Two teams coming off losses and dealing with challenges to their roster depth meet – again – on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles and Rams play for the fourth time in three seasons and, once again, it's a big-time game between two teams with high aspirations, talented rosters, and excellent coaching staffs.

In other words, it's a rivalry game with two teams that could very well see each other later in the season.

With that, a look at the many storylines for this game ...

1. Eagles offense could be missing some serious firepower

We know that tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) and wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Hollywood Brown (ankle) are out for Sunday's game. We know that left guard Landon Dickerson remains on Injured Reserve. This is the way of the NFL, and every team faces the same injury scenarios early in the season. For the coaching staff, the task is to pivot to personnel packages and sequencing of playcalling that works. The Eagles, as Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion said during the week, are in search of offensive consistency. They've shown glimpses of having an offense that can win in every way. But they have yet to do it for 60 minutes. And if the Eagles are missing players who mean so much to the offense, how can they compensate? This is a test for the Eagles' offense on so many levels.

2. Defense faces one of the best offenses in the NFL

Make no mistake, the Rams are really good on offense. They average a league-best 417.7 yards per game and are second in the NFL in passing at 284 yards per game. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has a huge arm, processes quickly, and is still showing some nimble footwork in and out of the pocket. He has top-shelf weapons everywhere and Head Coach Sean McVay's unique scheme – use of three tight ends, pre-snap motion, creative running game, etc. – presents tremendous stress to the defense. Linebacker Zack Baun is out after suffering a concussion in the game at Chicago, so Jeremiah Trotter Jr. figures to be the next player in line. The Eagles have been here before with the Rams and they have responded in a positive way.

3. In the turnover department ...

Not a whole lot to say other than it is perhaps the most important statistic in a world of them. The Eagles have given up the football five times and have had zero takeaways. The Rams, meanwhile, have given the football away six times. This game could very well come down to ball security.

4. Good Rams run defense awaits Saquon Barkley and Co.

These numbers are staggering: Saquon Barkley has 506 rushing yards and four touchdowns as an Eagle against the Rams in three games, including the playoff victory in the 2024 season. The Eagles have been able to get him going early and they've kept him hot. But Los Angeles offers this: The Rams have held their last two opponents – the Giants and the Broncos – to 80 or fewer yards on the ground.

Again, we're looking at this game in a lot of ways – including the schematics of matchups and personnel usage. The Eagles ran the ball extremely effectively in the first half of the game on Monday night. They would love 60 minutes of that on Sunday.

5. When will the wave of takeaways and QB sacks begin for the Eagles?

It's going to come. It always does. Take a look at the 2024 season for the Eagles: In Weeks 1 through 7 (six games), the Eagles recorded two takeaways. That was dead last, 32nd, in the NFL. In Weeks 8 through 18, the Eagles recorded a league-high 24 takeaways in those 11 games. This league takes a lot of twists and turns through the course of a season. The Eagles have been close on takeaways and quarterback sacks (they have three sacks total). Is this the week when the defense breaks the ice?

6. Which players take advantage of the opportunity?

You know the NFL saying, the credo that every team has: "Next man up." And if there are players who can't go on Sunday, that means another player has a chance to shine. It is what the league is all about. If the Eagles have to reach deep into the wide receiver room, for example, those players are going to have a chance to gain trust with the coaching staff. If Trotter plays at linebacker, that may open up a spot on special teams. On and on and on ... teams are going to use every bit of the 53-man roster and a good portion of the practice squad through the course of the season. That's just the way it works in this league, so who on the Eagles will take the moment and run – or catch, or tackle, or block – with it?