skill players. It's hard to see them winning without a big Barkley performance.

That will also require a stronger second half (he has 13 carries for 37 yards in the second half compared to 21 carries for 137 yards in the first half) and first-and-10 production. Barkley's production could also change how the Rams play defense. The Rams play an NFL-high 36.3 percent of their defensive snaps in dime.

4. What are you watching on defense vs. the Rams?

Berman: The pass rush. Matthew Stafford was sacked four times and pressured on 45.8 percent of his dropbacks last week. He was sacked five times in both of the Eagles' two wins over the Rams in 2024. (He was sacked only once last season.) The Eagles have only three sacks this season, ranking No. 28 in the NFL. "I think we'll get some eventually," Fangio said. "I haven't felt like our rush has been poor. I mean, they're throwing it rather quickly a lot of times is part of it." How quickly? Opposing quarterbacks are holding the ball 3.06 seconds before a pass or sack against the Eagles. That's the seventh-longest in the NFL. Stafford is throwing in 2.69 seconds this season.

Jonathan Greenard will play more this week. Jalyx Hunt is applying steady pressure, but needs to finish. Jalen Carter is playing through a hairline wrist fracture. The Eagles must disrupt Stafford. Their lack of sacks and turnovers stand out on defense; a strong pass rush could change it.

Kubena: How sound is this Eagles secondary after a communication breakdown led to a costly touchdown against the Bears? Cooper DeJean took ownership of the sequence when cornerback Riq Woolen didn't follow Kalif Raymond across the field after DeJean motioned toward Woolen's side, which adjusted the coverage. I'm also curious to see how Fangio manages Michael Carter II at safety with starter Marcus Epps out with a groin injury. Carter and Epps rotated against the Bears.

Fangio said it would be preferable for either safety to solidify themselves as the clear starter. Will this be Carter's moment to do so? Or must GM Howie Roseman start considering contingency plans in case their next backup option, Kenny Moore II, doesn't pan out?

5. What did you learn at the facility this week?

Kubena: I spoke to rookie offensive tackle Markel Bell about his first-ever snap in the NFL against the Bears. The Eagles fielded Bell as the sixth offensive lineman on a first-and-goal run that lost a yard and eventually led to an Andy Dalton interception. He lined up outside right tackle Lane Johnson. He said he could not hear Dalton's cadence. Bell was a hair late off the ball, and defensive end Montez Sweat jammed him backward into tight end Johnny Mundt, who'd motioned over as a lead blocker.

Sirianni said the play design had more impact on the outcome than the cadence, which changed at least in voice with Hurts sidelined at the time. Linebacker Devin Bush surged through the gap between Johnson and Bell to tackle Saquon Barkley for a loss. Mundt's motion block would have been more suited for that gap than reinforcing the edge. But the play also gave the Eagles critical in-game experience to ensure Bell can hear the cadence on any future six-offensive-linemen packages -- especially on the road.

Berman: The Eagles have gone three-and-out on their opening drive of the second half each week, and it sounds like the coaching staff has looked closely at halftime and what they do coming out of the half. Sirianni didn't want to disclose details, but he admitted, "If you keep doing the same thing over and over again and it's not working, then you've got to try to move on and fix it."

Over the years, I've heard different coaches offer different perspectives on halftime adjustments. Fangio once explained that "halftime adjustments are way overblown," and with 12 minutes and the time required to get down to the locker room and back up to the booth, there isn't much time to gather and accomplish. He said adjustments happen throughout the game, and especially between series.

I asked Mannion about his halftime routine this week. Mannion said the staff discusses "different looks that we've seen throughout the game and basically try to chart a course for the second half," with each member of the staff taking a different area. He acknowledged "halftime is quick," and the notes taken throughout the first half serve as quick talking points.

Sirianni said many adjustments happen during TV timeouts or while other units are on the field. Changes that can't be drawn up immediately are saved for halftime.

6. What's your Eagles-Rams prediction?

Kubena: I don't like this matchup for the Eagles. Perhaps Mannion will leverage Rams coach Sean McVay's understanding of his former quarterback's system against him. But the Rams have been playing fairly well on defense and could deploy All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie in coverage looks that focus him on Wicks. Though the Rams have lost their last three matchups against the Eagles across the last three seasons, Matthew Stafford owns a 95.1 passer rating in those games. Remember, the Eagles won last year's game on a blocked field goal at the buzzer. The Eagles are the only team that hasn't forced a turnover yet this season. Rams 27, Eagles 20

Berman: Sirianni is undefeated against Sean McVay, and a blocked field goal last year extended that streak. You won't find me in the "sky is falling" meetings about the Eagles, but the Rams were the Super Bowl favorites entering the year, and I like the way they're playing better than the way the Eagles are playing (despite the records).

Injuries to Smith and Baun will hurt both sides of the ball. The path to winning is what I mentioned above -- a strong rushing performance from Barkley and a swarming pass rush disrupting Stafford -- but I think the Rams have too much firepower (and the Eagles not enough) to win this game. The Eagles are home underdogs, which has happened only once since the start of the 2022 season.

If the Eagles drop to 2-2, fans shouldn't abandon the ship yet. They were 2-2 in the Super Bowl season two years ago. Teams evolve throughout the year. Their early-season struggles are obvious, and I have a hard time seeing them beat the Rams in this form. Rams 24, Eagles 21

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.