Eagles Game Thread: NFC Championship Game vs. 49ers

For the first time in five years, the Eagles are in the NFC Championship Game! This means the Eagles are one win away from a trip to Super Bowl LVII! To get there though, they must face a formidable opponent in the San Francisco 49ers. Will the Eagles be able to rise to the challenge and end the 49ers’ season? The road to the Super Bowl leads through Lincoln Financial Field this afternoon at 3 PM.

This page will be updated with drive summaries as the game progresses.

First Quarter

• San Francisco won the toss and deferred to the second half.
• Boston Scott had a solid return back to the 34 yard line on the opening kickoff.
• The Eagles came out to a strong start on their first two plays, a short pass to AJ Brown and a solid run by Miles Sanders. After an injury to 49ers DB Fred Warner (who came back into the game), it got to 4th and 3 at SF 35. An incredible one handed 29 yard catch by Devonta Smith (that on replay should’ve been ruled incomplete) kept the drive alive. A six yard run by Miles Sanders gave the Eagles their first touchdown! Eagles 7, 49ers 0.
• San Francisco got their start on their own 25 yard line. After several early drive plays got the ball to near midfield, the Eagles got some pressure. On 2nd and 6, Haason Reddick got to Brock Purdy and, after Philadelphia challenged the play, forced a fumble recovered by Linval Joseph. Eagles ball!
• The Eagles went three and out following the fumble recovery.
• A big change for the 49ers occurred on the next drive as Purdy’s throwing wrist was injured on the fumble. He is out for the game. Replacing him was QB Josh Johnson. An early run by Christian McCaffrey got them four yards before Reddick came up with another big sack on Johnson, bringing up 3rd and 15. A delay of game penalty made it a long 3rd and 20. McCaffrey got a long 16 yard run but not long enough and punted it away. A stupid penalty after the punt put the Eagles at their own 14.
• The Eagles only got one yard on three plays, and after Jalen Hurts overthrew AJ Brown on 3rd Down, a bad punt by Brett Kern (which Philadelphia disputed hit the camera wire) and a hands to the face penalty gave San Francisco possession at the 50.
• To round out the quarter, Johnson dumped the ball off to McCaffrey for 9 yards.

Second Quarter

• Another run by McCaffrey got San Francisco a first down. That was followed by a delay of game and a big sack via Javon Hargrave, knocking the 49ers back to the Eagles’ 44. The next few plays went nowhere, forcing a punt by the 49ers.
• The Eagles started back at the 6, and started with a 1 yard loss. Hurts was then dropped back to the 1. Another bad throw to Brown forced another punt and great field position for the 49ers once again.
• Starting from the Eagles’ 46, a few short passes to McCaffrey got a few first downs. On 2nd and 10, McCaffrey got the ball again and with a series of bad tackling, San Francisco got its first score. Eagles 7, 49ers 7.
• The Eagles started on their own 25. After some key penalties got the Eagles to about midfield, it became the Kenneth Gainwell show, getting them to inside the 25 at the two minute warning. San Francisco got another penalty that kept the drive alive, and Miles Sanders made them pay, rushing 13 yards for another touchdown! Eagles 14, 49ers 7.
• The 49ers started on the 25. A quick pass to McCaffrey got a first down. Then Johnson mishandled the snap, resulting in a fumble recovered by Reddick!
• Starting on the Niners’ 25, a short pass to Dallas Goedert got a quick five yards. Another defensive penalty, face mask, got the Eagles another first down. First and Goal. Boston Scott took the ball on the next play and ran it 10 yards for another touchdown! Eagles 21, 49ers 7.
• After a great return for the Niners, Johnson tried two plays that sent the game to halftime.

Third Quarter

• San Francisco started with the ball at their own 25 yard line. The Eagles started strong by dropping McCaffrey behind the line. An incomplete pass on second down led to third and long. Johnson connected with George Kittle to keep the drive alive. Another delay of game brought up first and 15, an incompletion on second down brought up third and long. Johnson was pulled out of the game for concussion protocol on the incompletion, forcing Purdy back into the game. A short run by McCaffrey ended the drive in a punt.
• Starting from the Eagles’ 17, a short run on first by Miles Sanders got them three yards. Two incompletions to Brown brought up 4th down and another relatively short punt by Kern.
• Brock Purdy came back in officially to start the Niners’ next drive. Deebo Samuel got the ball on first down and lost yards. The Niners went nowhere and the punting unit came out.
• Once again pinned inside their own 10, the Eagles got the ball back, and it was once again the Kenny Gainwell show! After some solid runs got them to midfield, the Eagles went nowhere, forcing the punting unit out. Kern kicked a good punt, but after the ball was away, Jordan Mason was called for Roughing the Kicker, giving the Eagles the ball back in SF territory. A run got the Eagles to the 21, then a Hurts keeper brought the Eagles to the 7 before Talanoa Huafanga pushed Hurts a little too far out of bounds, causing an unnecessary roughness penalty. First and goal. A run by Boston Scott, then two QB sneaks, drove the ball into the end zone! Eagles 28, 49ers 7.
• The 49ers were called for holding on the return, starting them at their own 15. Two runs by McCaffrey brought an end to the 3rd quarter.

Fourth Quarter

• The Eagles started defensively in the fourth quarter by jumping offsides. The Niners drove towards midfield, where the Eagles defense stopped the run game, dropping both McCaffrey and Samuel forcing fourth and two. Samuel was knocked down behind the line. Turnover on Downs!
• On the first play back, Landon Dickerson got an arm injury. There were plenty more Kenny Gainwell sightings; after only having two rushing attempts in the first half, there were plenty more. Another unnecessary roughness call against the 49ers for throwing punches caused the Eagles to get to the 14. The 49ers held the Eagles from getting another touchdown, bringing out Jake Elliott for the field goal. This score is starting to look familiar. Eagles 31, 49ers 7.
  On the first play back, Landon Dickerson got an arm injury. There were plenty more Kenny Gainwell sightings; after only having two rushing attempts in the first half, there were plenty more. Another unnecessary roughness call against the 49ers for throwing punches caused the Eagles to get to the 14. The 49ers held the Eagles from getting another touchdown, bringing out Jake Elliott for the field goal. This score is starting to look familiar. Eagles 31, 49ers 7.
• Deebo Samuel returned the ball to the 31 for a 37-yard return. The Eagles’ special teams needs to stop letting these bad plays up. Christian McCaffrey became the wildcat quarterback, and a trick play went nowhere. The 49ers quickly got into 3rd and long and a good run by McCaffrey was stopped, leading to a bench clearing brawl after Trent Williams threw K’Von Wallace to the ground. Both players were ejected from the game. On fourth down, the Eagles forced a fumble and Reed Blankenship recovered!
• Gardner Minshew came into the game. The Eagles ran the clock down to the two minute warning. After the two minute warning, Kenny Gainwell sealed the victory! Victory formation to end the game and send the Eagles to the Super Bowl!
• Final Score: Eagles 31, 49ers 7