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Ivis AburtoESPN Digital
The San Francisco 49ers are back in the NFC Championship Game and the only thing standing between them and the George Halas Trophy is the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the Divisional Round, both teams won their matches in their own unique way. The 49ers won a physically demanding game against the Dallas Cowboys and the Eagles clearly outplayed a New York Giants who put up almost no resistance.
Let’s take a look at what’s in store for the NFC Championship Game between the 49ers and Eagles.
CHECK HERE THE FIRST LOOK AT THE AFC FINAL
49ers
Three seasons ago, the 49ers entered the Super Bowl with a dominant defense and efficient offense. In 2022, the formula is the same, but improved.
With Nick Bosa anchoring the pack, agile and physically dominant linebackers led by Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, and a perimeter that reaps the benefits of front-line rushing, the 49ers’ defense looks like an upgraded version.
On paper, San Francisco’s defense looked like the team’s greatest strength going into the regular season, but the quarterback changes led this unit to perform even better than expected. The 49ers finished first in yards (300.6) and points (16.3) allowed per game.
On offense, the story of the year is Brock Purdy, the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 draft who had to take action after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo were sidelined through injury and the rookie quarterback has had a solid performance in front of the offense of a contender and candidate to win it all.
One aspect that has been key to San Francisco’s good and better offensive performance is running back Christian McCaffrey, whom the 49ers acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers before the deadline and who has given the gambusino attack even more dynamism. with Garoppolo and Purdy at quarterbacks.
With McCaffrey in the backfield, the variety of options is wide for Purdy, who, in addition to the support he gives him in the running game, can use the running back on screen passes or as an escape valve, while in the passing game he has at his available the talent of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Ayiuk and George Kittle among others.
Overall, the 49ers come into Super Bowl contention as one of the best performing teams on both sides of the ball, but physically demanding, something the other teams in the conference finals don’t seem to have.
EAGLES
The duality of Jalen Hurts is the Eagles’ main letter of introduction in the face of the dispute for the NFC ticket to Super Bowl LVII, but it also overshadows other aspects that Philadelphia has at this point in the season.
Perhaps the only downside to this attack is the reliance on Hurts that he displayed when the quarterback missed two games with a shoulder injury late in the regular season.
On offense, as they demonstrated in the Divisional Round against the New York Giants, the Eagles are a yardage and scoring machine after finishing third in total yards (389.1) and points scored per game (28.1) this season. regular.
The running attack with Hurts and Miles Sanders and with Boston Scott as a complement, is the spark plug of this attack and the one responsible for opening the spaces in the passing game for the passer, who has two solid receivers, DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown.
The Eagles’ efficient, and at times explosive, offense, particularly the performance of Hurts, dwarfs the performance of the Eagles’ defense, which was a quarterback sack machine with an NFL-highest 70 sacks and 15-plus. than second place, which finished second in total yards allowed per game (301.5), trailing only … the 49ers.
The pressure the front line applies with tackle Javon Hargrave and defensive ends Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat all with 11 sacks in the regular season, and linebackers like Haason Reddick (16 sacks), the perimeter benefits the most. In 2022, the Eagles had 27 takeaways and 17 were interceptions.
The Eagles are ready to take on the 49ers’ efficient and varied offense, while the offense may have its toughest test of the season, but Hurts and company appear to be enough weapons to challenge San Francisco’s defense.
