Are the Champs in Trouble? Eagles @ 49ers Playoff Preview

Matt Hylen
9 hours ago
5 min read

Photo Credit to Jaren Kawada via Clutch Points

In what should be one of the more intense and unpredictable games of the Wildcard round, the 6-seeded San Francisco 49ers are heading to Philly to take on the defending champion and 3-seeded Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, despite having the better record at 11-6, are 5.5-point favorites according to DraftKings, with the moneyline holding at -238 as opposed to the 49ers' +195.

The game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 11th, at 4:30 pm EST on FOX. The weather, which could play a big part in the game, is expected to be around 44 degrees with the possibility of rain during game time.

Now, with all that being said, who has the advantage in this game? Will the Eagles defend home turf and turn things around offensively, or will the 49ers do what they've done all season long and prove doubters wrong to take care of business? Let's dive into it.

Keys to the Game: 49ers

Photo Credit to Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

My first key to the game for San Fran is that they need to pass the ball effectively, which starts with Christian McCaffrey. The way in which San Francisco was stifled by Seattle's defense in Week 18, despite the team having the highest ppg average the prior 4 weeks, was concerning. Add that to the fact that the Eagles' defense has been among the best in football since December, and you do have an issue. With that being said, I do think it is possible to get the passing game going, even against a stifling defense in Philly, when you have a running back like Christian McCaffrey. San Francisco needs to get McCaffrey at least 20+ touches on the ground and through the air if they want any chance of creating an efficient passing attack. With Ricky Pearsall still not practicing yet this week, it makes guys like McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle all the more valuable. It's simple: give CMC the rock and you will move down the field.

My second key is that San Fran needs to stop the run. The team has been extremely solid at doing so this year, ranking 11th in all of football, but scheming against Saquon Barkley, potentially in the rain, with Philly's O-Line getting healthier, is no easy task in the playoffs. If the Niners can find a way to stop the run, the Eagles' non-existent pass game will struggle to get anything going.

My third key to the game is the team HAS to protect Brock Purdy. Purdy was pressured 15 times last week, getting battered up in the process. However, when given the time to throw the ball, Purdy has been among the hottest QBs in football over the last 4 weeks. With the Eagles' ability to provide an elite pass rush, the Niners' o-line has to give Purdy time to throw the ball. We saw what happened when he did not have time last week, but have also seen what it looks like when Purdy has time to throw the ball. Trent Williams' likely return should help, but Purdy needs time if he wants any chance of picking apart the Eagles' defense.

Keys to the Game: Eagles

First and foremost, the offense needs to show up. Since their week 9 bye, the Eagles have played 4 playoff teams; they averaged a total of 14.3 points per game and 269 yards of total offense. To put it plainly, this is not going to fly in the playoffs, especially against Kyle Shanahan and the way the 49ers play defense. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has to channel the style of play he showed in last year's playoff run and figure out a way to move the offense down the field. The defense has been able to keep you in games, but you cannot bet on that in the playoffs when you are playing a Kyle

Shanahan offense. Philly has the weapons and should get a boost with All-Pro Tackle Lane Johnson and guard Landon Dickerson possibly returning, so there cannot be any excuses on offense.

Secondly, the defense needs to maintain the level of play they have shown in the second half of the season. It took the team a while to figure out their defensive identity, but once they did, they never looked back. This Eagles defensive crew has arguably been the best in football over the past couple of months, which they have to maintain against a 49ers offense that has been fantastic to end the year. Philly matches up well on every level on the defensive side, so take advantage of your strength within the front seven, shut down Christian McCaffrey, and play the level of defense the team has played for a while now.

My third and final key to the game for the Eagles is they need to start fast in the second half of the game. There have been way too many instances where both sides of the ball will come out firing in the first half but completely fall off a cliff in the second half. We have seen this most notably in the game against the Buffalo Bills, where they had less than 100 yards of offense and allowed all 12 of Buffalo's points in the 4th quarter. They did win that game, however, as I have said many times, they will not get away with performances like that in the playoffs. This team has been here before and has shown to be lethal on both sides, so channeling that championship mentality and proving they can sustain a good level of play in both halves will be crucial if they want to win this game.

Who Wins?

This game is so hard to predict because of how hot and cold each team can be. Though playing at home gives the Eagles a big advantage, I am going to have to take the 49ers in this one with a score prediction of 24-17. I have zero confidence in the Eagles' offense, which has been through a rollercoaster of a year, whereas the Niners' offense and team in general have been injury-proof all season long. I would have the 49ers covering the 5.5 spread as well; I am confident that this game will be close the whole way through.

So, as I said, the Eagles being the home team should help them greatly in a game that will have to be a scrappy one all the way through. However, I trust the team that, when healthy, has proven all the doubters wrong more than the team that lacks identity where it matters most.