3 times, Nick Sirianni has stood on the sideline across from Sean McVay, and 3 times, he has walked away with the W. The last time was in the snow at Lincoln Financial Field, a playoff loss, a 28-22 gut punch, that still haunts the Rams coach. Now, months later, the Rams are flying cross-country again for a showdown with those same Eagles, the ghost of that game and one specific, controversial play, Tush Push, hovers over everything.

When a reporter, peering into the psyche of this upcoming rematch, tried to get a read on McVay, his response was tight-lipped, almost evasive. “I don’t know,” he said when asked if he’d seen other teams copy the Eagles’ rhythm. “You could maybe pick that up if you watch the TV copies stuff like that but you know haven’t talked about that.” This, of course, is a man who previously said he has “conversations with the league office to make sure you’re understanding, how is it officiated?”

He knows this particular play is a big deal because the Eagles, as he puts it, “are such a damn good team and it’s such a successful play for them.” The numbers bear out his quiet dread: the Birds have only reached the red zone five times this season, but they’ve punched in a TD on every single one of those trips. While their offense ranks a baffling 29th in overall yards, their run game, fueled by that damn push, ranks 7th in the league.

The “tush push” is loathed just about everywhere outside of Philly, and the SB champs Eagles have had enough of the pearl-clutching. “This is my official plea to all the teams out there,” said offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, “You can run the tush push just like we can.”

It’s a fact-check that stings: more teams complain about the play than actually try to run it, and the Green Bay Packers’ proposal to ban it fell two votes short at the NFL’s spring owners meeting. Result? In a recent game, the Eagles used it a remarkable 7 times to help send the Kansas City Chiefs to a 0-2 start. However, later, many questioned the officials for not calling for false starts on the tush push plays in the game. Hence, this time, all eyes will be on the officiating crew, reportedly led by Brad Rogers, to see if a flag is thrown on the false start or not. However, this isn’t the only concern for Sean McVAY.

So, what’s the rub? It’s about more than just one play.

Concerns for McVay’s  Rams

The Rams have to find a way to slow down Saquon Barkley, who ran for a staggering 460 rushing yards in two games against them last season. They’ve also got to protect QB Matthew Stafford (who is calling for Steve), who has been efficient with 543 passing yards and three TDs through 2 games, from the likes of Jalen Carter, who had 7 pressures and 2 sacks against them in their last meeting.

It’s not an easy task for the Rams. Their defense is stout first in scoring (14.0 points per game allowed) and fourth in overall yards against, but they have to stop the Eagles from sustaining long drives.

The Eagles are second in time of possession, yet 29th in yards per game. They just want to bleed the clock and keep the ball out of the hands of players like Davante Adams (10 catches) and Puka Nacua, who leads the league with 18 receptions.

The fatigue factor from a second straight cross-country flight is a silent variable, one that sits in a dark corner of McVay’s mind (aside from the injuries). But ultimately, this game isn’t about jet lag or minor injuries. It’s about the impossible scrimmage, a test of will where the Eagles’ relentless, low-yardage offense goes up against a defense built to stop exactly that kind of thing.