Eagles vs 49ers – Countdown to Start
The San Francisco 49ers will attempt to reach the Super Bowl for the eighth time in franchise history when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
San Francisco (15-4) is appearing in the conference championship game for the second time in a row and the third time in four seasons. Los Angeles Rams suffered a 20-17 loss in 2021 after defeating Green Bay two years ago.
Philadelphia (15-3) plays for its first NFC title since 2017 when it beat Minnesota 38-7 to win its first Super Bowl championship. The Eagles vs. 49ers are Sunday’s first two games in the 2023 NFL playoffs.
The start at Lincoln Financial Field is set for 3 p.m. ET. The latest Eagles vs. 49ers odds from Caesars Sportsbook have Philadelphia as a 2.5-point favorite, while the over/under for total points scored is 46. Before locking in any 49ers vs. Eagles picks, check out the latest NFL predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven projection model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has made over $100 on top-rated NFL picks since its inception, at over $7,000 for players. This model enters the 2023 NFL playoffs on an incredible 162-113 run over top-rated NFL picks in the AFC Championship and NFC Championship that date back to the 2017 season. It is on a 16-6 roll among top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of this season.
This model ranked in the top 10 straight NFL picks on NFLPickWatch for the past six years and beat out over 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick them, players four times during that span. Whoever has followed it is above.
The model has set its sights on the Eagles vs. 49ers and locked in its picks and NFC Championship Game predictions. You can now visit Sportsline to see a choice of models. Here are the NFL odds and trends for the 49ers vs. Eagles from Caesars Sportsbook:
- Eagles vs. 49ers Spread: Philadelphia -2.5
- Eagles vs. 49ers Over/Under: 46 Points
- Eagles vs. 49ers Money Line: Philadelphia -145, San Francisco +122
- PHI: Eagles are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight playoff games
- SF: After straight wins, the 49ers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 contests
Why Eagles Can Cover
Divisional Round win, while Miles Sanders rushed 17 times for 90 yards. Philadelphia ran roughshod over the Giants last weekend, gaining 268 yards on the ground, the second most in franchise playoff history, and rushing for three touchdowns.
It was the fifth time the Eagles rushed for over 200 yards in a game this season and their second-highest total behind the 363 they registered against Green Bay in Week 12.
Gainwell, Boston Scott, and quarterback Jalen Hurt ran for TDs against New York for the Eagles, who led the NFL in 2022 with 32 rushing scores. Hurts, 24, who missed two games late in the campaign with a shoulder injury, has rushed for eight TDs in his last eight contests. Hurts finished second with 13 touchdown runs, giving him 26 in 45 career games. At the same time, Sanders finished eighth with 11 after registering nine in 40 contests in his first three seasons. See here which team to choose.
Why can the 49
San Francisco has a 20–14–1 record against the Eagles, including a 14–0 victory in their only playoff meeting in 1996. The 49ers posted a 17–11 victory in Philadelphia after Deebo Samuel had six catches for 93 yards. The 27-year-old Samuel has been the 49ers’ top receiver this postseason with 10 receptions for 178 yards and one TD. And Juwan Jennings made a touchdown pass.
Samuel has been a dual threat in the NFL playoffs during his career, rushing 40 times for 282 yards and a touchdown in eight contests while making 30 catches for 459 yards and a pair of scores. San Francisco has another player who falls into that category in running back Christian McCaffrey, who is in an NFL playoff bracket for the first time since 2017 with Carolina. Expected to play Sunday despite being listed as questionable with a calf injury, the 26-year-old from Stanford had 25 carries for 154 yards and a TD while completing eight passes for 39 yards and two in the 49ers’ playoff run. Made a score. Play. See here which team to choose.
How To Make Eagles Vs. 49ers Picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under the point total, calling for 41 combined points. The model also says that one side of the spread cash is more than 50% in the simulation.
Here’s our countdown to get started…
5…to watch the player
Eagles WR AJ Brown: Brown is coming off a three-reception, 22-yard performance in the New York Giants’ wild-card rout in which the Eagles ran for 268 yards. The Browns were least unhappy with the lack of traffic in such a high-profile environment, and it will be interesting to see if Philadelphia gets them in the offensive flow.
Eagles edge rusher Hassan Reddick – If the other shoe is finally going to drop on Purdy, it will be Reddick shaped. The Eagles’ star pass rusher has been a terror this season, and it continued with 1½ sacks and seven pressures against the New York Giants last week. In a very noisy environment, where the offensive line will tick slow with silent counts, it’s nearly impossible Redick doesn’t reach home at least once.
49ers QB Brock Purdy – The Niners have won all seven of Purdy’s games, including two playoff victories over Seattle and Dallas. He has a 111.4 passer rating in those eight games, including a 66.8 completion percentage, an 8.4 yards-per-attempt average, 16 touchdown passes, and just three interceptions.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey – Dating back to the regular season, McCaffrey has registered at least one TD in eight consecutive games, the longest streak of his career and the longest by a member of the 49ers since Hall of Fame WR Terrell Owens. There is a streak that in 1998.
49ers DE Nick Bosa – Bosa is the leading defensive player with 18½ sacks and three championship game appearances in his four professional seasons with the Niners. The only time San Francisco failed to go that deep was when he suffered an ACL injury in the second week of the 2020 season.
4…Main Match
Robbie Gould vs. Perfection: The last thing Philadelphia wants is Robbie Gould trying to make a meaningful kick late. The veteran is now a perfect 29 of 29 in field-goal attempts and has made all 38 of his PATs in his post-season career. 29 consecutive FGs is a current NFL postseason record.
Eagles’ run defense vs. 49ers’ run game – Generally, the Eagles are fine with the trade-off of playing the light box up front to eliminate explosive plays on the back end. That sentiment may have to turn against San Francisco as Kyle Shanahan will look to protect his rookie quarterback in a hostile environment. A running game with Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel is likely the path to victory.
49ers’ Nick Bosa vs. Eagles’ Lane Johnson/Jordan Malata – Bosa is the odds-on favorite to be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year after that 18½-sack season, while Johnson hasn’t given up a sack since November 22. 2020, against the Cleveland Browns, a mind-numbing 29 games and nearly 1,800 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Something’s got to give, and maybe Johnson’s torn muscle tilts things. If that doesn’t happen, Bosa has the versatility to move to the other side, and maybe Melta fits right in.
Kyle Shanahan vs. game management – Shanahan’s lofty reputation as a play designer and play-caller is well-deserved. Still, he’s paid for it with some serious and fairly consistent game-management snafus, with the thinking that he is too stuck up. Down in the big moments.
3… Things to know
-The 49ers will play in their third NFC Championship Game in four years (2019, 2021) and 16th since 1980, the most in the NFL over that span.
-The Eagles are appearing in their seventh championship game since 2001, second only to New England (!3) in the NFL.
-At age 24, Jalen Hurts is the second-youngest QB in NFL history to win 14-plus games, behind only Dan Marino, who went 14-2 at 23 with the Miami Dolphins in 1984.
2…X-Factors
For the 49ers: RT Mike McGlinchey – The Niners have the best-left tackle ever in Trent Williams. Suppose Warrington, PA native McGlinchey continues to line up at right tackle. In that case, San Francisco will have a real opportunity to slow down the Eagles’ impressive pass rush, giving Purdy an opportunity.
For the Eagles: CB Avonnet Maddox – Maddox is set to return for the first time since injuring his toe on Dec. 24 against Dallas. The difference between Maddox on the field and outside has been stark for the Eagles’ defense. The defense is No. 1 in success rate when teams target the slot with Maddox in the lineup and No. 27 when he is out. Given how much the 49ers attack with Purdy in the middle of the field, getting Maddox back in the lineup could be the difference.
1… Predictions
John McMullen (15-3, 6-12 vs. Spread) – No rookie quarterback has ever won the conference title game. That’s the history against which Brock Purdy is swimming across the river. That said, it is a pet peeve of mine that so many NFL predictions boil down to quarterback versus quarterback. Joining Purdy and Jalen Hurts at Lincoln Financial Field on two of the most talented rosters in the NFL will be 45 teammates.
The luxury of having a better signal-caller gives Philadelphia a greater margin of error. It should be enough to propel the Eagles over the top, along with the home territory. Kyle Shanahan, however, has become adept at navigating shorter routes from his experience with Jimmy Garoppolo, while the Eagles are coming in two weeks later when you factor in the New York Giants’ ineligibility.
This game should be razor close with a Jake Elliott or Robbie Gould kick sealing things late.
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