Rest for the weary.
After two consecutive short weeks to end the regular the season, the San Francisco 49ers were back to their regular schedule, as they prepared to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
“We were excited that it was on a Sunday, so we can have a normal seven-day week,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. “So, came in this morning, treating it like a true Monday, just finished with the players and put Seattle game all to bed with them and now we’re getting going on Philly.”
For a team that’s decimated by injuries, with more piling up this week, it was a welcome change back to the norm.
“That’s why you hope to have a full week recovery,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. “I think that’s a huge deal…[I]t wasn’t just the three games in 13 days, it was also all national night games, an east coast game, mixing Christmas in there, not having a Bye week until two weeks before that in December. So, that stuff does add up.”
With the one seed, a bye week and home field advantage out of the picture, the self-proclaimed “road dogs” are on to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field and a very tough Philadelphia defense.
“They’ve got a great scheme and great players,” said 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. “Anytime you play against great scheme and great players, you’ve really got to execute, you’ve got to be locked in on the details, just continue to stay focused throughout the entirety of the game.”
The 49ers offense may be getting reinforcements in the form of left tackle Trent Williams, who missed the Week 18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks with a hamstring injury. Williams returned to practice on Thursday. He was listed as limited, but it’s a good sign for his availability on Sunday. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, so that’s not looking great for San Francisco.
Sunday will be 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s third matchup with the Eagles, all on the road, with the first being the 2022 NFC Championship – yes the one where he suffered a UCL injury of the 49ers first offensive drive of the game – and the second being in December 2023, when San Francisco dominated the home team.
“With [Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator] Vic Fangio being there and their scheme being slightly different, it’s different,” Purdy said. “…[B]ut also just the talented players obviously that they have are still there. As a whole, I feel like, who the Eagles are, that sort of still feels the same, just in terms of them being a really good organization and a team that’s going to bring it every game, and you’ve got to be on your best to have a chance against them. So, we all feel that. That, in itself, is the same.”
Lincoln Financial Field is one of the toughest atmospheres for an opposing team in the NFL. If we’re being honest, it’s pretty tough for the home team too. Philadelphia fans aren’t exactly known for their chill.
“Always, with every place you go, it always starts with crowd noise,” Shanahan said. “…It has to do with how loud that crowd is. And they’re going to be going. You’ve got to give them a reason to be quiet. And if not, it’s an extremely challenging place to play. You’re not going to be able to hear, and we’ve got to expect that.”
For the rookies and 49ers players who haven’t played there yet, it’s been discussed.
“Kyle’s done a good job too of, from the beginning of the week, showing this is the environment that we’re going to go into and we have to be ready for X, Y, and Z,” Purdy said. “I think for the young guys, they have a good idea, but you’re not going to know until you get there, and you feel it. So, it’s going to come down to execution in big moments and not allowing the environment to get you out of your zone. You’ve got to be locked in however you can for four quarters.”
Defensively, the 49ers have a linebacking problem, in that they are missing basically missing all of their starting linebackers. Eric Kendricks was activated from the practice squad earlier this week, while San Francisco signed veteran Kyzir White to the practice squad.
“I feel like [linebackers coach] Johnny [Holland] and [defensive quality control coach] K.J. [Wright] have done such a really nice job getting all these guys ready to be next up,” said 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. “Eric has come in, just going off yesterday with [LB Garret] Wallow, they did a really nice job through walk-through and practice.
“I feel like [S Ji’Ayir Brown] Tig and [S] Malik [Mustapha] have done a really good job of ramping up their communication. So, it’s not just one person. It’s collective, as a group. And you know, we’re far along in the season where I feel like they’re really coming along from a defensive standpoint with regard to communication. So, I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
That being said, this is a 49ers’ defense that gave up 180 yards rushing to the Seahawks in Week 18 and are now facing Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts. The Eagles offense has not been in last year’s Super Bowl form, but Barkley and Hurts are still Barkley and Hurts.
“This week, just preparing how I always prepare all 10 years of my career, 11 years now,” Kendricks said. “It’s up to you to rise to the occasion. I trust my preparation, I always have. I trust my teammates around me first and foremost. They’ve helped me so much to get to where I’m at now. It’s just about going out there knowing what I’m doing and just letting loose and playing with my instincts.”
It’s going to be a tough match-up all around for San Francisco. They’re on the road, they’re the *slight* underdogs, they’re going up against the Super Bowl Champs and they are from full strength. But, that’s been their season, and they’re looking to create just a little more magic.
Tune in on Sunday at 4:30 pm ET/1:30 pm PT to see how it goes.