The Philadelphia Eagles kick off their quest for a third Super Bowl appearance in four seasons by hosting the San Francisco 49ers during the wild-card round of the playoffs on Sunday.
This season has been challenging for the Eagles, who have declared that the word “repeat” does not hold significance in their locker room as they aim for another title. Offensive lineman Jordan Mailata stated, “We”re not defending nothing.” Despite the ups and downs, the Eagles remain a formidable contender for the championship.
While the offense has not been as explosive as it was last year, there have been criticisms regarding play-calling, an aging offensive line, and the kicking game. Coach Nick Sirianni faced scrutiny for resting starters in the season finale, impacting the team”s playoff seeding which ended at No. 3 in the NFC instead of No. 2, potentially limiting home-field advantage.
The Eagles, with an 11-6 record, are focused on their playoff journey. “We are here in this spot because you want to run it back and you want to play and compete again,” Sirianni emphasized. “There”s a reason that the people are in this building. They have that hunger.”
Quarterback Jalen Hurts is among the few signal-callers in this year”s playoffs who has previously lifted the Super Bowl trophy, joining Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. On the other hand, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is looking to redeem himself after a prior Super Bowl appearance ended in disappointment due to injury.
Under Purdy”s leadership, the 49ers boast one of the league”s most dynamic offenses but faltered recently, suffering a 13-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks in their last game. Purdy completed only 127 passing yards, while star running back Christian McCaffrey managed a mere 57 yards against a tough defense.
Despite the Eagles” loss in their season finale against Washington, many starters rested, which might provide them with the energy necessary for a deeper playoff run. Mailata remarked, “Incredibly beneficial for us. It”s more like delayed gratification.”
The wild-card matchup marks the first instance this season where the Eagles will play back-to-back games at home. Last season, their path to the Super Bowl also began in Philadelphia, and the team is eager to continue their momentum.
McCaffrey, who played all 17 games this season and led the league in touches, expressed feeling “great” and is looking forward to the playoffs. Coach Shanahan indicated there would be no limitations on McCaffrey”s workload, stating, “Once you get to this part of the year, no one thinks about anything like that.”
In a twist of fan rivalry, a group of 49ers supporters faced disappointment when their request to reserve a Philadelphia bar was declined. The bar, Ladder 15, stated they could not host an event associated with the 49ers, hoping instead that the fans would enjoy their time in “the City of Brotherly Love.”
