The San Francisco 49ers (13-4) will make their third N.F.C. championship sport look in 4 seasons once they face the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) on Sunday at 3 p.m. Japanese time, broadcast on Fox.
Betting traces barely lean towards the Eagles, enjoying at dwelling, as a 2.5-point favourite, which is a testomony to their consistency within the common season. However the modest unfold additionally reveals that specialists predict this sport between two of the league’s greatest groups to be aggressive.
The matchup highlights how the groups constructed a whole roster within the fashionable N.F.L., as each golf equipment fielded lineups which can be deep in key positions due to shrewd draft selections and trades by Eagles Common Supervisor Howie Roseman and 49ers Common Supervisor John Lynch.
A thriving Jalen Hurts
The Eagles, the highest seed within the N.F.C., share the most effective report within the N.F.L. with Kansas Metropolis and have ascended to the league’s elite due to the event of quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts, chosen within the second spherical of the 2020 N.F.L. draft, has drastically improved in his second full season as a starter, throwing for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns whereas finishing over 66 % of his passes. A.J. Brown, a receiver whom Roseman traded for in April, caught half of these landing passes, posting 1,496 yards and 11 scores.
Hurts additionally rushed for 760 yards and 13 touchdowns, incomes a Professional Bowl choice regardless of lacking two video games with a shoulder harm. Hurts’s dashing potential, coupled together with his arm, has allowed the Eagles to thrive in Coach Nick Sirianni’s run-pass possibility offense, a scheme that enables the quarterback handy the ball off or throw to a receiver relying on the response of the protection. The quarterback dispelled considerations about his shoulder by finishing a 40-yard move on his second play of the divisional-round win in opposition to the Giants.
The Eagles’ offensive line, led by middle Jason Kelce and sort out Lane Johnson, is among the greatest within the N.F.L., permitting the Eagles to hurry for 147.6 yards per sport, the fifth-most within the league. Defensively, the Eagles secured essentially the most sacks (70) and allowed the fewest passing yards per sport (179.8), largely due to gamers Roseman traded for or added in free company within the final three years, comparable to cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry and linebacker Haason Reddick.
A stunning Brock Purdy
The Eagles will face a 49ers offense led by the rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who started the season on the backside of the depth chart. However he was inserted halfway by means of the 12 months after accidents to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
He transitioned seamlessly.
The 49ers have gained 12 consecutive video games, together with the seven video games Purdy has began since Garoppolo’s foot harm in opposition to the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 4. Purdy, the final decide of the 2022 N.F.L. draft, has performed effectively beneath Coach Kyle Shanahan, who additionally acts because the offense’s play caller. Purdy has thrown simply 4 interceptions whereas including 1,374 yards and 13 touchdowns in 9 video games. However his success can be tied to the offensive weapons round him.
Lynch in October traded for the star operating again Christian McCaffrey, whose ambidextrous dashing and receiving abilities align with Shanahan’s want to capitalize on gamers’ potential to run after the catch and place them in several areas of the sphere. McCaffrey, who has posted 1,403 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns since becoming a member of San Francisco, enhances the versatile receiver Deebo Samuel and provides to a crop of targets that additionally embody tight finish George Kittle and receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers ranked as the highest total protection within the league this season, permitting the fewest factors (277) and the second fewest whole yards (5,110). DeMeco Ryans, the defensive coordinator, has grow to be a sought-after teaching candidate by different groups due to the unit’s success, and defensive finish Nick Bosa, who leads the league in sacks (18.5), is a favourite to win the Defensive Participant of the 12 months Award.
How every group would possibly win
The matchup is prone to be determined by whose offensive line performs higher. Of the 4 remaining quarterbacks within the playoffs, Purdy has the bottom air yards per passing try (6.7), in response to Subsequent Gen Stats, that means he usually throws to receivers on brief routes. Purdy might want to proceed to launch the ball rapidly to tame Reddick and the Eagles’ move rush.
Philadelphia has succeeded this season by working a balanced offense, however the San Francisco protection allowed the second-fewest dashing yards per sport (77.7). Stymieing the Eagles’ dashing assault might make them lean closely on the move, which might create sack alternatives for Bosa. The 49ers are the extra injured group, however Shanahan stated he expects McCaffrey (calf), Samuel (ankle) and operating again Elijah Mitchell (groin) to play.