Eagles need to keep ‘growing’ offensively against the 49ers

At most, the Eagles have two games to play in what could be their longest – yet no less successful – season. Having won 15 games against three losses, their next challenge is their most daunting, the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, Sunday at 3 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who started the season as a third-string quarterback and for much of the year has been the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, has been a standout in winning all seven games he’s started over the past two months. Purdy replaced Garoppolo on Dec. 4, when the latter was injured in a game against Miami. Both the 49ers and Purdy haven’t looked back since.

In all, the 49ers have won 12 straight games to get to this point.

But while Purdy, the last player taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, has been the story of the season, it’s the 49ers’ defense that has fueled their run to this conference championship game. That hasn’t been lost on the Eagles and their array of coaches and players.

“I think just watching them over the past couple of days, they’re very sound in what they do up front,” Eagles offensive coordinator Shawn Steichen said Tuesday. “It starts with (defensive linemen Nick) Bosa and (Arik) Armstead. Those guys are really good players. Bosa is an exceptional player. He has really good speed to power. They do a good job in their rush lanes collapsing the pocket, especially on third down.”

Steichen also referenced Niners linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw as “really good players.

“I can’t say enough about Warner, just the way he plays within that scheme,” Steichen said. “You can tell he prepares the right way. He understands route combinations. He has incredible instincts to where the ball is. He understands line blocking schemes of when to shoot, go through the gaps.

“Like I said, he plays within the scheme really well, but phenomenal instincts, and then on the back end, they’re really sound, too. Just overall a really good, solid defense that we’ve got to be ready for.”

Luckily for the Eagles, it would seem they have every expectation of being as ready as they can be for the stingy Niners defense. Jalen Hurts (16 of 24, 164 yards, 2 TD passes, rushing TD) looked fine in helping to take apart the New York Giants in a 38-7 win in last Saturday’s divisional round playoff game. But he had plenty of support from the Birds’ rushing game, which went off for 268 yards split between four ground weapons.

While primary back Miles Sanders did his usual yeoman’s work, rushing 17 times for 90 yards, the Eagles were able to change pace against the Giants, employing usual third-down back Kenneth Gainwell to dramatic effect. Though he only rushed 12 times, Gainwell rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Hurts and Giants-killer back Boston Scott also registered rushing touchdowns in the blowout.

“The more you play, the more you see, and the more you get comfortable with things,” Steichen said. “Kenny is running hard right now. The offensive line is doing a great job blocking for him, and he’s doing a really good job.

“Really, when something is working, you kind of stick with it. And the ground game was working there, and we stuck with it, and our offensive line was doing a heck of a job; the receivers, tight ends, backs, everyone was playing hard, and it was working, so we kept going with it.”

Against the Niners, it likely would take another group effort from the Eagles’ offense to advance to the Super Bowl. Right now, there’s every reason to believe they can do just that.

“We’ve just got to play our best ball, and that’s what we’ve been trying to preach and do each and every game this whole season,” Sanders said after the Giants game. “We still think we haven’t played our best ball. … (We’re) still hungry and we’re not done.”

“We’ve grown as a team,” Steichen added Tuesday. “Just like, fundamentally. Details more than anything … we’ve done that better this year. So, I think it’s just within the scheme of what we’re doing, the repetitions of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it and how we’re teaching it. Like I always say, the more you do it, the better you’re going to get at it.”

Source: Berkshire mont