Eagles-Rams predictions

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The Eagles haven't dropped consecutive games all season.

They'll try to avoid that in what should be a fun Week 14 matchup.

The 2016 No. 2 overall pick (Carson Wentz) squares off with No. 1 (Jared Goff), as the Eagles (10-2) visit the Los Angeles Rams (9-3) Sunday afternoon (4:25 p.m./FOX).

Can the Eagles separate themselves from the Rams in the NFC?

Our experts provide their predictions:

Reuben Frank (11-1)
A fascinating matchup. I'm really curious to see how the Eagles respond to their first loss in 2½ months. I'm confident they'll respond well, and I'm confident they'll win the game. 

A lot of things had to go wrong for the Eagles to lose last weekend. A deafening crowd, a Hall of Fame quarterback having one of the best games of his career, an incredibly ill-timed turnover at about the one-foot line. This weekend, the crowd will be to a great extent on the Eagles' side. The opposing quarterback is very good but also very inexperienced, and Wentz most likely isn't going to fumble a foot shy of the goal line again. 

Goff has played extremely well but I love the matchup between Jim Schwartz and any young quarterback. Dak Prescott is the only QB under 28 to beat the Eagles since Schwartz took over the defense last year, and he's done it only once so far. 

The Eagles have responded to every challenge they've faced since Doug Pederson became the head coach (see story), and that's not going to change now. With LeGarrette Blount enjoying a big game, the Eagles get back on the winning ledger with a win over the Rams.

Eagles 27, Rams 23

Dave Zangaro (9-3)
I've been on the fence about this one all week. In the end, I'm leaning Eagles. 

Truth be told, when I left on this trip before the Seattle game, I thought the Seahawks game was going to be a win and the Rams game was going to be a loss. That obviously won't be the case. 

I just have a hard time envisioning the Eagles losing both games out here. Really, I wanted to see how the team reacted to the week in California, if it really took them out of their element. While I'm still not sure this was the best decision, players seemed like they were able to lock in enough to regain their focus. 

It probably won't be easy, but the Eagles are still the better team between the two. This might be a close one, but I think the Eagles got the wake-up call they needed last week. 

Eagles 34, Rams 31

Derrick Gunn (10-2)
What a matchup this should be. The top two players selected in the 2016 NFL draft showcasing their skills on the same field (see story). Wentz is further along in his development than Goff, but Goff has made significant strides.

Both teams have scored 361 points this season. That's tops in the league, and both offenses lead the league in scoring, averaging 30.1 points.

Can the Rams' offensive line hold off the Eagles' defensive pressure up front? Can the Birds' O-line control Rams DT Aaron Donald, who has 71 QB pressures? The Rams' defense is third in the league with 37 sacks, and the Eagles' D is tied for seventh with 33.

Will the Birds' deep and versatile RB stable be able to do damage? Will the league's No. 2 rusher Todd Gurley (939 yards, 4.2 yards per carry, eight TDs) find room to roam?

Zach Ertz (concussion protocol) could be a big loss to the Birds' passing game. The Rams' top pass catcher and deep threat Robert Woods (shoulder injury) is listed as questionable.

Wade Phillips and Schwartz are two of the best defensive coordinators in the game. Rams head coach Sean McVay is the same one who used to give Eagles' defenses fits when he was the Washington Redskins' offensive coordinator from 2014-16 (see story). Yes, I know the Eagles' defensive personnel is much better than in the past, but I don't like this matchup for the Birds on the left coast.

Playoff seeding is at stake. I've gone back and forth many times on which way to go. My hunch tells me to go with the Rams.

Rams 27, Eagles 24

Ray Didinger (10-2)
The joyride ended in Seattle. After a month of breezy blowout wins, the Eagles found themselves in a brass-knuckles brawl with the Seahawks that ended in a 24-10 loss. Afterwards, Pederson and several players admitted the team could have done a better job of preparing during the week. In other words, some guys were reveling in their success a little too much.

That can happen but it shouldn't happen two weeks in a row. I expect the Eagles to rebound this week. If they don't, they could slip even further back in the NFC playoff race. They already trail Minnesota and could fall behind the Rams with a loss Sunday. There is no doubt the Eagles will win the division but they don't want to be playing the first week of the playoffs. Securing a bye is crucial, which means they must win here.

The Eagles should be able to get their ground game going again — L.A.'s run defense ranks 27th in the league — and that will allow Wentz to hit some big play-action passes. The large number of Philly fans making the trip to L.A. will make this sound like an Eagles home game.

Eagles 27, Rams 24

Andrew Kulp (10-2)
I really don't have a feel for this game. The teams look pretty even, though the Rams have some key injuries that might swing the matchup in the Eagles' favor. The question is how do they respond to an ugly loss? Because they looked like the better team going into Seattle, too.

I can see it going either way. I believe the Eagles are legitimately one of the best teams in the NFL, but I also remain unconvinced they're out of the woods as far as this miniature offensive slump is concerned. Fortunately for the Eagles' sake, the one thing I am confident in is their defense's ability to limit the Rams' scoring.

Eagles 21, Rams 19

Corey Seidman (8-3)
I don't feel great about this game. Gurley is the best running back the Eagles have faced, so their ordinarily stingy run defense could take a hit. Gurley has also been dynamite catching passes this year so for me, he's a likely bet to crack 100 scrimmage yards and find the end zone.

With Woods possibly out (and apologies to Cooper Kupp), the Rams' only two explosive players are Gurley and Sammy Watkins, who makes a minimal impact nearly every week until he catches his one deep ball and/or draws a big pass interference penalty.

And yet the reason my gut says Rams by three this Sunday is that I expect that defensive line featuring Donald and Robert Quinn to get steady pressure on Wentz, affecting the Eagles' offensive rhythm and forcing an additional couple three-and-outs.

Rams 27, Eagles 24

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