.. You know
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -2.5
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -142
WARNING, I got my a** handed to me on Sunday thanks to Dallas, but I am going back to the well and going against San Fran again.
The 49ers are probably the overall most talented roster in the league, but at one position, the one that matters the most, I think the Eagles have the advantage here. Purdy has played well, but this is a different animal, playing at Philadelphia, in a championship game, where the crowd will be absolutely insane, and facing a defense where the only equal he has seen to it is on his own practice field.
I think the Eagles have been overshadowed, and over looked since the start of the postseason, mainly because Hurts injury scared a lot of people, but, I dont know? He looked fine to me last weekend. Also, they had a little bit of a slip up in December, losing to the Cowboys and Saints with Minshew at the helm, which really just showed how much Hurts means to the gameplan. But analyzing the matchup here I like everything on the Philly side.
I think the Eagles can shut down the run game, similar to what Dallas did last week, and force Purdy into throws, and as good as he's been, there were basically 2 plays against Dallas on the San Fran offensive side that turned the game. One, was a ridiculously bad throw to Kittle over the middle, where Purdy was bailed out by a tip drill off the face catch where Diggs completely whiffed on a hit that would have definitely forced an incompletion (it was 9-9 mid 3rd qtr at the time). Two, a tipped ball on 2nd and 8 by Anthony Barr that landed right in Diggs hands and was dropped, leading to the 49ers TD that would put them up 7. It could be said that those 2 plays on that drive changed the game. Diggs had 2 chances and didnt come through.
Another factor in the Dallas game which is highly underrated and not talked about, the loss of Tony Pollard, which was crippling IMO to the offense, since I think he was their 2nd best weapon all season long. He took away the explosiveness in the run game and also an important pass catcher as a 3rd option on checkdowns. Elliot is good at getting a yard at the goal line or in short yardage 3rd downs but hes no threat at all and San Fran clearly knew it and their defensive game plan turned into containing Prescott. I do question why not more designed runs for Dak?
All that aside, the 49ers took care of business, at home. And I must admit I expected a more Dallas heavy crowd which didnt seem to be the case. This week, I think Purdy finally looks like a rookie who was the last pick in the draft against an incredible defense. And I think the Eagles can score on anyone. I am playing the spread and ML but honestly, I dont think this is a single digit game. I am looking for the Eagles to control this thing from start to finish.
PHILADELPHIA 29 SAN FRANCISCO 10