The 49ers’ NFC championship game appearance began with a disaster and never got better in a 31-7 loss to the Eagles. QB Brock Purdy got hurt on the first series of the game and never re-entered as fourth-stringer Josh Johnson struggled to move the offense.
Here are our notes from whatever that was at Lincoln Financial Field:
First quarter
– Not good. Fred Warner is down on the second play of the game. Azeez Al-Shaair takes over for him.
– First scramble for Jalen Hurts goes for maybe a yard. Nice work by Arik Armstead to stay outside when the pocket collapsed.
– Warner is back!
– Unreal. 49ers blitz gets pressure and Hurts has to throw off his back foot. It was nearly intercepted by Warner, and caught by Eagles WR AJ Brown just before it hit the ground.
– Wow. Fourth-and-3 conversion comes on a diving, one-handed catch by DeVonta Smith. Nice coverage by Jimmie Ward, but a better catch. Philly scores two plays later and the Eagles are up 7-0. The Niners defense had a couple opportunities for stops, but couldn’t get off the field.
– It turns out Smith did not catch the deep ball, but the 49ers didn’t get a chance to challenge it. Rough.
– 49ers throw it on first down. It’s George Kittle for nine across the middle. Nice start for Brock Purdy.
– Purdy is two-for-two after an easy completion to Brandon Aiyuk, who got a ton of separation on Eagles CB James Bradberry. If he can get open, it’s a game changer for the 49ers offense.
– Now Purdy fumbles after DE Haason Reddick beats TE Tyler Kroft. That’s not a matchup the 49ers are going to win. A turnover might be the difference in this one.
– Nice work by the 49ers’ defense to force a punt after the fumble. It was a short run, a short pass and another short run.
– Brock Purdy is injured. Josh Johnson is in. Neat.
– The 49ers got lucky on a deep shot to Brown. He beat Charvarius Ward badly, but Hurts overthrew him.
– This quarter was awful, but all things considered the score could be worse.
End of first quarter score: Eagles 7, 49ers 0
Second quarter
– Johnson began the second quarter with a delay of game, and then took a sack, then had his second-and-20 pass batted down. What a colossal disaster. Now an illegal formation. Hilariously off the rails for the 49ers.
– Sheesh. The 49ers defense is going to work. Bosa nearly had a safety and the Eagles had to punt from their own 1. More good field position for San Francisco.
– Nice block by Daniel Brunskill to clear out a lane for McCaffrey on a screen.
– MCCAFFREY!!!!! Unbelievable individual effort and it’s TIED at 7-7. The 49ers need him with Purdy out, and he was unreal on that drive.
– Another fourth-down conversion for the Eagles. The 49ers NEED to start getting off the field in those spots.
– Charvarius Ward with some good defense on a deep ball to DeVonta Smith. Deommodore Lenoir was in tight coverage on the other side too.
– Too many penalties on the 49ers’ defense on the Eagles drive following the 49ers TD. They’ve awarded the Eagles two first downs.
– Now the Eagles’ run game is going. This is bad news for a San Francisco club that might need to hold the Eagles without a TD the rest of the way.
– Now an illegal contact on the 49ers. One came on third down. Two others came on second downs that would’ve brought up third-and-longs. Disastrous.
– Easy, walk-in TD for the Eagles. It’s 14-7. A defensive abomination by the 49ers on that series. Opportunities for stops and they committed too many penalties. Just undisciplined football.
– Johnson drops a snap. Eagles recover. Inexcusable mistake by a professional QB.
– Now a completely unnecessary facemask on Dre Greenlaw. Halftime cannot come fast enough.
– Boston Scott TD with 16 seconds left in the half. That might be the ball game. It’s 21-7, Eagles.
Halftime score: Eagles 21, 49ers 7
Third quarter
– A third delay of game call since Johnson has entered.
– Now Josh Johnson is hurt. Just outrageous. Purdy is back in with an injured elbow.
– Purdy apparently can’t throw, so it’s all handoffs and it is not going well for San Francisco. The 49ers set up a nice third-and-long screen, but Jake Brendel appeared to whiff a block and the play went nowhere.
– 49ers defense is just a step slow. They’ve been close to a big play so many times and the Eagles just keep making plays.
– Really nice pass breakup by Charvarius Ward on a shot to Quez Watkins.
– And now a roughing the punter on special teams star Jordan Mason gifts a first down to the Eagles. Cannot have that.
– Now Hufanga shoves Hurts well after he’d run out of bounds. It appears San Francisco’s defense has given up.
– Another Eagles TD. The 49ers can’t stop the run. It’s 28-7, Eagles.
– A flag on the 49ers on the kickoff return. Laughable lack of discipline.
End of third quarter score: Eagles 28, 49ers 7
Fourth quarter
– This is ridiculous. The 49ers are just rolling out a bunch of a different run plays.
– Fourth-and-2 – run play to Samuel loses a bunch of yards. This is unserious at this point.
– Hey Javon Kinlaw came up with a TFL!
– Greenlaw flagged for punching at the football. Must’ve been after the whistle?
– An Eagles field goal makes it 31-7. In case this one wasn’t already over.
– Christian McCaffrey is in the game at quarterback. Sure.
– Now Purdy is back. Whatever, man.
– Benches clearing now after a scuffle at midfield. Trent Williams was ejected for slamming an Eagles player to the ground. Just a bad look for the 49ers to end this game.
Final score: Eagles 31, 49ers 7
