49ers eliminate defending Super Bowl champion Eagles with 23-19 wild-card win
Brock Purdy's late touchdown to Christian McCaffrey and a Jauan Jennings trick play lifted the 49ers to a 23-19 wild-card win over the Eagles Sunday.
Overview
Brock Purdy threw a go-ahead six-yard touchdown to Christian McCaffrey late in the fourth quarter, giving San Francisco a 23-19 win in Philadelphia.
Early in the fourth, wide receiver Jauan Jennings executed a trick play, throwing a 29-yard touchdown to McCaffrey that swung momentum to the 49ers.
San Francisco lost tight end George Kittle to a right Achilles injury late in the first half and faces uncertainty heading into the divisional round.
Philadelphia's offense struggled, gaining only 36 third-quarter yards; Jalen Hurts finished with 168 passing yards, intensifying scrutiny of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
The 49ers will travel to face top-seeded Seattle in the NFC divisional round next weekend, while the Eagles' season ends amid questions about leadership and playcalling.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the game as a 49ers victory defined by Eagles' failings, using evaluative language ('lethargic offensive effort,' 'doomed') and selective emphasis on Purdy's comeback and trick plays. Structural choices foreground San Francisco scoring and Philadelphia's turnovers/injury, minimizing alternative context like schematic reasons or offensive adjustments.
Sources (6)
FAQ
Brock Purdy completed 22 of 34 passes for 262 yards, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions, with the key play being a go-ahead 6-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey late in the fourth quarter that put the 49ers ahead for good.
George Kittle was carted off late in the first half with a right Achilles tendon injury, and reports after the game indicated uncertainty about his availability, meaning the 49ers could enter the divisional round in Seattle without their star tight end.
The Eagles’ offense was largely ineffective, managing only 36 total yards on 16 plays in the third quarter, and Jalen Hurts finished with just 168 passing yards and one touchdown, which intensified scrutiny on offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and the overall offensive game plan.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jauan Jennings took a pitch, rolled right, and threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey, turning a 16-10 deficit into a 17-16 49ers lead and significantly swinging momentum toward San Francisco.
The 49ers will travel to face the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional round, and the NFC West rivals split their regular-season series this year, with each team winning once.
History
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