Instant analysis of 49ers’ 42-19 victorious visit to Philadelphia Eagles
Deebo Samuel scored three touchdowns as the 49ers (9-3) surged to a 42-19 rout of the NFC-leading Eagles (10-2)
PHILADELPHIA – Last time here, George Kittle lamented the 49ers’ NFC Championship Game loss with a statement that would essentially define their triumphant 42-19 return Sunday.“You didn’t really get to see all the 49er football that we wanted to put out there on tape,” Kittle said after January’s 31-7 loss. “But life kind of just punches you in the face sometimes.”
Scoring three of those touchdowns was Deebo Samuel, the 49ers’ most vocal critic of the Eagles after last season’s loss, in which quarterback Brock Purdy sustained a torn elbow ligament that rendered the offense toothless.
“Obviously we wanted some payback, even though we tried not to think too much of last year,” defensive end Nick Bosa said. “We knew we could match up with them. We proved a good point. Obviously we might have to do it again against them.”.
In winning their fourth straight game, the 49ers (9-3) gained crucial ground in the NFC playoff race. They are one game behind the Eagles (10-2) with five regular-season games remaining.
This marked the 49ers’ third road game in four weeks since their bye. Next Sunday, they are home against Seattle Seahawks (6-6), whom they beat 31-13 in Seattle on Thanksgiving.
Purdy added to this season’s vibrant comeback by outperforming his Eagles’ counterpart, Jalen Hurts, who briefly got knocked out of the game for a concussion evaluation after a hard hit from Oren Burks, Greenlaw’s replacement. Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns for a 148.8 passer rating, with no interceptions and only two sacks, neither of which stirred memories of the elbow-injuring hit he sustained six snaps into the NFC Championship Game defeat.
“I had full confidence we’d have this kind of game from the jump,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “We’ve got a quarterback, so that made it easier this time.”
Said Purdy: “We needed this game. It was an important game. I didn’t want to get distracted by, ‘I’m going to show everybody what could have been.’ “
The 49ers’ six straight touchdown drives spanned distances of 85, 90, 75, 77, 75 and 47 yards, against a reeling Eagles defense that played 95 snaps the previous Sunday night in their comeback win here over the Buffalo Bills.
All that dominance was temporarily overshadowed by a third-quarter play that cost the 49ers 25 yards — and Greenlaw, who got ejected for a left-hand jab toward Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro. After DeVonta Smith made a 13-yard reception against Ambry Thomas’ soft coverage, Greenlaw suplex-slammed Smith to the ground near the Eagles’ sideline, resulting in the confrontation with DiSandro, who also got ejected (and drew a standing ovation from Eagles fans).
Five plays later, Hurts scored on a 1-yard run, on the Eagles’ second straight attempt at their signature “Brotherly Shove” quarterback sneak. The 49ers’ lead was cut to 21-13, and Eagles fans were in full throat, including one who slammed his hands against the press box windows that slid open; the fan was not ejected.
Samuel’s second touchdown of the game – a 48-yard catch-and-run – put the 49ers ahead 28-13 with 3:54 until the fourth quarter. It silenced the hometown crowd’s roar from the drama involving Greenlaw’s ejection and Hurts’ touchdown.
After Purdy squeezed in an 18-yard, third-down touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings for a 35-13 lead, the Eagles answered with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Hurts to DeVonta Smith with 5 1/2 minutes to go. The Eagles had won their past four games by overcoming halftime deficits, but the 49ers would not let that streak continue.
Only 14 seconds and two snaps after Smith’s touchdown, Samuel sped past haggard defenders on a 46-yard catch-and-run to complete his touchdown hat trick and push the lead safely up to 23 points.
“He’s the epitome of unselfishness,” Bosa said of Samuel. “He got paid and that comes with pressure to be the guy. When you have so many dudes, you’re not going to get opps very often. I love the fact he can talk, set the stage, walk into a hostile environment and just thrive. That’s greatness.”
Said Samuel: “Just get in space get into the open field and break tackles, that’s what I’m really good at. … I’m not going to lie, I was in the zone.”
Samuel’s first score came on a 12-yard touchdown run to put the 49ers up 21-6 only 3:19 into the second half, a drive that was kept afloat with third-down completions to Jennings (18 yards) and McCaffrey (33 yards). Not to be overlooked in those long completions was Purdy’s protection, such as Colton McKivitz shoving Haason Reddick out of the way for Jennings’ completion.
