Whenever the Eagles needed a play to push back against an explosive Rams team that refused to go away on Sunday, their quarterback and MVP Carson Wentz gave them one -- right up until the moment his left knee wouldn't let him carry his team any longer.

The last play he made handed the Eagles a three-point lead late in the third quarter, when Wentz hooked up with Alshon Jeffery to score a fourth-down touchdown by creating something out of nothing. And then, minutes later, came the tweet that might've crushed the Eagles' Super Bowl aspirations:

On Sunday, the Eagles won a thrilling game over the Rams, 43-35. It was one of the best games of the season. Both offenses moved the ball at will. Both teams looked like Super Bowl contenders. Both Jared Goff and Wentz, who will be forever connected after going No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft, played like the young stars they've blossomed into this season. It was a back-and-forth affair featuring massive scoring swings.

As a result of their win, the 11-2 Eagles reasserted their status atop the NFC -- especially considering the Vikings lost earlier on Sunday. As a result of their loss, the 9-4 Rams missed a chance to establish themselves as the frontrunners in the NFC West -- especially considering the Seahawks also lost on Sunday.

But none of that really matters. What matters is Wentz's injury, which occurred on a hard hit in the end zone on a touchdown run that ended up getting called back due to a penalty. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Eagles are concerned that Wentz tore his ACL.

Wentz wound up finding Jeffery in the end zone a couple plays later before limping off the field. He got examined on the sideline. And then he went back to the locker room. The Eagles soon ruled him out.

Before leaving the game, Wentz was downright brilliant, going 23 of 41 for 291 yards, four touchdowns, one pick, and a 100.8 passer rating. Whenever the Eagles needed him, he came up huge.

His day started with an interception, which led to a Rams touchdown. But it was all up from there. The Eagles immediately responded with their own touchdown, when Wentz cycled through his reads until he found Brent Celek in the end zone.

Of note:

Not long after, Wentz squeezed in this touchdown to a completely covered Trey Burton for a 14-7 lead.

He was magic outside the pocket.

I could keep dropping in highlights, but I think you get the point: Wentz is incredible. Let's just finish with his final pass, which rewarded Doug Pederson's gutsy decision to go for a fourth-and-goal and gave Wentz the single-season franchise record for most touchdown passes.

Credit Nick Foles for keeping the Eagles alive. He's one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. Credit the Eagles' defense for shutting down the Rams in crunch time. Credit Jake Elliott for drilling two field goals in the fourth quarter. The Eagles are more than just Wentz, and if Wentz is only out a week or two, they can tread water. But if Wentz is out for the season, the Eagles' Super Bowl hopes are likely done.

Read on for six takeaways from the game.

1. Rams are still dangerous

The Rams lost a game they probably feel like they should've won, but they can take solace in the fact that their offense remains explosive.

Goff threw for 199 yards, two touchdowns, no picks, and a 110.9 passer rating. He might not have had the flashy highlight-reel plays that Wentz did, but he was consistent.

The flashiness was reserved for Todd Gurley, who continues to shine in Sean McVay's offense. He totaled 135 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage.

Cooper Kupp racked up 118 yards and a score. And Sammy Watkins scored a goal-line touchdown. 

Don't put this loss on the Rams' offense.They weren't flawless, and Goff's fumble in the fourth quarter set up the Eagles for a go-ahead field goal.

But the Rams offense also put up 28 points against the third-best defense by DVOA, a defense that entered the game allowing 17.9 points per game. The Rams' offense is the reason why the Rams are a contender in the NFC. They showed that on Sunday, even if they came up a few plays short.

The point being, there's no need for us to overreact to a tight loss against a great team.

2. No Ertz, no problem

The Eagles played this game without their top pass-catcher, tight end Zach Ertz (concussion), who has racked up 57 catches, 663 yards and seven touchdowns. The Eagles handled his absence just fine.

Tight end Trey Burton caught five passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns, while fellow tight end Brent Celek caught one touchdown. The Eagles' tight end group did a phenomenal job replacing Ertz.

3. Ajayi deserves more

One reason the Eagles were able to overcome Ertz's injury? They ran the ball well.

As a team, they ran the ball 32 times for 139 yards (4.3 yards per carry). Jay Ajayi did the heavy lifting with 15 carries for 78 yards (5.2 yards per carry). Since he arrived in Philadelphia mid-season via a trade with the Dolphins, Ajayi has split carries with LeGarrette Blount and Corey Clement. Now, it's time for Ajayi to take on a larger role. He looks like the best back in the group by far, offering the most explosiveness. He just needs to get more opportunities.

4. Rams special teams are special

The Rams entered the game ranked second in special teams DVOA. They showed why in the third quarter when they snagged the lead with a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown.

Of note:

The Rams' special teams could play a huge role once the playoffs begin.

5. Playoff picture

The Eagles have clinched the NFC East. They're also the top seed in the NFC again. Meanwhile, the Rams are currently the third seed in the NFC, but that could change after next week. They're only one game up on the Seahawks.

You can see the entire playoff picture here.

6. What's next?

For the Eagles, this question is entirely about Wentz. The future of their season hinges on what the doctors say about the severity of his injury. With or without Wentz, they'll head to New York next for a date against the Giants. They'll then finish the year against the Raiders and Cowboys.

As for the Rams, they'll get ready for the most important week of their season. Next week, they get the Seahawks in Seattle in a game that could decide the NFC West. Their final two games, which will still hold plenty of importance for seeding purposes, will come against the Titans and 49ers.

Below, you'll find our live blog from the game in case you want to re-live the thriller.