San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles Game Preview
PHILADELPHIA (PSF) — GAME DETAILS:
San Francisco 49ers (8-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-1) — Lincoln Financial Field, 1:25 Pacific Time, FOX
The San Francisco 49ers travel to Lincoln Financial Field to visit the Philadelphia Eagles for a matchup that could potentially be a 2024 NFC Championship Game preview.
The two clashed in the 2023 NFC Championship game, and the Eagles dominated the 49ers in a 31-7 win, albeit with the 49ers having no healthy quarterbacks for a portion of the game after QB Brock Purdy exited the game with an elbow injury, and backup QB Josh Johnson also left with an injury.
The two best teams in the NFC according the many, this will surely be one of the best games of the season if everyone from both sides remains healthy. There is some history, and bad blood between these two teams as well as their fanbases, so it will be a competitive atmosphere both on and off the field.
I’m going to go over some key stats, and two key matchups to preview this NFC showdown. Let’s get right into it.
KEY STATS
* DVOA: Measures a team’s efficiency by comparing success on every play they run (both offensively and defensively) to a league average
San Francisco 49ers:
386.1 Offensive Yards per game (#3)
28.2 Points per game (T-3)
6.4 Yards per play (#2)
15.5 Opponent Points per game (#1)
295.3 Opponent Yards per game (#5)
1.9 Takeaways per game (#2)
3.0 Sacks per game (#9)
#2 in Team DVOA
#6 in Defensive DVOA
3 Weeks ago the 49ers’ sack numbers wouldn’t have been as pretty. But with 15 sacks over their past three games, they’ve vaulted themselves into the top ten. This upcoming offensive line matchup is by far and away the best offensive line they’ve faced this season, so whether or not the 49ers’ pass rush can get to the backfield and limit Jalen Hurts’s time to throw and ability to use his legs is going to be a key storyline to pay attention to in this game.
Photo Credit: NFL.com
Philadelphia Eagles:
364.3 Offensive Yards per game (#9)
28.2 Points per game (T-3)
5.4 Yards per play (#10)
22.4 Opponent Points per game (#20)
341.0 Opponent Yards per game (#19)
1.3 Takeaways per game (T-19)
2.9 Sacks per game (T-12)
#9 in Team DVOA
#17 in Defensive DVOA
As you can see, the Eagles have had their fair share of struggles on the defensive side of the ball, especially in the past few weeks. They’ve let their past 4 opponents outgain them in yardage (Commanders, Dallas, Kansas City, and Buffalo), and let both Dak Prescott and Josh Allen have big passing days against them. The passing defense has been a huge issue for Philadelphia, even with a talented cornerback duo in Darius Slay and James Bradberry and a formidable safety duo in Kevin Byard and Reed Blankenship, so the Eagles’ pass defense against the 49ers will be a key factor to watch.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ed Zurga
KEY MATCHUPS
GEORGE KITTLE VS. THE EAGLES’ PASS DEFENSE
The Eagles have had a tough time this season covering tight ends, especially over the middle, and it is clear in their #32 ranking in defensive DVOA against tight ends.
Keep an eye on George Kittle’s involvement in the passing game. Kittle is an integral part of the run game with his high-level blocking, but with Eagles starting Linebacker Zach Cunningham not practicing this week, that means an even better passing game matchup for Kittle, as well as potentially more running opportunities for the 49ers, as David Lombardi of the Athletic stated.
The 49ers may look into giving Kittle an increased opportunity in volume this game, since Philadelphia may key in on stopping Christian McCaffrey, who was a problem for them in the NFC Championship Game. Although Kittle was quiet last game (caught 3 out of 5 targets for 19 yards), in the 3 games before he was unstoppable: 20 receptions, 354 yards, 2 touchdowns. This will be a prime game for Kyle Shanahan to unleash every one of his offensive weapons, and look for him to exploit the Eagles’ weakness against tight ends.
AJ BROWN AND DEVONTA SMITH VS. THE 49ERS SECONDARY
AJ Brown is ranked as the second most valuable Wide Receiver in the NFL, and has the 3rd highest PFF Grade at 90.8. DeVonta Smith is ranked 41st with a 71.8 grade, but has still had a great season, catching 55 balls for 738 yards and 5 touchdowns.
With AJ Brown likely getting the DK Metcalf treatment from cornerback Charvarious Ward, who will probably shadow him on Sunday, DeVonta Smith will likely be left one-on-one with Demmodore Lenoir or Ambry Thomas, who have had a fair share of struggles embedded in their relatively solid seasons.
Look for either one of these matchups to be exploited. AJ Brown is one of the best in the business, and so is DeVonta Smith, so there is a high likelihood that Brown can beat Ward throughout the day or Smith can beat Lenoir/Thomas throughout the day, and it’s likely a matter of which one it will be.
In a game that looks to be close throughout it, look for the Eagles to try and push the ball downfield and to be aggressive on passing downs against a secondary that has struggled in more than a few games this season.
