When Saquon Barkley plowed 78 yards through the snow to score an Eagles touchdown with less than five minutes to play in the NFC Divisional playoffs, Philly’s path to the championship game seemed all but assured. Barkley’s run gave the home team a 28-15 lead, and with how well their defense had been playing, a comeback by the Rams, in the snow no less, felt improbable.

Or so it seemed.

Three minutes of game clock later, Matthew Stafford had driven the Rams to the Eagles’ 13-yard-line, where he faced a 3rd-and-2 play. The score was now 28-22, and a Los Angeles touchdown would most likely seal one of the worst playoff losses in NFL history. No team has blown a 13-point lead in the final 5:00 of a playoff game in over 50 years. But the Eagles were perilously close to doing just that.

Thankfully, All-World defensive tackle Jalen Carter saved the day. He bullied his way for a sack of Stafford on that 3rd-down play, then created enough pressure to force a hurried throw on 4th-down that fell incomplete. The Eagles survived.

While those final few minutes may have been excruciating from a fans perspective, for the Eagles they could prove valuable. It’s quite possible they will find themselves in an end-game scenario on Sunday in Super Bowl 59 where Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have the ball with an opportunity to drive the field for the win. If the Eagles learn from their Rams’ tape, they will be ready.

The Rams had two possessions in the final 4:36 of that game. The first lasted 10 plays, covered 70 yards and resulted in a touchdown. On that drive, Matthew Stafford was 6-9 throwing the ball for 72 yards, including the touchdown to Colby Parkinson.

On the following drive, L.A. ran 10 plays again and covered 60 yards before turning it over on downs with 0:31 left. Stafford was 6-9 on that drive as well, for 74 yards. On the two drives combined, he went 12-18 for 146 yards and a touchdown, all in under four minutes of possession.

How was Stafford able to carve up Philly’s defense so spectacularly in that short period of time? For one, L.A. went up-tempo, which kept the Eagles on their heels. The quick pace forced Philadelphia into vanilla schemes, against which Stafford thrived. When the Eagles sent four rushers or less and played some sort of zone behind it, Stafford was 9-12 for 122 yards.

The Eagles were much more successful when they were able to bring pressure. Against five or more rushers, Stafford was just 3-6 for 24 yards. It was difficult to get blitzes called because of the tempo, but when Vic Fangio was able to do so, he found success.

Kansas City is a team that has been known to run a fast tempo at times, regardless of the game situation. By looking at the weaknesses of their scheme against the Rams, and anticipating tempo from the Chiefs, the Eagles have an opportunity to craft a more effective end-game defense. Finding ways to create pressure, even against a quick tempo from Mahomes, is paramount.

With two weeks to prepare, one can only hope Fangio has revisited that Rams film and created a more aggressive Plan B should he find himself in that situation on Sunday. Philly shouldn’t be scared of covering the Chiefs’ receivers one-on-one, or of rolling the dice against Mahomes with the blitz. The Chiefs are likely to have a bold up-tempo plan. The Eagles must meet it with a bold plan of their own.

Doing so could become the difference between a disappointing end to the season and another parade on Broad Street.