Brock Purdy has marked his calendar for the 3rd of December, and so should the fans because the NFL will witness the heavy-weight showdown between two NFC giants. The Philadelphia Eagles take on the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field, which will be the repeat of last season’s NFC Championship game.
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With both teams in great shape, Richard Sherman gave his reasons why he favors the Niners over the Eagles. Despite playing at home with a 10-1 record and four consecutive comeback wins, many have labeled Philadelphia as the underdogs for the clash.
In the recent segment of the ‘Undisputed‘, the former Seahawks cornerback turned analyst had an honest answer. Speaking candidly, Sherman outright said that the 49ers will emerge victorious in the heavy-weight bout and listed his reasons behind it. The former NFL star said,
“The Eagles have struggled a bit more defensively. They are 20th in points, 29th in passing yards giving up a game, and 19th in total yards giving up in a game. San Francisco 49ers are the top 5 offensive team in most categories,” followed by, “Brock Purdy is no.1 in just about every the elite stat. QBR stat that you love, yards per attempt, deep throw completion percentage, etc. That’s why he is playing like a top 5 QB and that’s why they have Eagles down.”
“The 49ers are a better team, Purdy is playing like a top 5 QB and they’re healthier than they have been.”@RSherman_25 agrees the Niners should be favored vs. Eagles on the road pic.twitter.com/zh2Htq9obo
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) November 29, 2023
The Niners have battled with a few injuries in the early part of this season, with McCaffrey, Aiyuk, Deebo, and Trent Williams all spending some time on the sidelines. But Richard says they are healthier now and their stacked defense since bye week has been outstanding. The acquisition of Chase Young from the Commanders has added more steel and depth to their defense, and their production has increased.
Brock Purdy Doesn’t Intend to Focus on the Past
Purdy, who was taken out of last year’s NFC Championship game with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, had surgery back in March. He has since made a remarkable recovery and is looking forward to the upcoming bout. In a recent interview, the star QB emphasized that this matchup will not be a repeat of their last clash, and he will not dwell on the past.
While he has some bitter memories of the Eagles’ home turf, it’s just another game for Purdy. He added that every win is now big for the team, as their only aim is to make the playoffs. For Purdy, it’s a whole different team with several changes, and he will take their rival head-on, as reported by ESPN. He said,
“I got hurt there and everything, but for me it’s week 13. We’re going on the road in a hostile environment. We’re late in the season, so every game is obviously big for us. And so that’s where I’m at with my mindset. It’s a new year, two new teams, slightly different in different ways. So that’s how I look at it.”
Purdy is far more experienced than last year. Despite three consecutive losses from week 6 to 8, the rookie QB bounced back in style in game week 10 with an impressive win over the Jaguars and has since registered convincing wins over both the Bucs and the Seahawks. The Iggles, on the other hand, are coming off 5 consecutive wins over top opponents in the Dolphins, the Commanders, the Cowboys, the Chiefs, and the Bills.
Jalen Hurts‘ name has been floated for this year’s NFL MVP. The Eagles have already booked a place in the playoffs as the No.1 NFC seed with a 10-1 record. A win over their biggest NFC rivals will help the Niners close the gap at the top. Will the game live up to its billing?
