PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles turned over every rock and prepared for every detail in the rematch of the NFC title game, except for one: Deebo Samuel.
The foul-mouthed, multi-talented 49ers veteran was in their faces and the faces of fans all day. It started when the guy who came off as a sorehead after the NFC title game loss to the Eagles by branding cornerback James Bradberry “trash” and the Eagles losers, led his guys out of the tunnel without his helmet on while screaming whatever at fans in the seats. It got worse from there.
When Samuel wasn’t returning kickoffs five yards deep in the end zone, he was running an end around for a touchdown, or catching a first down pass or drawing the defense to the opposite side of the field so quarterback Brock Purdy could find an open receiver.
Samuel contributed three touchdowns and 138 yards from scrimmage, including 116 on four receptions. That payback and a physical defense were all took to lead the 49ers to a 42-19 blowout at Lincoln Financial Field. Just like that, the 49ers (9-3) are back in the hunt for the NFC’s top seed. And they have the tiebreaker over the Eagles (10-2).
“I was in that zone like all week long,” said Samuel, who had just one receiving and two rushing touchdowns all season coming in. “They beat us in the NFC championship and at the end of the day, talking trash, I mean it’s part of the game. Hopefully nobody took it to heart because it’s all fun and games at the end of the day.”
Samuel tallied his first touchdown on a 12-yard end around, giving the 49ers a 21-6 lead on the first series of the third quarter.
After Jalen Hurts scored on a tush push to make it a one-possession game, Samuel answered with a 48-yard catch-and-run for his second score, going airborne for the last few yards. That put the Birds in a 28-13 hole.
“He showed up big,” said Niners defensive tackle and former Eagle Javon Hargrave. “He backed that talk up. He had a big game, and we needed it all.”
Hargrave contributed two tackles, a hurry and a tipped pass for the 49ers. But back to Samuel, who ran away from the Eagles after a short throw by Purdy and turned it into a 46-yard score with a little more than five minutes to go.
That performance not only amped up the offense but the defense.
“He’s the epitome of unselfishness,” Nick Bosa said. “He got paid and obviously that comes with a lot of pressure to be the guy. And when you have so many dudes, you’re not going to get those opportunities very often. I love the fact that he can talk and set the stage and walk into a hostile environment and just thrive. That’s greatness.”
Wearing all black leather after the game, Samuel insisted he was so locked in during the contest that he wasn’t listening to what Eagles fans said to him. Same thing with respect to interaction with Eagles players.
“None at all,” Samuel said.
Samuel spoke to Eagles pal A.J. Brown after the game, giving him a hug. Brown contributed eight catches for 114 yards.
“You know, just proud of each other,” Brown said. “He had a really good game. The emotion, I knew he was going to bring it to the game. He’s kind of got a nasty image but he’s a great player.”
The Eagles discovered that. And they weren’t prepared for it or were just too tired to do anything about it.
Asked if the 49ers just wore down the Eagles, who had three fewer days of rest and played an overtime game last week, Deebo smiled.
“I don’t know,” Samuel said. “But at the end of the day we play our style of football and it’s real physical.”
Source: Berkshire mont