Eagles News: NFC Championship Game hype video features Brian Dawkins

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

WATCH: Eagles hype video, narrated by Brian Dawkins, does its job - PhillyVoice
I am pretty skeptical when it comes to “hype videos.” I grew up as a fan of the Philadelphia teams when I was younger, but working in this business, often times the fan in me is kept at bay by the simple duties of my job. The newest video released by the Eagles Friday afternoon had me literally standing up and hooting and hollering — just ask my one and a half year old, who watched it with me and clapped gleefully afterwards.

Eagles-49ers preview by the numbers: A challenge for Jalen Hurts - BGN
Is it time to panic? No. I think the 49ers can be beaten on the outside and the Cowboys had some opportunities last week. I trust Hurts to throw outside the numbers and prove this statistic wrong. If you want some good news, the same data also suggest that Brock Purdy struggles against cover 4. We know what the Eagles love to run.

Eye on the Enemy #124: Rob “Stats” Guerrera joins to discuss all things Eagles vs. 49ers - BGN Radio
John Stolnis talked to Rob “Stats” Guerrera about all things Eagles vs. 49ers. Also, Stolnis previewed the AFC title game too, and explained why he thinks the Eagles will win... and it won’t be terribly close.

Game Preview – SF at PHI - Iggles Blitz
You aren’t going to line up and just run on SF out of your base offense. You need to be creative, which the Eagles are. They will run the ball with Hurts. They will use RPOs. These things can affect the Niners. The Eagles have had success against good run defenses this year. Here is an interesting stat from numbers guru Warren Sharp: With Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia has played 5 games vs top-10 run defenses and they’ve 4-1 in those games, scoring 35, 35, 26, 24 and 21 points.

Spadaro: A 6-pack to preview the NFC Championship - PE.com
3. May the best running game win? Both teams like to run the football and they have unique ways to do it. San Francisco brings Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell (who is questionable with a groin injury) out of the backfield and they get downhill in a hurry. The 49ers use jack-of-all-trades Deebo Samuel on jet sweeps and out of the Wildcat formation and he will challenge the edges. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is the best in the NFL and something the Eagles really haven’t seen this season – a true lead fullback. The Eagles have to be physical and set the edge and win one-on-one against the 49ers’ offensive line and tackle very well – all 11 players on the field. At the same time, San Francisco has a lot to contend with against the Eagles’ running attack. It’s diverse, it’s explosive, and powerful. San Francisco allows only 78 rushing yards per game, and while you might think that because the 49ers are 20th in the NFL against the pass and that the Eagles might want to throw the ball a lot, understand that establishing the running game is a huge part of what the Eagles do – 147.6 yards per game and 268 on the ground against the Giants last week.

NFL Championship Sunday unit ranking: Top offense? Most imposing defense? Plus, 5 draft steals to watch - NFL.com
If the NFL is a quarterback-driven league, the top defense must be able to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the passing game. The Eagles are a destructive force that destroys opponents at the point of attack. The defensive line, in particular, has taken a sledgehammer to all comers, utilizing a mix of size, speed and skill to overwhelm blockers in pass protection. As the first team in NFL history to boast four players boasting double-digit sacks — Haason Reddick (16), Brandon Graham (11), Javon Hargrave (11) and Josh Sweat (11) — Philadelphia can harass the quarterback while throwing a blanket over the skill players in the passing game. With 70 sacks during the regular season — the third-most in league history — the Eagles had 15 more sacks than the next-closest team (Kansas City). That kind of pressure up front fits quite nicely with a defensive backfield that features a pair of long, rangy athletes with A+ ball skills and tackling ability. Darius Slay and James Bradberry are rock-solid corners with a knack for reading the quarterback’s eyes while shadowing wideouts in space. With C.J. Gardner-Johnson complementing these veteran cover men as a ball-hawking safety with outstanding range and diagnostic skills — after all, he tied for the league lead with six interceptions despite missing five games — Philly has a perfect combination of pass rush and coverage to flourish in today’s pass-happy game.

49ers-Eagles, Bengals-Chiefs: NFL playoff picks, schedule, odds - ESPN
Bold prediction: The 49ers’ streak of 27 straight games without allowing a rusher to surpass 70 yards on the ground (including playoffs) will come to an end because of Hurts. The Niners have struggled against mobile quarterbacks in past seasons but didn’t see many this season, which is why they were fifth in the NFL in yards allowed per rush to quarterbacks (3.4). Hurts presents a bigger challenge, ranking fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards (760) and first in rushing touchdowns (13). He ran for 82 yards and a score in Week 2 last season against San Francisco, and with the Niners keying on slowing the deep-ball passing game, he could offer a similar performance on the ground.

NFL Betting: Best conference championship anytime TD prop bets - PFF
BET: A.J. Brown Anytime TD. Brown has been a dominant force all season with a penchant for finding the end zone. He finished the regular season tied for the third-most receiving touchdowns (11) in the league. Although Brown has scored just once over his past three games, this matchup presents a sizable opportunity for him to put numbers on the board, as the Niners have allowed eight touchdowns to wide receivers since Christmas and are surrendering the eighth-ranked dropback EPA in the playoffs, worst of the remaining teams.

Why Eagles Are Brock Purdy’s Toughest Test Yet - Football Outsiders
In the passing game, there’s good news and bad news for the Eagles. The good news is that the 49ers are still susceptible to both play-action and deep shots, so long as the offensive line gives Hurts enough time to stand and deliver. At least once per game, the 49ers’ cornerbacks allow someone to slip past them, and both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith should have no problem finding ways past Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir at some point in this one. The 49ers’ 36.6% DVOA against deep shots ranks 24th in the league, and is a ticking time bomb—we have seen CeeDee Lamb and DK Metcalf have 40-plus-yard catches in the past two weeks, and we’ll surely see it again this week. The bad news is that the 49ers play almost exclusively zone, a scheme that has slowed down Philadelphia’s passing attack in the past. Half of Hurts’ interceptions have come against zone coverage, despite it only accounting for 25% of his dropbacks. And while we’re now getting into some very fine slicing and dicing, Hurts falls to negative EPA per play against Cover-3 zones specifically. The 49ers play the second-most zone coverage in the league, and a lot of that is Cover-3 with Fred Warner, the best coverage linebacker in football, taking away the middle of the field. Warner-versus-Hurts is a matchup to watch, and it may influence Philadelphia to attack the boundaries of the field more often than they normally would.

DeMeco Ryans reflects on Eagles career - NBCSP
Ryans, the 49ers defensive coordinator and one of the hottest head coaching candidates this hiring cycle, spoke fondly of his four years with the Eagles, the final four years of his 10-year playing career. “It was great,” Ryans told reporters in Santa Clara Thursday. “Really good team, great guys, great teammates there in Philly. It was a great time there. Made the playoffs one year there in Philly (in 2013) under Chip Kelly, was under two great head coaches, Chip Kelly, Andy Reid, guys I learned a lot from, so a really good time there in Philly.”

The AFC and NFC Championship Games Entrance Survey - The Ringer
Kapadia: I like the Eagles and the Bengals. The Eagles are 15-1 this year with Hurts as their starter. And while he’s dealing with a shoulder injury, he looked healthy last week. I think the Eagles offensive line will be able to keep the 49ers pass rush in check, and Hurts will be able to make enough plays with his arm and legs to allow them to sustain drives. Defensively, the key will be the Eagles’ pass rush getting to Purdy. I trust the Bengals coaching staff to come up with a smart game plan to take advantage of Mahomes’s likely limitations. And offensively, the Bengals are rolling. We know what Burrow, Chase, and company can do in the passing game, but they’ve been a really efficient rushing team too. It’s never comfortable betting against Mahomes, but I like Cincninati to get back to the Super Bowl. [...] Solak: The Eagles (go Birds) and the Chiefs. I think both games will be extremely close and I won’t mind being dumb and wrong in both of my predictions.

Jalen Hurts to face his biggest test yet vs. the 49ers defense - Inquirer
The 49ers faced only one plus-quarterback this season: the Falcons’ Marcus Mariota. Four of his six carries came on designed runs and he gained 27 yards and scored. Atlanta won, 28-14, but it was without three defensive starters, including Bosa.Hurts ran six times on designed runs last weekend. He didn’t necessarily “get freaky,” as he is prone to describe his more athletic moments, but he gained 24 yards, scored a touchdown, and most important, established the threat that helped the Eagles gain 268 total yards on the ground. “I don’t know,” Hurts said when asked if getting freaky on Sunday was attainable. “We’ll see.”The 49ers are not the Giants. But Hurts is unlikely to panic or become dismayed if the Eagles struggle for stretches. To say that nothing affects him is probably untrue. He is only human. But he doesn’t outwardly change.When the second playing of “Mr. Telephone Man” ended, Hurts walked to the Eagles’ weight room at the NovaCare Complex, like he always does on Friday afternoons. While most players headed home during the long break, their quarterback worked out in solitude.

Jalen Hurts vs. Brock Purdy, storylines to watch and game predictions for Eagles-49ers - The Athletic
It has been an interesting ride this week. On Monday, I felt like this game was going to be a complete toss-up. In the middle of the week, I became convinced the Eagles were going to win handily. They have the better quarterback, the better offensive line, the better wide receivers and the more aggressive in-game manager. Great offense beats great defense. Maybe it’s that simple. Now that the game is almost here, I’m more tepid. The unanimity with which people in Philadelphia are counting on a win in a game with a meager 2.5-point spread scares me. San Francisco is great at taking the ball away and it’ll work hard to limit possessions. In a game with margins that small, one mistake is all it could take to swing the result. But I can’t pick the Niners. In addition to quarterback and game management, the Eagles have the advantage of playing at home with more rest and, improbably, all 22 of their starters healthy. I think Brown and DeVonta Smith will win their matchups on the outside and Hurts will hit a shot or two or three downfield against a Niners defense that was susceptible to the deep ball. I also think what Hurts brings to the table in the running game will bear more fruit than it did a week ago, as he and the play calling will throw caution to the wind regarding his shoulder. I also think San Francisco will be able to score on the Eagles’ defense. In the end, a fourth-quarter T.J. Edwards interception will seal the game as Purdy and the Niners chase a touchdown deficit, and Hurts will complete an out route to Brown to secure a game-winning first down. Eagles 27, 49ers 20

Philadelphia police greasing light poles in anticipation of fans climbing them in celebration - PFT
The Philadelphia police are trying to dissuade Eagles fans from going overboard on Sunday. Police said that they will be greasing light and traffic poles to prevent them from being climbed during what may be a raucous celebration if the Eagles beat the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

NN conference title games prediction contest: Can the 49ers reach the Super Bowl? - Niners Nation
Eagles over 49ers: I really went back and fourth on this pick and would probably advise staying away from betting on this line. The Eagles are one of the few teams that can approach stacking up to the talent on the 49ers roster, and that means that their advantage at quarterback could be a difference maker. I’m predicting that Jalen Hurts’ running ability proves to be the difference in a close low-scoring affair.

Houston Texans: Has DeMeco Ryans Emerged as the favorite? - Battle Red Blog
So, it could become a race between two AFC rivals to see who ends up with Ryans. Either one could have an inside track depending on what Ryans values the most. The Broncos have a higher rated defense and Russell Wilson. The Texans have the second overall pick, a second first rounder, and obviously a previous relationship with Ryans. Either way, things could be winding down on the head coaching search.

Report: Broncos have “mystery candidates” in play for their head coaching vacancy - Mile High Report
The two names Allbright mentions they could be reaching out to are Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. He says Gannonimpressed with his interview last year and is a top candidate once again this year. He was a finalist for the Texans job and was even considered the favorite early on before DeMeco Ryans came out as the favorite. As for Callahan, he does not call plays for the Bengals, but he is part of one of the better offenses in the league and interviewed with the Broncos last year.

A quick look at some potential Panthers offensive coordinator candidates - Cat Scratch Reader
Kevin Patullo is currently the passing game coordinator for the white hot Philadelphia Eagles offense. Despite being only 41, his coaching pedigree is quite extensive. He started as an offensive assistant and quality control coach for the Chiefs, and bounced around the league as an assistant coach in some fashion from 2007-2014, before becoming the quarterbacks coach for the Jets from 2015-2016. He was fired along with several other coaches in 2017, and went to Texas A&M as a senior offensive analyst. Then, he crossed paths with Reich, as he took over as wide receivers coach for the Colts from 2018-2019, and took over as pass game specialist in 2020 under offensive coordinator Mike Groh. In 2021, the Eagles hired him and he is currently coaching the team as pass game coordinator during a deep playoff run. This is my personal pick among the coaches I researched as he has 16 years of offensive coaching experience and spent a great deal of time under the Frank Reich umbrella, before going to Philly to work with Nick Sirianni, another former Frank Reich offensive coach. I believe he’s an excellent fit for Reich because of the familiarity and experience, and he fits the bill as a young hotshot OC that David Tepper has been looking for.

3 biggest disappointments from the Dallas Cowboys 2022 season - Blogging The Boys
Dak Prescott. Usually when a player hits a career-high in something it’s a good thing, but that wasn’t the case for Dak Prescott in 2022. Even after missing five games with a thumb injury, the Dallas Cowboys starting QB threw a career-high 17 interceptions this year. He’s only come close to hitting that number once before in his career in his second-year in the league when he threw 13, but that was with him playing a full 16-game season. The Dallas Cowboys have hitched their wagons to No. 4 for the foreseeable future and may have to learn to live with this glaring concern if it isn’t corrected during the offseason.

Coach of the Year: Jacksonville, San Francisco, New York writers debate who should win - Big Blue View
This steadiness from Pederson eventually turned into the Jaguars players belief and a long winning streak to put pressure on the rest of the AFC South. The Jaguars ended up going on a five-game winning streak, which included a showdown with the hated rival Tennessee Titans on a Saturday night. The Jaguars, like they had under Pederson all year, battled and come from behind to win the game and ultimately punch their ticket to the 2023 NFL Playoffs. The Jaguars got bounced in the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs, but prior to that they were able to accomplish one of the biggest come-from-behind playoff victories against the Los Angeles Chargers, rallying from being behind 27-0 to win 31-30. That game, like the Titans game, showed the mentality that Pederson has gotten the team to buy into. The never give up mentality, the feeling they can win any game, no matter what the situation is. Doug Pederson took a franchise who’s fans had adopted the mantra “Because Jaguars” whenever something bad would happen, as the feeling was the franchise was doomed for failure, and somehow turned the team into one that never seemed out of a game. That belief wasn’t only for the fans either, it was with the players in the locker room. Pederson took a franchise that had won a total of four games the previous two years combined and won their division and a playoff game in his first season.

Who would win in a fight between the remaining NFL playoff mascots? - SB Nation
Ultimately, I believe this one ends up going to Sourdough Sam but not without an impressive performance by the bald eagle. In the year 2023, the average male is quite a bit larger than over 170 years ago — and they’d still likely be scared out of their minds at the sight of a bald eagle dive-bombing them from above. But those miners were simply built different back then. Plus, he has a pickaxe. I mean, these dudes would simply peace out from their families and WALK themselves all the way to the west coast for an incredibly minuscule chance that they’d MAYBE find some gold nuggets in a random riverbed. Most humans this day and age get massive anxiety about answering a phone call! These prospectors took an unfathomable amount of dangers straight to the chest, which tells me they’d stand firm, pickaxe in hand, waiting for the chance to knock the eagle out of the sky with a well-timed swing. But let’s not sleep on the eagle’s determination. Just like the NFL fan base he represents, this feathered force won’t be kept down by a few good wallops. As long as he can still flap his wings, he’ll keep coming and coming.

Championship Weekend - The SB Nation NFL Show
RJ Ochoa and Stephen Serda preview both games ahead of Conference Championship Weekend in the NFL. Both of these games are extremely close on paper–so we should be in for a fun Championship Weekend.

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