The postseason returns to South Philly with a familiar opponent. The last time the Eagles and 49ers met in January, Philadelphia left the NFC Championship Game with a 31–7 win, a trip to the Super Bowl, and a lingering argument that never really went away.
San Francisco fans have spent the last three years insisting that the game would have ended differently if Brock Purdy had played the whole game. Sunday is their opportunity to prove it.
This isn’t about revisiting history for the Philadelphia Eagles; the Niners are on their own with that. It’s about advancing and trying to become back-to-back Super Bowl Champions. If you lose one game, you’re done, and the Eagles are ready for whoever comes their way.
When: Sun., 4:30 p.m. EST
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
How: FOX
The Eagles’ offense enters the postseason more settled than it was a month ago, but certainly not without controversy and concern. The run game has found some traction, and if Jalen Hurts is comfortable threatening defenses with his legs, the Eagles could surprise teams in the postseason, despite an offensive line still searching for the magic they had during the 2024 season.
Saquon Barkley will be central to the rushing plan, but Tank Bigsby has earned some carries. What he did over the season with limited touches and against the Commanders in the season finale was impressive. If the Eagles can make this a downhill game early, it limits how aggressive San Francisco can be defensively.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will get their targets, and Dallas Goedert’s role in the middle of the field will be an outlet for Hurts to exploit when plays break structure. Hurts doesn’t need to be perfect. He needs to be in control and not turn the ball over. The Eagles' battered o-line should be able to win the trenches and give Hurts time to read the field and get the ball out. SF has the fewest sacks in the NFL.
A conservative approach may not be what fans want to hear, but their aversion to turnovers is what will continue to drive their play. I would expect them to open it more than what we have seen, via Hurts’ legs and maybe using RPOs. They need to stack drives. The Eagles can’t afford empty possessions that give the 49ers good field position, nor numerous three-and-outs that keep the defense on the field and cost them the time-of-possession battle. There are not many clear paths for San Fran to win, but the Eagles not sustaining drives is their best chance.
The Eagles' defense has only given up 14.5 PPG since Week 8. Much like last season, as the year goes by, the defense gels and becomes even more dominant.
Quinyon Mitchell, Adoree’ Jackson, and Cooper DeJean’s ability to handle outside and slot responsibilities should give them a huge advantage and limit the Niners’ ability to move the ball vertically. If Philadelphia controls the line of scrimmage up, it will make their job in the back even easier.
Brock Purdy comes back to Philadelphia with something to prove, and he will rely on his all -world weapon, Christian McCaffrey, to get the job done. McCaffrey has the ability to change the game with one crease or cut, and Vic Fangio’s defense will need to be disciplined to prevent him from doing so. Over-pursuit turns short gains into long ones, and San Francisco will test every angle. Coach Shanahan schemes ways to get the ball to him in space early and often; in fact, McCaffrey has more targets than AJ Brown this season. He will line McCaffrey up everywhere; out wide, in the slot, out of the backfield, and he is at his best in space. One of the best ways for the Eagles to counter this is to blitz. A lot. If Fangio’s defense can force McCaffrey to stay in pass pro rather than run routes, it flips the game. In short, shut down McCaffrey, and you win.
Kyle Shanahan and Vic Fangio have faced one another four times, and Fangio’s defenses allowed an average of 10.25 PPG in those four games.
The offense, which has been under fire for much of the year, excelled in one area, finishing the season with an NFL-best red-zone percentage of 70.5%. If they continue to score inside the 20, they will be a tough out.
The Eagles have more talent, rest, home-field advantage, healthy players, and know how to win big games. It is time to move past the shortcomings of the regular season and push the pedal to the floor offensively. Unleash the running game, RPOs, and play action. The optimist in me believes the longest slow burn in NFL history is about to be executed. The offense will function at a much higher level if Hurts is willing to use his legs in the running game and extend plays out of structure to get the ball down the field.
This game isn’t about what happened three years ago for Philadelphia; the opponent is irrelevant, but the formula is familiar. Run the ball, win early downs, protect the football, and let the defense take the air out of the game. I look for the D to put up 7 points. There are no style points now; it doesn’t matter how you win. Just survive and advance.
Prediction: Eagles 31, 49ers 23
Player of the Game: Jalen Hurts
As always, thank you for reading.
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