NFC Championship Game: San Francisco 49ers v Philadelphia Eagles – live | NFL

49ers 7-7 Eagles, 2:00, 2nd quarter

Gainwell goes off for a 17-yard carry. That’s a big one. That takes the Eagles to the 49ers’ 24 and us to the two-minute warning!

49ers 7-7 Eagles, 2:53, 2nd quarter

So, the Eagles are back on their 42 yard line. Finally, we get an actual football play, as Hurts finds Goedert for four yards. On the next play, Hurts finds Gainwell who gets nine yards and a first down. 3rd and 2, Gainwell gets four yards and the Eagles have a first down at the San Francisco 41.

49ers 7-7 Eagles, 4:36, 2nd quarter

Hurts’s next pass is incomplete. Hurts can’t find a play on the next drive, either passing or rushing, but they draw another defensive penalty. This time it’s illegal use of hands and the Eagles have first down on their 47.

And there’s another penalty on the next play, a false start on Philadelphia. Can we just get on with it already? That’s five yards on the Eagles.

49ers 7-7 Eagles, 5:08, 2nd quarter

Hurts passes to Sanders who gets tackled immediately at the Eagles 39. 2nd and 6, Hurts unleashes a long bomb but Smith can’t get separation. Incomplete pass. On the next play, Hurts throws to Brown, it’s incomplete but there’s defensive pass interference on the play. Automatic first down at the Philadelphia 39.

49ers 7-7 Eagles, 6:39, 2nd quarter

Robbie Gould’s kick goes into the end zone for a touchback. The Eagles start at their 25. Sanders gets the ball on first down, taking it for four yards. He gets four yards again on this second carry. A big 3rd and 2 for Philadelphia here. Hurts tries to carry it itself and, despite a neat spin move, he can’t quite get there. Eagles have to punt…

Or no they don’t! Hurt sneaks it again and this time he picks it up. A key fourth-down conversion for Philly.

Email from Peter Evans:

Hi Hunter

Are we going to see the 4th pick quarterback taking a team to the superbowl ????

It’s officially on the table!

Touchdown! (49ers) 49ers 7-7 Eagles; 8:29, 2nd quarter

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 9:16, 2nd quarter

Johnson finds McCaffrey again who almost picks up another first down, taking the ball to the Eagles 25. On the next play, Johnson sneaks it through the Eagles’ defense for a two-yard gain. They’re at the 23 now.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 10:31, 2nd quarter

Johnson passes to McCaffrey who just barely misses picking up a first down but picks up a few more yards on second down to bring the 49ers to the Eagles 37.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 11:27, 2nd quarter

Ray-Ray McCloud carry-carries Kern’s punt to the Eagles 46-yard-line, meaning San Francisco will once again have great field position.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 11:24, 2nd quarter

With all that, it’s hard to remember that the Eagles have just a one-score lead. Sanders gets the ball on 1st down and gets pushed back a yard. 2nd and 11, Hurts barely escapes getting dragged back into his end zone for a safety by Bosa. Hurts’s next pass is incomplete and that’s a three-and-out forced by the Niners’ defense which is keeping them in this game.

Email from David Good:

Hi Hunter,

How’s it going? As a game of football, this pretty much sucks, but as a random incident generator this is premium stuff.

Cheers

That about sums it up: a lot has happened, but not much has gone on. Or vice-versa, perhaps.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 13:07, 2nd quarter

On 1st and 15, Johnson is sacked for five yards. It’s 2nd and 20, Johnson’s throw is incomplete. 3rd and 20 at the 44. Johnson’s pass is incomplete but there’s yet another flag here. It’s on the offense though, so Philadelphia declines. What a huge opportunity wasted by this 49ers team, which has to punt. Mitch Wishnowsky’s punt is caught at the Eagles’ seven-yard line.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 14:12, 2nd quarter

I have no idea what to say about this 49ers team if they manage to win this game with Johnson at quarterback. It would be absolutely absurd. Much of it will be on McCaffrey and the running game. On 2nd and 1, McCaffrey picks up 7 yards. 1st and 10, there’s delay of game call on SF, with a five yard penalty.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, end of the 1st quarter

“We cannot determine if the ball hit the wire.” Okay, well thanks for that long delay. An “illegal use of the hands play” on Philadelphia puts the 49ers at midfield (commence fan booing) and, in the final play of the first quarter (finally) Samuel takes the ball to the Eagles 41.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, :09, 1st quarter

Hurts gets pushed back for no gain and the Eagles take their first timeout. It’s 3^rd and 9 and Hurts overthrows A.J. Brown so they will have to punt. Brett Kern’s punt goes out of bounds and then there’s a flag because this game just can’t do just one thing at once at any point.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 1:41, 1st quarter

Bosa is back in the game, so good news for the 49ers because they are going to have to limit as much damage as possible here and hope that Purdy can return. Hurts passes to Brown who picks up 11 yards, for a first down. It’s 2nd and 9 at the Eagles 27.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 2:30, 1st quarter

McCaffrey gets 16 yards, but after the penalty they needed 20 so they will have to punt. It’s a short one that rolls inside the 30. There’s a flag here, unnecessary roughness on Philadelphia for a 14-yard penalty. Also, Nick Bosa is shaken up on that play, and man that is yet another thing San Francisco doesn’t need here.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 3:24, 1st quarter

Johnson’s first play that he’s really involved with involves him getting sacked for nine yards, pushing the 49ers back their 15. On the next play, they get hit with a delay-of-game. Everything is going wrong for SF.

Brock Purdy questionable to return to game

Email from Travis Giblin:

Hey Hunter, I think I need to try what you’re having if you thought the anthem was 10/10. Bleeding Gums Murphy would have done a better job, and I think you know that to be true.

Regards,

Travis Giblin

Perhaps. But I am giving our legends their flowers while they are still around. She gets a ten out of ten just for being there.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 4:58, 1st quarter

Sanders runs for a yard, Hurts passes short to Jack Stoll for a five-yard gain and then Kenneth Gainwell can’t, well, gain anything and gets stuffed. The Eagles have to put after being gifted a turnover. A great job by the 49ers’ defense to prevent that mistake from burning them. Their punt goes into the end zone for a touchback. Now we’ll see if Purdy, hurt on that last play, is healthy enough to return or if San Francisco will have to go their fourth-string qb.

SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 7:03, 1st quarter

The Eagles have a successful challenge! The play is overturned and called a fumble returned by Linval Joseph at the Eagles 44-yard line. A huge turn early in this game!

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 7:03, 1st quarter

Purdy finds Brandon Aiyuk for a ten-yard gain and a first down (there’s a flag on the play on the Eagles, but San Francisco declines). Purdy finds Samuel to get midfield on the next play. On 2nd & 6, Purdy throws an incomplete pass that the Eagles challenge, thinking they have a turnover here.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 8:48, 1st quarter

The Niners just need a one yard gain, but Christian McCaffrey gets stuffed on his first attempt. No worries, he makes it to the San Francisco 36 on his second carry.

49ers 0-7 Eagles, 9:48, 1st quarter

The 49ers start their first drive at their own 25 after the Eagles’ punt hits the end zone for a touchback. Purdy passes to featured tight end George Kittle for a nine-yard gain.

Email from Mark Woldin:

Let’s be honest. Anita Baker was not ready for this and should not have sung. If she sings then Montana may as well suit up.

I will accept no Anita slander, even if she clearly wasn’t at her “Rapture” peak. In any case, it clearly didn’t affect Philadelphia’s mojo.

Note: It also looks like Smith’s catch could have been overturned if challenged, but well that’s kind of out of the Niners’ hands now.

Touchdown (Eagles) 49ers 0-7 Eagles, 9:48, 1st quarter

49ers 0-0 Eagles, 10:28 , 1st quarter

Hurts throws a pass that is… nearly intercepted but goes out of bounds. It is, however, 3rd and 10. Hurts finds Goedert, but it’s short of a first down, picking up just seven yards. The Eagles have to decide whether to attempt a field goal here or go for it on 4th and 3.

They go for it! Hurts scrambles for a bit and then finds DeVonta Smith who catches it just in-bounds at the San Francisco 6 yard line! What a catch!

49ers 0-0 Eagles, 12:01, 1st quarter

Doesn’t matter that Hurts can’t get much going on second down as he finds Brown for ten yards and another first down. They’re at the San Francisco 42 already. Sanders gets the ball next, but he can’t get anywhere either. San Francisco keyed in on the run in this opening drive.

49ers 0-0 Eagles, 13:15, 1st quarter

1st and 10 at their own 46, Hurts finds Dallas Goedert for a two-yard gain. Hurts takes the ball and runs and barely gets anywhere.

Good news for San Francisco, Warner is back in the game.

49ers 0-0 Eagles, 14:22, 1st quarter

Hurts passes to A.J. Brown for a six yard gain to the 40. Miles Sanders gets the ball on 2nd & 4 and gains six yards on the play to take the Eagles to their own 46 but 49ers’ linebacker Fred Warner was injured on the play leading to an injury timeout.

Opening kickoff

Alright, we’re a few minutes away from opening kickoff and then it’s going to be NFL action from here on out.

National anthem

ANITA BAKER! OMG IT’S ANITA BAKER! 10 stars out of 10.

Email from Tim Perks:

So looking forward to both games. Think the Eagles DL will get to Purdy and cause no end of trouble, effectively shutting down that great offense. 49ers own defence mighty impressive but vulnerable to a running QB. Eagles 20 13 49ers.

I really do think that the Eagles’ advantage at QB is going to be the difference here over the 49ers’ advantage at defense, but that’s the logical conclusion to come to here. Sports don’t always operate on a logical level.

Email from William Preston:

Hey, Hunter!

I think this is going to be one of wild swings. The Eagles are going to start strongly, get a proper stomp on through the first three quarters, but the Niners have strength in depth, and most of all, resolve. They’ll put together wily plays, coupled with thrilling heroics and steal this one.

Have a good one!

This also seems possible! Honestly, the only outcome that seems unlikely is a one-sided stomp in either direction.

This is actually the second matchup between Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy as the two faced each other back in their college days as Hurts led the Oklahoma Sooners to a 42-41 victory over Purdy’s Iowa State Cyclones. Hopefully, we’ll get a similarly close game over the next few hours.

Predictions

Email from Charles Pederson:

Niners should keep it close and win the game with an overtime field goal. Eagles 24- Niners 27 in overtime.

That’s close to what I believe, just with the winning teams reversed. Earlier in this liveblog, you saw me predict that the Eagles were going to beat the Niners in a tight match. However, to make things more interesting, let’s try to get more specific with the details: I’m guessing a back-and-forth match here but not a ridiculously high-scoring one, despite these being two great offenses. Maybe Eagles 27-24 49ers, with a last-second field goal by Philadelphia being the difference.

You have a different take? Great! Feel free to make your best guess and send it our way. You can either tweet @HunterFelt with it or email it to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com.

Fox NFL Sunday just featured a parody of SNL’s “Weekend Update” segment and I’m annoyed because telling corny jokes about the game when they’re supposed to be providing in-depth analysis is sort of my whole deal.

A neat little factoid here:

Meanwhile, it’s possible that the Eagles are working with a big home-field advantage considering how uniquely intense Philadelphia sports fans can be. News reports have it that the police have already greased the telephone poles across the city to prepare for post-game celebrations, not that it will necessarily prevent the most determined climbers.

Breaking injury news

A major news story coming out this afternoon: running back Elijah Mitchell is out today for the 49ers, which means that Tevin Coleman is elevated in his absence. We’ll see if that ends up being a factor today.

Meanwhile, stay with us after today’s game for the AFC Championship Game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs as the Guardian will have live coverage of that as well. Bengals-Chiefs is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm EST assuming that this game ends on time (overtime is very much on the table, given how equally matched these two teams are).

Preamble

Welcome to NFL’s Championship Sunday, everybody! For the first game of today’s doubleheader, we have the San Francisco 49ers visiting the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field for the right to head to this year’s Super Bowl. In fact, considering that these are the two most well-rounded teams remaining, the winner just might end up being title favorites. So, you could say there’s a lot on the line in the next few hours and you would be saying a correct thing.

One interesting subplot about the NFC Championship Game will revolve around the quarterbacks. For the longest time, the story surrounding the Eagles was that they were a great team but that they needed a more traditional quarterback than Jalen Hurts. Well, we’ve seen plenty of evidence this season that Hurts actually has elevated the entire team to the point where he’s the difference between them being a very good team and the best team during the NFL’s regular season. The Eagles’ epic beatdown of the New York Giants last weekend certainly didn’t hurt his value.

Meanwhile, what’s there left to be said about third-string wonder Brock Purdy? There will be time to discuss what exactly the 49ers do with their crowded quarterback position in the offseason, although certainly, Purdy has already had the chance to prove himself in ways that nominal starter Trey Lance has yet to have (thanks to bad injury luck more than anything else). Purdy might just be two wins away from forcing the issue in San Francisco.

It’s impossible to predict how the NFC Championship Game will play out although, obviously, I have given my best attempt earlier in this liveblog. The safest prediction is that we’ll get a competitive game, there’s an outside shot at an instant classic here. Want to be a part of our coverage? Feel free to drop us a line, either via email (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or Twitter (through @HunterFelt, assuming that He Who Shall Not Be Named hasn’t broken the site) and we’ll share your comments throughout this liveblog.

It’s the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field! Opening kickoff is scheduled around 3:00 pm EST, although it will probably actually start a few minutes after that knowing how TV time works, but we’ll be back well before then with additional commentary.

Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s his guide to today’s game:

NFC Championship Game (San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday 3pm EST/8pm GMT)

Story of the season: The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles have established themselves as the best teams in the NFC, although the former has faced slightly more adversity. The Niners went 13-4 in the regular season despite losing two starting quarterbacks to injury: first Trey Lance and then Jimmy Garoppolo. When Brock Purdy, the final pick of the 2022 draft stepped in, he was even better than the men he replaced. Meanwhile, the Eagles clinched the NFC’s best record in the regular season by going 14-3 and they may have had an even more impressive record had Jalen Hurts not missed time due to a shoulder injury down the stretch. Their regular season success allowed them to enjoy a bye week before demolishing the New York Giants 38-7 in the divisional round of the playoffs.

What the 49ers need to do to win: The 49ers defense will have to limit Hurts. The quarterback can harm opposing teams both with his legs and with his arms, so the Niners’ stout defense, which allowed 6.4 yards per pass attempt and an NFL-low 3.4 yards per carry during the regular season, will have to work overtime to limit the damage he can do.

What the Eagles need to do to win: They need to forget about that 38-7 victory over the Giants and play like underdogs. The San Francisco defense is too good for this to be a blowout and it’s clear that their offense can score no matter who is under center. San Francisco would like nothing better than to catch them flat-footed early.

Key player for the 49ers: George Kittle, TE. One of the reasons that Purdy has been a success is that the Niners have given him a host of weapons, including Kittle who has the capacity to catch balls that just don’t seem catchable.

Key player for the Eagles: Jake Elliott, PK. After watching the Cowboys’ Brett Maher struggle with the yips in the postseason, it’s undeniable that a reliable kicker can change the entire complexion of a team. Elliott made five field goals in the NFC East-clinching victory over the Giants at the end of the regular season. In a tight game, he will be crucial.

Prediction: Eagles over 49ers. The final score will be far closer than 38-7, but the Eagles proved last weekend that they are the more dominant of these two teams. Expect the 49ers to give Philadelphia all they can take, with the Eagles squeaking through at home by the slimmest of margins. It may come down to the final possession – or even overtime.