(Above Image Source: Bleeding Green Nation)

When: Sunday, Jan. 29, 3:00 PM EST

Where: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)

Channel: FOX (check your channel listings)

The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles collide for the opportunity to compete in this year’s Super Bowl.

Mr. Not So Irrelevant Now

Brock Purdy has proven that being picked last in the 2022 NFL Draft wasn’t going to define the kind of quarterback he would become. He’s been on a hot, undefeated streak since taking over for the 49ers in week 13.

Purdy has recorded nearly 1,400 yards, a 67.1 percent completion rate, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions in the regular season. He has a 109.9 passer rating, almost 550 yards, a 62.7 percent completion rate, and three touchdowns in the postseason.

Jimmy Garoppolo will be a free agent this March, but, in my opinion, the 49ers don’t have to worry because they’ll be in good hands with Purdy.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Nov. 9, 2019

It was another exciting Saturday in college football. Iowa State was preparing to face Oklahoma. The quarterbacks? Purdy threw for the Cyclones, and Jalen Hurts threw for the Sooners. It was their first time facing off.

Hurts transferred from Alabama that year and turned the Sooners into potential national championship contenders. The team came off a loss to Kansas State the week before, putting a damper on their title hopes. Meanwhile, Purdy was trying to make the best of an unspectacular season.

Oklahoma was dominant 42-21 at the start of the fourth quarter. Iowa State finally came alive with another touchdown just four seconds into the period. A takeaway from the Cyclones’ defense set them up at the 32-yard line. They failed the fourth-down conversion, signaling another incoming loss.

Four and a half minutes were remaining, and Purdy’s 33-yard pass to Sean Shaw, Jr. bought the team a touchdown closer to tying with the Sooners. The clock kept winding down, and another turnover gave Iowa State the chance they needed to tie. Purdy succeed with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Kolar.

With 24 seconds left, Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell decided to go all in and sent his team to attempt a 2-point conversion for the win. Purdy got it to La’Michael Petty, but the ball was ripped off his hands by Sooners cornerback Parnell Motley. The game ended with a 42-41 win for Oklahoma.

Both quarterbacks were nearly flawless in the end. There was no doubt they were going to be future NFL stars.

What We Can Expect

A dynamic 49ers offense with Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffery, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Kyle Juszczyk will be hard to stop. These five key offensive players scored 70 touchdowns since Kyle Shanahan took over as head coach in 2017. However, Samuel and McCaffery are dealing with injuries that could hinder their contributions to this game. If they play and their injuries get worse, the offense will be down two men and could create an opening for the defense to do some damage.

Their defense will have to rattle the Eagles’ offensive line, so NFL sack leader Nick Bosa can stop Hurts in his tracks. They also have a better chance at getting him if they go for Cover 3, a three-deep, four-under zone defense run. Hurts has been struggling in that area, and the Niners run it about 35 percent of the time. This method could help them overwhelm their opponents.

The Eagles’ offensive line is one of the best in the NFL. The team rushed for 147.6 yards per game, the fifth-most in the NFL. Their defense recorded the most sacks in the league (70) and the fewest passing yards per game (179.8) thanks in part to players like Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Haason Reddick.