The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-7, in the 2023 NFC Championship Game. The Eagles took full advantage of injuries to 49ers quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson to secure a spot in Super Bowl 57.
The 49ers will be wondering what this game would have been like had Purdy not suffered a serious elbow injury all offseason. I have. Each side has a point, even if it’s a wildly different and uncompetitive game than expected. Let’s take a look at the top four points earned from the Eagles win.
4 points of 49ers vs. Eagles
The Eagles Boast Uncommon Offensive Flexibility
The Eagles didn’t have to do much to win thanks to Purdy’s early injuries, as they were up 21-7 soon after Purdy’s departure. Everything that happened after that was irrelevant. Despite the talent of the 49ers’ defense, they couldn’t beat their reckless offense.
But if the Eagles had to keep scoring and this game turned into an offensive battle, they could have continued to drive or find explosive plays. Philadelphia’s ability to pull off zone coverage remained dominant as they led an incredibly well-balanced unit.
No contributor stood out on the stat sheet, but that’s the beauty of this Eagles offense. They go into the Super Bowl on offense that keeps the defense guessing.
Christian McCaffrey should be a first-team All-Pro
Unfortunately, Christian McCaffrey’s stellar performance was decimated by a crushing defeat. He quickly ran for 55 yards and scored a touchdown before injuries hampered his offense. But gaining 106 total yards in 19 touches against a set of the Eagles’ fast and dominant trench defenders is as impressive as it gets.
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McCaffrey has been great since being bought by the 49ers. Instead, he will enter the 2023 season as one of the top three backs in the NFL, if not the clear number one.
McCaffrey may not be on the AP’s first-team All-Pro list, but there was no question that he still had such talent.
Losing Brock Purdy was insurmountable
Well, it’s not a hot point of view to point out that losing an overdone third-string quarterback is hard to overcome. San Francisco might have had a chance to win this game at Purdy. Losing Purdy and having to face Johnson was the end of the game.
The final score was certainly explosive, but competitive until Johnson entered the game and quickly fumbled at his own 25-yard line. Kyle Shanahan’s failure to maintain his offensive execution standards was just as damaging as his turnovers.
Shanahan was put in a worse position when Johnson had a concussion and was forced to reinsert Purdy or move McCaffrey to quarterback. Purdy, who barely managed to grab the ball, unsurprisingly failed. That added insult to his long and ill-fated day of injuries for the 49ers.
the eagles were lucky
I love the Eagles roster and their ability to pressure opponents from every angle on either side of the ball. However, it’s fair to point out the strength of the No. 21 schedule and that he essentially has a three-week farewell before reaching the Super Bowl. Neither the Giants nor the 49ers had a chance without Purdy.
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Things could change a lot when facing the AFC champions. Both the Chiefs and Bengals have elite QBs, excellent coaching his staff, and formidable defenses. They can push the Eagles in a way neither the Giants nor he could because of their personnel.
A heavyweight battle rages on at the Super Bowl, but you’ll find out more about Philadelphia than either of your opponents.
