This weekend the San Francisco 49ers will head to Lincoln Financial Field to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Conference Championship. In a close matchup, a number of 49ers players vs Eagles will need to step up. The winner of this game will head to Arizona for this year’s Super Bowl. San Francisco is coming off a 19-12 win against the Dallas Cowboys. While playing in a loud stadium, here are three 49ers players vs Eagles to watch in the NFC Championship Game.
49ers Players vs Eagles: Christian McCaffrey
As of now, 49ers running back, Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a calf issue but has stated that he’ll be good to go against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles do have a strong defense; however, since Week 11, their run defense ranks 11th in DVOA, according to David Lombardi of the Athletic. This helps San Francisco’s offense and why McCaffrey is one of the 49ers players vs Eagles to watch.
Yes, Philadelphia’s addition of Linval Joseph (Week 11) has led to an improvement in run defense DVOA. But no, the Eagles are still not world beaters in that phase. It remains their weakest dimension:
Philly run defense DVOA ranks..
Weeks 1-10: #28
Weeks 11-now: #15— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 25, 2023
McCaffrey has been a great addition to the 49ers’ offense, and a big reason they are where they are now. This season, including both the regular season, and the playoffs, McCaffrey has rushed for 1,293 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. McCaffrey has also had 93 receptions for 780 yards and six touchdowns.
Last weekend, against the Dallas Cowboys, McCaffrey did not have his best game, but still played well. Dallas had a strong defense against the run, and McCaffrey was dealing with his calf issue. Last weekend when the Eagles faced the New York Giants, Philly’s run defense did well. The Giants were only able to rush for 118 yards, according to ESPN. San Francisco rushed for 113 yards against a better-rushing defense in Dallas last weekend, according to ESPN. If McCaffrey is fully healthy, expect him to make big plays and be one of the top 49ers players vs Eagles.
49ers Players vs Eagles: Jauan Jennings
The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, Jauan Jennings has been one of the most clutch players on the team. He may not be discussed on the same level as Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk, but he has been a crucial part of this team. Jennings is a go-to player when it comes to third-down conversions. The Eagles have a solid passing defense, but when it comes to defending against the third receiver on teams, they are not the best. This means Jennings will definitely be one of the 49ers players vs Eagles to watch.
Philadelphia’s defensive DVOA ranks vs various receivers…
vs. #1 WR: #2
vs. #2 WR: #4
vs. other WR: #22
vs. TE: #6
vs. RB: #24 pic.twitter.com/ASSHLFxwuc— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 23, 2023
This season, especially with injuries to Samuel, Jennings has done a strong job moving the ball downfield. This year, Jennings has had 39 receptions for 483 yards, according to ESPN. Jennings has only scored one touchdown this season, but with the way, the Eagle’s defense has played this year, he may get one this weekend.
Last year for the 2021 season, the San Francisco 49ers played against the Eagles in Philly. While both teams have added key players to their rosters, Jennings did play in that game. It was against the Philadelphia Eagles that Jenning caught his first career touchdown last year. Jennings has yet to score in this year’s playoffs, but he will be one of the 49ers players vs Eagles to watch.
49ers Players vs Eagles: Fred Warner
Last weekend against the Dallas Cowboys, linebacker Fred Warner may have had the best game of his career. Warner ran all over the field to get to wherever the ball was. The way he wants this team to win was felt by the team and the fans. Warner was a part of the 2019 season when the team went to the Super Bowl. If Warner continues to play how he did last weekend, he will be one of the 49ers players vs Eagles to watch.
This has been a really solid season for Warner. In both the regular and post-season, Warner has had a total of 145 combined tackles, 91 of which were solo, and five sacks, according to ESPN. He has also had two interceptions for 36 yards and one forced fumble. While these stats do include last weekend, it also needs to be highlighted separately.
Last weekend, Warner had nine combined tackles, seven of which were solo, and one tackle for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. He also had one interception for 16 yards and one pass deflection. Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts is known to be able to run out of the pocket and down the field for big plays. As Warner is a player that follows the ball, he will be crucial to stopping Hurts from running, along with fellow linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Warner is a leader on this team, and one of the top 49ers players vs Eagles to watch this weekend.
The NFC Championship will take place at 3:00pm Eastern this Sunday. The winner will move on to the Super Bowl. Be sure to watch these San Francisco 49ers players as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
For More NFL Content:
Check out this article on which 49ers members were announced as finalists for the NFL Honors. Check out this article on the history of the 49ers vs Eagles in the playoffs. Check out this article on the top 49ers players in their win over the Dallas Cowboys. Also, check out this article on where defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans will coach in the 2023 season.
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