As a team that plays in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Eagles are used to having to deal with the elements: Rain, snow, sleet, wind, hail. Whatever it is, the Eagles (and their fans) have dealt with it. The Los Angeles Rams, on the other hand, play in a domed stadium in sunny California, and thus are not as accustomed to dealing with weather.
So, the early weather forecast for the Divisional Round matchup between the two teams could be great news for the Eagles, and not such great news for the Rams.
Wind, precipitation and freezing temperatures on the menu for the game between Philly and L.A.
According to NFLweather.com -- and other various weather reports -- the Philadelphia area is expected to be hit with rain, snow, wind and freezing temperatures on Sunday when the game takes place.
The teams will have to deal with Northwest winds blowing up to nine miles per hour and a kickoff temperature that will feel below freezing. That temperature is expected to drop over the course of the contest, while the projected rainfall could potentially morph into snow. In other words, it's going to be ugly out there.
The traditional line of thinking in such a situation is that the team that is better at running the football will be at an advantage, as the elements make it difficult to move the ball through the air.
Well, the Eagles happen to have the best running back in the entire NFL in Saquon Barkley, and they also have a quarterback who is good at moving the ball with his legs in Jalen Hurts. Plus, they have arguably the best offensive line in all of football. So, if any team is built to rely on their run game, it's the Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Rams ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing yards per game during the regular season with 103.8. Only eight teams averaged fewer yards on the ground per performance.
The first time the two teams played in late November, the Rams mustered just 92 total rushing yards, compared to Philadelphia's 314. Barkley had his best game of the season against L.A.'s defense, as he posted 255 yards and two touchdowns. He'll be looking to do the same thing this weekend, and it looks like the weather might work in his -- and the Eagles -- favor.
Of course, weather is mercurial, so the forecast could certainly change between now and kickoff time on Sunday. So, keep an eye on those weather apps.