Jared Verse responds to boos and taunts from Eagles fans and Saquon Barkley with sack of Jalen Hurts

Jared Verse poked the bear.

On Sunday, the bear poked back. The bear, in this instance, being Philadelphia Eagles fans.

As his Los Angeles Rams prepared for Sunday's playoff game against the Eagles, Verse offered a candid assessment of his feelings for Eagles fans in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

"I hate Eagles fans," Verse said. "They're so annoying. I hate Eagles fans."

It was a bold move from the Rams' rookie pass rusher, who made the Pro Bowl this season as a disruptive force in opposing backfields. Eagles fans, meanwhile, are notorious for being, well, Philadelphia sports fans. Verse's comments were a direct invitation to said fans target him. Target him, they did.

They did so first with a billboard. Prior to Sunday's game, a billboard was erected near the Eagles tailgate zone with Verse's quote alongside a picture of a screaming Eagles fan. The message was clear. Give Verse hell.

Verse did not shy away from what was coming. He strolled the sidelines ahead of pregame warmups and hammed it up with fans who showed up early and greeted him with a chorus of boos.

After warmups, Verse literally skipped to the locker room as the considerably fuller stands of Lincoln Financial Field let him hear it.

Verse was clearly eating it up.

Then, after kickoff, the video board crew got in on the action. They put Verse's quote up on the board, then cut to a smiling Verse as he sat on the sideline.

Eagles fans responded accordingly.

The storyline carried over into the second quarter, with Eagles running back Saquon Barkley getting in on the action. Barkley, a former New York Giant, had previously questioned the wisdom of Verse's taunt.

On Sunday, Verse gave chase as Barkley sprinted down the sideline for a 62-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia a 13-7 lead. As he approached the goal line, Barkley slowed down just enough to look back directly at Verse, who had no chance of stopping him.

It was a surely satisfying moment for Eagles fans, who'd found a new public enemy No. 1. But Verse was ready with a response.

On Philadelphia's next possession, the Eagles drove into field-goal range. But Verse ensured that no points would be scored on the drive with a third-down sack of Jalen Hurts that forced a punt.

It also, of course, invited a loud chorus of boos from the stands.