The San Francisco 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship game after a gutsy win against the Dallas Cowboys, 19-12, in a game that was a clash of titans and a defensive struggle. The NFC Championship game will be another clash of titans when the 49ers vs. Eagles in Philadelphia.
49ers vs. Eagles: Must-See Matchup
The two best teams in the NFC are facing off in the NFC Championship game when the 49ers vs. Eagles. This is the matchup that everyone wants to see in the NFC Championship this year. When the 49ers vs. Eagles in Philadelphia, there will be many matchups on the field to keep a keen eye on Sunday afternoon.
49ers vs. Eagles: Line of scrimmage
The matchup of the 49ers vs. Eagles will come down to which team will be able to control the line of scrimmage. The 49ers vs. Eagles will be a matchup of dominant defensive lines. If the 49ers can put pressure on Jalen Hurts with four down linemen, and control the line of scrimmage on defense, they will be able to make Hurts uncomfortable and take him out of rhythm.
There are not a lot of holes in the Eagles’ defense, they are solid at all three levels, and they have a defense that leads the league in sacks and has multiple defensive linemen with 10+ sacks on the season. How do you slow down a dominant pass rush? Run the ball.
With all the All-pros and Pro Bowlers on the Eagles’ defense, they are susceptible to the outside zone run. The 49ers’ offense needs to be able to run the football effectively. The 49ers vs. Eagles will feature a heavy run game from Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell. Look for the 49ers’ offense to run the outside zone against the Eagles’ defense to slow down their dominant defensive line and pass rush.
49ers vs. Eagles: Turnovers
The 49ers will face their first road test of the postseason in what is known as one of the most intimidating and hostile NFL environments. The NFC Championship game will be the third road game for rookie quarterback Brock Purdy’s young career as an NFL quarterback.
A rookie quarterback making his third start on the road in Philadelphia is intimidating enough. Still, being in the NFC Championship with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line is highly intimidating, but Purdy doesn’t seem phased by the bright lights and the big moment. Brock Purdy doesn’t get overwhelmed by the big moment on the road in a hostile environment. His poise in the pocket under pressure is by far his best quality as a player.
Whoever wins the turnover battle will win this game. Purdy and the offense need to limit their turnovers on offense and play a clean football game to compete with the Eagles’ prolific offense. The 49ers’ defense needs to force turnovers, fumbles, or interceptions, and if they do so, they will have a great chance to win the game.
49ers vs. Eagles: Control the Clock
The 49ers’ best defense is the 49ers’ offense. The 49ers’ defense is the best in the NFL. The 49ers’ defense has been vulnerable to the mobile quarterbacks during the Kyle Shanahan era, Patrick Mahomes, Russel Wilson, and Josh Allen to name a few. Still, this week they have to face arguably the league’s MVP in Jalen Hurts.
The Eagles offense has been the best in the NFL, with playmakers all over the field led by Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, Devontae Smith, Miles Saunders, and Dallas Goedert. If the 49ers can sustain long drives on offense, not necessarily resulting in touchdowns, and control the clock and the ball for the majority of the game, they will win have a great chance to win.
The blueprint for the 49ers vs. Eagles is that the 49ers’ offense will need to maintain possession of the ball for most of the game. If the 49ers maintain time of possession of the football and dictate tempo of the game, not only does it mean they can run on the Eagles’ defense, but they are also keeping Jalen Hurts and the dynamic offense of the Eagles off the field. If the 49ers can play their style of football, run the football effectively and control the tempo, they will have a great shot to punch their ticket to Glendale, Arizona and compete for their sixth Lombardi trophy in franchise history.
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