The Eagles are in for a tough test against the San Francisco 49ers in their Wild Card Round matchup. To understand why, let's break down five key areas that will determine which team comes out on top.
Firstly, Christian McCaffrey is the backbone of the 49ers' offense, with 413 touches this season - a staggering amount that sets him apart from the rest of the league. However, his effectiveness as a runner has been questioned, with an average of just 3.86 yards per carry in 2025. The Eagles must be prepared to contain McCaffrey on the ground if they want to shut down the 49ers' offense.
The 49ers also have a potent passing game that relies heavily on their running back and tight end. George Kittle has been a key player, with 628 receiving yards this season, and Skyy Moore's punt return skills have been instrumental in creating big plays. The Eagles will need to bring their best linebackers, including Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, and Jihaad Campbell, to handle the challenge.
The Niners' offense can be vulnerable to power running games, particularly with a light front line that includes Spencer Burford at 300 pounds. The Eagles have several players who can exploit this weakness, including Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Moro Ojomo, Jaelan Phillips, and Brandon Graham. Brock Purdy's proclivity for holding onto the ball will also be a challenge, as he averages around 3.17 seconds per pass play.
However, the Niners' quarterback is not immune to turnovers. Purdy has thrown interceptions on just 3.5% of his passes this season - a concerning rate that could give the Eagles an advantage if they can keep him in the pocket.
Finally, the Niners have made significant improvements on special teams, thanks in part to Skyy Moore's contributions in the punt return phase and Eddy Piñeiro's accuracy from 50+ yards. The Eagles will need to be aware of these strengths as well if they want to come away with a win.
Overall, the 49ers' offense is built around Christian McCaffrey, who must have a big game for San Francisco to succeed. The Eagles must be prepared to contain him on the ground and in the air, while also neutralizing their running back and tight end duo. With their power rushing attack, improved linebacking corps, and discipline in defending against Purdy's scrambling ability, the Eagles have a good chance of shutting down the 49ers' offense and emerging victorious in this critical Wild Card Round matchup.
Firstly, Christian McCaffrey is the backbone of the 49ers' offense, with 413 touches this season - a staggering amount that sets him apart from the rest of the league. However, his effectiveness as a runner has been questioned, with an average of just 3.86 yards per carry in 2025. The Eagles must be prepared to contain McCaffrey on the ground if they want to shut down the 49ers' offense.
The 49ers also have a potent passing game that relies heavily on their running back and tight end. George Kittle has been a key player, with 628 receiving yards this season, and Skyy Moore's punt return skills have been instrumental in creating big plays. The Eagles will need to bring their best linebackers, including Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, and Jihaad Campbell, to handle the challenge.
The Niners' offense can be vulnerable to power running games, particularly with a light front line that includes Spencer Burford at 300 pounds. The Eagles have several players who can exploit this weakness, including Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Moro Ojomo, Jaelan Phillips, and Brandon Graham. Brock Purdy's proclivity for holding onto the ball will also be a challenge, as he averages around 3.17 seconds per pass play.
However, the Niners' quarterback is not immune to turnovers. Purdy has thrown interceptions on just 3.5% of his passes this season - a concerning rate that could give the Eagles an advantage if they can keep him in the pocket.
Finally, the Niners have made significant improvements on special teams, thanks in part to Skyy Moore's contributions in the punt return phase and Eddy Piñeiro's accuracy from 50+ yards. The Eagles will need to be aware of these strengths as well if they want to come away with a win.
Overall, the 49ers' offense is built around Christian McCaffrey, who must have a big game for San Francisco to succeed. The Eagles must be prepared to contain him on the ground and in the air, while also neutralizing their running back and tight end duo. With their power rushing attack, improved linebacking corps, and discipline in defending against Purdy's scrambling ability, the Eagles have a good chance of shutting down the 49ers' offense and emerging victorious in this critical Wild Card Round matchup.
. Christian McCaffrey is definitely a key player for San Francisco, but his effectiveness on the ground has been called into question 
. If the Eagles can contain him and limit his touches, they might be able to shut down their offense.
. But I'm not convinced that Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter can completely shut them down - McCaffrey's speed and agility could still make for big plays.
. And with Brock Purdy's tendency to hold onto the ball, turnovers are a real possibility - if the Eagles can capitalize on those, it could give them a big advantage 
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. But I'm still giving the Eagles my money on this one 
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. And what's up with Brock Purdy's holding onto the ball? 3.17 seconds is way too long 
... that's like giving away a touchdown just by standing still.
... it's not like it's going to single-handedly win the game for the Niners, but it's definitely something the Eagles need to be aware of. I'm still skeptical about this one though 
. Can we get some stats or sources to back up these claims?
. I think it's gonna be a close one, but I'm leaning towards the 49ers taking it to overtime 
! I heard their QB is kinda like Brock Purdy, always holding onto the ball for too long 
. But you know what's not funny? If we get beaten bad because of it 
. We need to work on our tackling skills and defense strategy ASAP 
Fingers crossed we can contain Christian McCaffrey on the ground too 
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️. The Eagles have a solid power running game and some decent linebackers who can handle their running backs and tight ends. Plus, Brock Purdy's accuracy is no joke 
... I just hope the Eagles don't get too many turnovers on defense 
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. Kittle's role can't be ignored, so the Eagles need to bring their A-game to stop him 
. But what I think will really make or break this game is the 49ers' power running game weakness 
. and let's not forget skyy moore's punt return skills... the eagles gotta stay on their toes all game long 
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The Eagles have some serious firepower with Jordan Davis and Jaelan Phillips, they're gonna CRUSH that light front line.
. Their passing game is solid but also kinda predictable, so the Eagles need to figure out a way to keep them guessing. And man, Brock Purdy's gotta work on throwing less and holding onto more 
. The 49ers' special teams are fire though 
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. Their defense is looking fierce, and if they can just contain Purdy, they might just come out on top 
. I mean, come on Brock Purdy, just get rid of it already! The Eagles have a solid pass rush with Brandon Graham and Moro Ojomo, so I don't see how this is going to be an issue for them... but I guess we'll see. They need to bring their A game if they wanna contain McCaffrey on the ground - 3.86 yards per carry is just too low