The Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers had a lot of potential to deliver the game of the year on Sunday. The battle was expected to be close, but this was not the case, as the Eagles were blown out of the water by the 49ers.
The game began with two drives by Philadelphia into Niners territory. Both trips ended in field goals, while their opponents were stuck in the mud, as San Francisco opened the match with a pair of 'three and outs'. Things shortly turned around for the Niners, as they took full control of the game, scoring twenty-one consecutive points. The Eagles were outplayed the rest of the contest and suffered a 41-19 loss.
This defeat is the offense second of the season and certainly worse than their loss to the Jets. Philly's offence wasn't awful; however, their defense was terrible. They allowed the Niners' offense to have a field day in both the passing and running areas of the game. Christian McCaffrey ran for ninety-three yards, and Brock Purdy threw over three hundred yards. The Eagles have given up an average of thirty-eight points over the past two weeks. They escaped with a win against the Bills in overtime, due to having a better offense than Buffalo on the day. There was no escaping the 49ers though, as the scoreline showed what happens when Philly's offense isn't perfect. Their defense gave up plenty of points as usual, however, their offense wasn't available to save the day.
Philadelphia's defence is a problem. Yes, their rushing defence is top five in the league, but they give up an average of 260 passing yards per game. As I mentioned earlier, their offence is their biggest reason for being so successful; however, defence is also a major factor in becoming Super Bowl champions. Their three-point loss in the Super Bowl last season could've easily been turned into a win if their defense played slightly better. Giving up 38 points in a championship game won't cut it. If their offence didn't show up in all of their past three games, then they could easily be on a three-game losing streak.
Philadelphia may have the best record in the league, but don't let their record fool you. Eight of their twelve matches so far this season have been against teams with a losing or even record. Their next two outings will tell us a lot. They face the Seahawks and a much improved Cowboys team. A win against an NFC heavyweight is much needed, after being outplayed by a fellow NFC championship contender.
If their defense remains as an opposing quarterback's dream, then the Eagles will fall short of the Lombardi Trophy once again. An NFC championship could also be a stretch when they'll likely have to beat the Niners in the playoffs.