The Eagles, the best team in the regular season in the NFL (14-3), will meet on February 12 in Glendale (Arizona) with the champion of the American Conference (AFC), which will be decided between the Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.
After the injuries during the regular phase of its quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco suffered again this Sunday with the physical problems of its ‘quarterbacks’.
Thus, the rookie Brock Purdy took a bad blow to the elbow and his replacement, Josh Johnson, had to leave the game later with a concussion.
The Eagles, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, will play the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018, when they were proclaimed champions against Tom Brady’s New England Patriots.
Hurts finished the NFC title game going 15-of-25 passing for 121 yards and had a rushing touchdown (39 yards rushing total).
Philadelphia committed most of its offense against San Francisco to the run as all four of its touchdowns this afternoon came that way.
In addition to Hurts, Miles Sanders with two scores and Boston Scott with a touchdown brought the points to the scoreboard for the locals in a packed Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia with a fantastic atmosphere.
In the 49ers, who despite being plagued by injuries this season have competed at a high level throughout the season (13-4), Christian McCaffrey got the only touchdown against Philadelphia.
The game started in a good way for the Eagles.
On the first drive of the game, which lasted just over five minutes, Sanders stabbed through the center of the San Francisco defense and put Philadelphia ahead (7-0).
The misfortunes also started early for the 49ers.
Purdy, the “Mr. Irrelevant” of the past draft (the colloquial name in the NFL for the last selected each year), had led a magical journey with magnificent performances after injuries to Lance and Garoppolo and aspired to be the first ‘quarterback’ rookie to proclaim conference champion.
But on his first drive against the Eagles, Purdy took a hit to the right elbow from Haason Reddick that knocked him out and forced him out of the game.
In addition, the play, after review by the referees, ended up being a recovered ball for Philadelphia.
It wasn’t immediately a bed of roses for the Eagles as McCaffrey tied the game for San Francisco in the second quarter with an extraordinarily courageous touchdown drive that knocked down every opponent in front of him (7-7).
However, the game was broken in the last two minutes before the break.
Sanders, with his second touchdown of the day, made it 14-7 for Philadelphia and Johnson, quarterback in place of Purdy in San Francisco, made a decisive fumble with 1:15 on the clock and at the 49ers 30-yard line.
The Eagles did not waste such a gift and Scott made it 21-7 before going to the locker room.
In the second half there was no room for a heroic comeback from San Francisco.
Also, the misfortunes continued when Johnson had to leave the game due to concussion protocol, so Purdy, with his elbow in cotton, returned to the game despite not being able to shoot the ball.
The 49ers, unable to use the pass with an injured Purdy, also committed numerous penalties throughout the afternoon that made the miracle impossible for the Eagles to claim victory in the NFC and get a ticket to the Super Bowl.