There is a lot for Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio to think about when it comes to the Rams' offense coming to town Sunday in the Divisional Round matchup. The veteran coach pointed to a team that started 1-4 and then lost its last game while resting its starting players. Between those times, the Rams went 10-2. One of the losses came to the Eagles on November 24, 37-20.

"They drove it on us early in the game and we got a takeaway. Early in that game, we weren't very sharp and they were," Fangio said. "These guys are a very game-plan-specific team. They're going to have a mode of operation, the way they want to attack you and we've got to be ready for that."

Linebacker Nakobe Dean was critical to the defense's success in that Sunday night win, accumulating eight tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. With Dean out for the season after suffering a knee injury on Sunday, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio is considering using both veteran Oren Burks and rookie Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. in some kind of shared situation alongside All-Pro Zack Baun.

"I think Trot's got a good future," Fangio said on Tuesday at the NovaCare Complex as the coordinators met the media. "That future may be now. He's got good instincts, really likes the game, he's smart. He's got a lot of good qualities.

"We're not afraid to put him in there."

Baun will wear the helmet with the green dot on Sunday – he will get the calls from Fangio and communicate those calls to the rest of the defense – and the Eagles will rely on their depth once again with the powerful Los Angeles Rams offense coming to town fresh off of Monday night's dominating 27-9 win over Minnesota in Arizona.

And replacing Dean, so outstanding all season, is top of mind for Fangio. Burks, in his seventh season and a starter for the 49ers in last season's Super Bowl loss to Kansas City, started two games, including the one against the Giants. In that game, Burks was all over the field with 17 total tackles, 8 solo hits, and 2 tackles for loss. Trotter, a fifth-round draft pick from Clemson in the spring, played in 104 defensive snaps during the regular season. He started the finale against the Giants and showed his game with 11 total tackles, including 2 solo stops.

The Eagles have depth here. They will need it.

"He's a good athlete, can run, he's got experience playing, good tackler as we saw on the opening kickoff," Fangio said, referring to Sunday when Burks jarred the ball loose from Green Bay's Keisean Nixon on the opening kickoff, which Trotter recovered. "We like him, too."

Fangio praised the progress made by second-year defensive end Nolan Smith, who had two quarterback sacks and seven total tackles in the win over Green Bay. Smith has stepped up his production all season, especially with veteran Brandon Graham sidelined.

"In all facets of playing the edge for us," Fangio said. "Run, pass – pass meaning rush the passer, pass meaning drop when he has to drop. He's improved in all areas."

Kellen Moore: Eagles offense looking for more

Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore acknowledges that Sunday's offensive output against Green Bay "wasn't our best performance" and is looking for a cleaner, more productive game this week against the Rams.

"The exciting part for us is how we navigate that," Moore said.

The first time the Eagles played the Rams, Philadelphia ran for more than 300 yards and running back Saquon Barkley gained 255 yards – including touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards. Los Angeles, no doubt, will be focused on No. 26.

"Saquon had a great day out there. Long time between those two games," Moore said. "They're playing as well as any defense in the league right now and they're playing really confidently, so they will stress us in a lot of different ways and there will be challenges associated with our run game based off of them having that film and the film that they've put out for the last month and a half, which is really, really impressive. It will be a challenge."

Los Angeles dominated Minnesota on Monday night and overwhelmed the Vikings with nine sacks of quarterback Sam Darnold, a fumble return for a touchdown, and a clamping down of Minnesota's formidable weapons in the passing game.

The Los Angeles front four is "as good as it gets" in the NFL in terms of rushing the quarterback, Moore said, so the Eagles want to stay in front of the sticks and not put quarterback Jalen Hurts in obvious third-and-long situations.

Moore praised the performance on Sunday from tight end Dallas Goedert, who had four catches – including one that he turned into a wham-bam touchdown catch and run – and who was effective, Moore said, blocking in the running game.

"His blocking in the run game was huge, it was incredible," Moore said. "His ability to block on those edges against some really, really good defensive ends in this league, really challenging matchups. I thought that was really one of the secret sauces that made his game so special on Sunday."

Special teams unit opens with a bang on Sunday

Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay couldn't hide his excitement seeing Oren Burks delivering a crunching tone-setting message on the opening kickoff of Sunday's win over Green Bay. It was the kind of play, Clay said, that his crew lives for.

"Huge," he said. "Absolutely huge."

Clay used some new combinations on kick coverage on Sunday – including adding starter Nolan Smith, who made a big tackle on kickoff returner Keisean Nixon – and the coverage units were outstanding. "All hands on deck," Clay said. "There is no next game if you lose. We're always trying to put our best 11 out there."

Rams punter Ethan Evans ranked second in the NFL during the regular season in inside the 20-yard line punts, dropping 54.5 percent of his punts deep inside opponents' territory. The Rams also had three kickoff returns of 40-plus yards on the season, tying for third most in the NFL during the regular season, three blocked field goals, and a blocked punt.

So, as always, there is a lot to prepare for on Sunday in the NFC Divisional Round Playoff game.

"Very good special teams unit," Clay said. "It's going to be a tough match. They're playing really well, especially since the last time we've played them."