Category: Sports

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles’ first-round opponents in the playoffs?

“Got to stop their run, Christian McCaffrey,” Brandon Graham said.

It is where the game plan and film review starts for good reason. McCaffrey was second in the NFL during the regular season in yards from scrimmage with 2,126 (1,202 rushing yards, 924 receiving yards). On Sunday, the sixth-seeded 49ers will bring to Lincoln Financial Field a high-powered offense with McCaffrey as the focal point, and a defense that is nothing like the one that helped San Francisco reach four NFC title games — and two Super Bowls — during a five-season stretch from 2019 to 2023.

Reactions from the Eagles inside their locker room after they fell, 24-17, to the Washington Commanders in their regular-season finale were pretty similar.

Graham didn’t know which team the Eagles were playing until reporters told him. He had other things to worry about during the course of Sunday’s game since he dressed and played. But Reed Blankenship and Zack Baun, two defensive starters who had the night off, each expressed a similar mindset: “It doesn’t matter who we play,” Blankenship said. “We’re all excited. A lot of us had a week off and we’re ready to play. I feel like that was the best decision that Coach made and I feel fresh. We don’t know when we’re going to play them, but whatever day it is, [they’ve] got to come over here and come back to Philly.”

The Eagles and 49ers have some recent history. A mini-rivalry of sorts formed after the Eagles blew out the banged-up 49ers in the NFC title game, 31-7, during their run to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2022 season. The 49ers exacted revenge just over 10 months later in a 42-19 victory that kick-started the Eagles’ miserable collapse to finish the 2023 season.

During that latter game, McCaffrey rushed 17 times for 93 yards and a touchdown and added three catches for 40 yards.

“Christian McCaffrey is a dog,” Blankenship said. “We played them in ’23 and then obviously in ’22, so I played them twice. They have a really good offensive core and obviously it’s going to be a challenge. It’s the playoffs. Everybody is good. It’s going to be good on good. It’s win or go home, but we’re ready. We’re prepared for that. We’ve been through that.”

DeVonta Smith said the playoff opener is “just another game, but it’s the playoffs. We don’t want to go home, so everybody’s going to have a little more oomph.”

The 49ers have been bringing the oomph. They were 6-4 through 10 weeks and then won six consecutive games before falling, 13-3, Saturday night at home to Seattle against one of the best defenses in the NFL. They are 7-2 in games quarterback Brock Purdy has started.

The Eagles will likely be leaning on Saturday’s low-output offensive effort from the 49ers as they prepare for their first postseason matchup. Like top-seeded Seattle, the Eagles have one of the best defenses in the league, and while the Eagles offense has been inconsistent, San Francisco’s strength isn’t its defense. The 49ers gave up 38 points to Chicago on Dec. 28 and needed a red-zone stand to keep their hopes alive for the No. 1 seed. The Eagles, who opened as 3½-point favorites, probably feel their ability to take care of the ball and play good defense is the recipe for a win.

“[We’ve] just got to be us and bring the energy,” Graham said. “Play fast on defense and put the offense in a great position. It’s going to be [about] field position in that game.

“I know the 49ers are going to definitely come here and try to get one on our field and [we’ve] got to defend it.”

Blankenship and Baun both said they felt rested and ready for the postseason run. It was the obvious topic of conversation after the Eagles lost and missed out on a chance to secure the No. 2 seed in the conference. The Eagles chose rest over the possibility of moving up a spot, and Blankenship said he wasn’t going to look back with any regrets.

Nick Sirianni talked earlier in the week about his decision, and one of the things he pointed to was the Eagles resting their starters in Week 18 last season and entering the postseason healthy and rested.

Last season’s playoff run ended with a Lombardi Trophy and a parade on Broad Street. Why, despite the ups and downs, might this team have another run in them?

“I think we’re really ramping it up,” Baun said. “I feel like we’re in a good position as a team, as a collective. Especially as a defense, we’re playing really good football right now.”

It all starts next weekend.

“It’s a big game,” Baun said. “It’s the postseason. It’s the playoffs, and this team definitely turns it on in the playoffs.”

Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in their 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders:

Quarterback: C-

Tanner McKee made his second career start with Jalen Hurts and most Eagles starters resting. He played solidly, if not as well as some had hoped. He was efficient in the drop-back passing game when he threw in rhythm. McKee had a few out-of-structure moments but struggled when pressured and often had to throw the ball away. He completed 21 of 40 throws for 241 yards and a touchdown.

McKee threw a bad interception before the half. He might not have been on the same page as his intended target, Jahan Dotson, but it’s a throw he shouldn’t have attempted. Safety Jeremy Reaves made the easy pick at the Washington 1-yard line.

McKee threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Grant Calcaterra to open the scoring. The seam route was the perfect call vs. a quarters zone. He might have flushed himself into pressure on the fourth-down attempt from the Washington 6 late in the second quarter. He missed an open receiver on fourth down late in the game.

Running back: B-

Tank Bigsby got the start with Saquon Barkley resting. He popped off several decent gains, ran aggressively, and made defenders miss. Bigsby finished with 75 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

His most explosive moment came as a receiver when he made a crazy move in the open field. Bigsby changed directions after a short pass and picked up 31 yards. As a runner, he made a defender miss on a 13-yard carry to open the game.

Will Shipley had a pass sail through his hands in the second quarter, but he caught a 12-yard swing pass in the fourth. AJ Dillon played a little and caught a 3-yard pass.

Receiver/tight end: C+

Wide receiver DeVonta Smith was the lone skill position starter to play in an attempt to get him to 1,000 yards receiving. He accomplished the feat when he pulled in a 27-yard pass late in the first quarter. Smith promptly was pulled from the game after catching 3 of 4 targets for 52 yards. He finished the season with 77 catches for 1,008 yards.

Receiver A.J. Brown, who eclipsed 1,000 yards last week, and tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) didn’t play. Jahan Dotson and Darius Cooper logged most of the time at receiver. Dotson finished with three receptions for 40 yards. He caught a 15-yard pass over the middle on McKee’s first attempt after Smith left. Cooper caught three passes for 33 yards. He won a contested pass for a 17-yard gain but was flagged for taunting after the catch.

Tight end Grant Calcaterra scored the Eagles’ first touchdown when he snagged a 15-yard pass. He squared up Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu on Bigsby’s 11-yard outside run in the third quarter. Calcaterra left in the third quarter with ankle and knee injuries when he was dragged down by Reaves.

Kylen Granson became the lead tight end when Calcaterra vacated. He caught four passes for 30 yards. Tight end/fullback Cameron Latu had the lead block on Bigsby’s 2-yard touchdown in the third. He did poorly to lead the way on a Bigsby third-and-1 rush in the third quarter. Britain Covey was the third receiver and converted third-and-long with a 9-yard catch in the third quarter. He also had a 12-yard gain on a screen pass.

Offensive line: D+

The Eagles’ starting unit, from left to right, was Fred Johnson, Brett Toth, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen, and Matt Pryor. Starters right tackle Lane Johnson (foot), left guard Landon Dickerson (calf), center Cam Jurgens and left tackle Jordan Mailata didn’t play. The latter two dressed.

The O-line did fine against Washington’s starting defense. It opened some holes on the ground but didn’t hold up enough in pass protection. McKee had to escape the pocket a bunch of times.

Steen played just the first two series but had to return when Toth left with a concussion. Rookie Cameron Williams came in at right tackle, and Pryor moved to right guard. He appeared to leave Daron Payne unblocked when he was at tackle on the Eagles’ first drive. The presnap call might have failed to slide protection to Pryor’s side, though, and McKee was sacked.

Fred Johnson appeared to fare the best of the second-teamers and mostly kept McKee’s blind side clean. Toth also had a decent game. Kendall looks like the real deal, or at least someone the Eagles can further develop next season. Williams, who spent most of his first season on injured reserve, may have a future as well. He had a number of good blocks and displayed a nasty streak when he stood up to Payne after the whistle.

Defensive line: B-

With the Eagles lacking in numbers because of their rotation, regulars Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith started and played throughout. Starters Jalen Carter (hip) and Jaelan Phillips (ankle) were inactive. The D-line was stout vs. the run but struggled to pressure 39-year-old quarterback Josh Johnson.

Davis read an early third-down screen and jumped in on a stop short of the sticks. Ojomo had a tackle for no gain on a goal-line run in the fourth quarter. Hunt picked up his third interception of the season when he dropped into coverage and dove for an errant pass. Outside linebacker Joshua Uche hurried Johnson on the throw. Hunt did well to string out Deebo Samuel on an end around that picked up just a yard. He recovered Johnson’s muffed snap in the third quarter.

Defensive tackle Byron Young registered a tackle for loss on a goal-line run attempt in the fourth quarter. He failed to bring down Chris Rodriguez on a third-down run just before the half. Ty Robinson took a poor angle on Rodriguez’s 9-yard carry in the third quarter and later failed to wrap up the running back near the line.

Veteran Brandon Graham continued to play only a handful of snaps.

Linebacker: B

Zack Baun was a healthy scratch. Nakobe Dean (hamstring) was not and was inactive. Jihaad Campbell started alongside Jeremiah Trotter Jr. The former made several plays, but the latter was all over the field. Trotter led the Eagles with 12 tackles and Campbell had 10.

Trotter notched a tackle of loss on a goal-line run in the first quarter. Trotter was first to arrive to keep a play-action bootleg pass to just a 1-yard gain. In the third quarter, he blitzed and forced Johnson to throw a dirt ball.

Campbell blitzed on Washington’s first possession and whiffed on the side-stepping Johnson. He deflected a second-quarter pass over the middle that was nearly intercepted. He might have been the guilty party in coverage on tight end John Bates’ fourth-quarter touchdown catch.

Cornerback: D+

Kelee Ringo and Jakorian Bennett started on the outside with Quinyon Mitchell and Adoree’ Jackson getting a break. Ringo and Bennett committed multiple penalties in coverage.

Ringo had tight coverage over the top on an overthrown pass into the end zone. Receiver Terry McLaurin caught a 14-yard pass over him on the drive that set up Washington’s 56-yard field goal before the half. Ringo was flagged for holding and pass interference in the second half. He inexplicably let Johnson waltz into the end zone for the game-winning score.

Bennett committed two first-half penalties: an early hold on McLaurin and pass interference vs. receiver Treylon Burks on a third-down toss into the end zone. Washington scored a touchdown two plays after the second flag. Bennett had another pass interference against McLaurin on a fade into the end zone.

Michael Carter started in the slot with Cooper DeJean getting the day off. He moved to safety when Brandon Johnson got hurt in the second quarter. Carter was solid in run support and logged nine stops.

Mac McWilliams jumped into the slot when Carter was forced to move to safety. It was the rookie’s first extended action on defense. He committed pass interference on an underthrown pass to Samuel in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Safety: C+

Sydney Brown and Brandon Johnson started in place of the resting Reed Blankenship and the injured Marcus Epps (concussion). Brown made a stop after a short pass into the flat in the second quarter. A play later, he appeared to get too deep on a 25-yard third-down completion to McLaurin.

Johnson bit on a screen fake and a slanting McLaurin caught a 13-yard pass early on, and he failed to wrap up Josh Johnson on a 13-yard draw play later in the drive. He left with an ankle injury and was replaced by Carter.

Special teams: B

Kicker Jake Elliott made both extra points and a 39-yard field goal. Punter Braden Mann had an uncharacteristic meh day. He averaged 38 net yards on three boots. Ringo had a strong tackle that kept a return to just 2 yards after a low Mann punt in the third quarter.

Shipley averaged 27.5 yards on two kick returns. Covey had two returns for a 10-yard average. He allowed a punt to sail over his head that was downed at the 9-yard line in the third quarter.

Coaching: C

Nick Sirianni will be criticized for his decision to rest his starters, especially after the Bears lost. But what the coach gained — giving his players physical and mental breaks — can’t yet be quantified. We’ll see how the playoffs pan out. For now, the No. 3-seed Eagles know their opponent: the No. 6-seed 49ers. The rest will play out accordingly.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo didn’t exactly open the playbook with McKee, but he unveiled some new concepts. The results were mixed. Some of his decisions were questionable. The pass on third-and-2 at the Washington 6 made less sense when the Eagles elected to go for it on fourth down before the half.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had more starters than Patullo. His guys up front mostly answered the bell. A secondary full of backups struggled.