The Linc - 49ers player felt like the NFL told refs to get the Eagles to the Super Bowl

Jan 31, 2023 - 11:00 AM

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

For an instant, Christian McCaffrey’s improbable TD run made 49ers victory seem possible - San Francisco Chronicle
Then McCaffrey’s amazing run tied the game, instilling a sense of hope. “We needed like five more of those,” a dejected McCaffrey said later.The Eagles responded with a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive facilitated by three defensive penalties that negated potential stops. Suffice it to say, the Niners weren’t thrilled with the officiating. “It felt like once Purdy got hurt, someone at the league called down and said, ‘Make sure the Eagles get to the Super Bowl, and not them,’” one Niners player told me. I’m withholding his name because he would prefer to keep his money, rather than paying a fine to the NFL.That may be a bit over the top, but let’s just say he wasn’t the only frustrated person in that locker room.

Winners and losers from the 49ers letdown loss: The Niners were flagged for 11 penalties - Niners Nation
Loser: Penalties … And that’s the penalties. The 49ers were called for 11 penalties on Sunday, with seven coming from the defense. The 11 penalties cost the 49ers 81 yards, both the highest in a game from the 49ers since their Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears. Not only was the number of penalties an issue, but the time as well. Three of the seven penalties against the 49ers’ defense were called on either third or fourth down, with all three drives resulting in points for the Eagles. Jimmie Ward was called for a first quarter pass interference, Jordan Mason was called for roughing the kicker on a fourth-and-6, and Dre Greenlaw was called for unnecessary roughness after a two-yard gain on a third-and-12, all resulting in first downs. As mentioned, the defense did what they could, but frustration settled in, and it resulted in some poorly timed penalties.

Eagles-49ers snap count analysis: Haason Reddick continues to be super efficient - BGN
Last week, Haason Reddick logged seven pressures on 24 pass rush snaps (per Pro Football Focus). This week, Reddick logged five pressures on 14 pass rush snaps. So, 12 pressures on 36 pass rush snaps in the playoffs so far. He’s pretty good!

At the Podium: Jalen Hurts on processing heading to the Super Bowl - BGN Radio
Following the Eagles win against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, Jalen Hurts spoke with the Philly media.

The Eagles found the 49ers’ weakness, and hammered it on the way to Super Bowl LVII - SB Nation
The Eagles ran for 148 yards as a team, and a stellar 0.15 EPA/attempt, over their season average of 0.072. What was really cool to see was how the Eagles adjusted to the curveballs thrown by the Niners in the run game. Much like a UFC champion, Philly made adjustments midgame, and hammered away at San Francisco. The Niners are a very well coached defense, and had a lot of the Eagles favorite run concepts scouted out the entire game. Philadelphia loves to run zone read with a TE as a split zone blocker, to get a lead blocker out ahead of Jalen Hurts. The Niners were prepared for this, and as you can see here, Nick Bosa was having none of that.

Who Are These Eagles? - Iggles Blitz
I thought about this for a while. There isn’t an ideal comparison. Then it hit me. This team actually compares to the 1992 Dallas Cowboys. [...] There are differences. The Eagles are more creative schematically. Part of that is due to the times. The early 90’s were the era of the I-formation and nobody did that better than Dallas. The Cowboys were a young team on the rise. They only had a couple of veterans sprinkled in. The Eagles have a combination of youth and older players. Dallas was launching a dynasty. The Eagles have a lot of tough offseason decisions. The Eagles will have more than a few new faces in 2023. What the Eagles do in the Super Bowl will be key to figuring out just how good this team really is. Legacies are tied to rings, not stats. As good as the 1991 Eagles defense was, people think about the ’85 Bears, 2000 Ravens or 2002 Bucs first because they all won Super Bowls. If the Eagles lose, we’ll talk about what a fun season this was. It just had a disappointing finish. And it has been a fun season. This team got off to a hot start and didn’t slow down until Hurts injury. Then they gave us a pair of playoff blowouts. There have only been a couple of close games. If the Eagles win the Super Bowl, we’ll talk about what an amazing season this has been and just how special this team is. The 2004 and 2017 teams were awesome, but this group is on a whole other level.

Winners and Losers of the NFL’s Conference Championship Games - The Ringer
But perhaps most impressive about Sirianni is what he does during games: He constantly makes the right calls. The Eagles went for a fourth-and-3 on the 49ers’ 35-yard line on their first drive of the game on Sunday, converting on a deep catch-that-wasn’t-really-a-catch by Smith—but Smith called for a hurry-up play to beat the potential challenge, and the Eagles were ready to execute. After the 49ers tied the game up in the first half, the Eagles went for another fourth down—fourth-and-1 from their own 34!—and converted as part of a long touchdown drive. The 49ers suffered backbreaking penalties that extended Eagles drives and kicked them out of field goal range; the Eagles didn’t. Kyle Shanahan didn’t use a single timeout all game—the Eagles used one to see whether they could sneak a two-point conversion attempt in at the end of the first half. Sirianni is exactly what you want in a modern coach: intelligent on fourth downs and strong situationally, with a great energy for the young stars of this league. There are many reasons the Eagles found themselves the top seed of the NFC and in the Super Bowl—he’s one of the big ones.

Spadaro: The play that encapsulates a season - PE.com
The play was revealing for several reasons that truly tell a story of the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles, and here is why ... 1. Sirianni trusted his players in that situation to convert the fourth down. Gutsy move, no doubt, but that’s the way Sirianni has been coaching since he arrived here. He believes in his players. They, in turn, know that and they play with tremendous confidence, no matter the situation. “We have confidence,” Sirianni said after the game. “When you go for it on fourth down, you put yourself in those scenarios all week. We have so many meetings about that, of what we’re going to do in these scenarios, calls we might call, what we would call if we’ve already called that and everything like that.” The Eagles were 3-for-3 on fourth down in Sunday’s win. The second conversion came late in the first half to keep a touchdown drive alive that gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead, and the third conversion came on the final drive of the game. Trust and execution.

Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes betting favorites for Super Bowl LVII MVP - ESPN
Betting on Mahomes to win Super Bowl MVP instead of Kansas City’s moneyline at +110 does not make a ton of sense to me. He is the logical recipient in a Chiefs win but I’d rather just take the lower payout that does not limit me. Kelce and others have a chance so it is not worth the difference of twenty cents. However, I do think if Philadelphia hoists the Lombardi Trophy this year, a wider range of players could win MVP. Miles Sanders (25-1) is a play I’ve made. Given Hurts’ injured shoulder, Sanders could have a vital role. Haason Reddick (40-1) is also worth a play. The Eagles’ defense will have to stop Mahomes for Philly to win. Reddick led the team in sacks during the regular season and was a force against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Eagles vs. Chiefs: Who has the biggest advantage at every position group ahead of Super Bowl 57? - PFF
Offensive Line. Advantage: Eagles. The Eagles fielded the NFL’s best offensive line for most of the season, and they aren’t giving it up now. Playing through a torn groin, Lane Johnson has maintained his elite play throughout the playoffs. He hasn’t allowed a sack for two seasons, a remarkable streak that he’ll want to keep up for at least one more game. The real strength of Philadelphia’s offensive line is that there is no real weakness. All five of the Eagles’ starting offensive linemen have a 70.0-plus pass-blocking grade this season. As a unit, the Eagles offensive line ranks first in pass-blocking grade, second in pressure rate and third in run-blocking grade. Defensive Line. Advantage: Eagles. The Eagles defensive line is not only led by an elite pass-rusher, but it is a dominant unit that has four players with 12-plus sacks. Haason Reddick is the leader of the group and has been arguably the best free-agent signing from the 2022 offseason — he has generated 21 sacks and 80 pressures this year, including the playoffs. The Chiefs offensive line and a potentially still-hobbled Mahomes will have their hands full with this deep Eagles defensive line.

Let’s debunk the internet’s Lane Johnson conspiracy theory - NBCSP
From Baldy’s video: “Watch Kelce start to squeeze and slide the ball. They’re simultaneous. Some guys just have a fast-twitch. The ball’s definitely moving, and Lane’s moving at the same time.” Just because something looks like a penalty in ultra slow-motion doesn’t mean it’s actually a penalty, particularly when the referees are judging it in real time. Don’t you think opposing players would be losing their minds if they thought a guy was getting away with something on every single snap? They’re not. Micah Parsons, who had to go against Johnson twice this season, spent Sunday night praising him to high heaven for his performance.

Super Bowl of Brotherly Love: Andy Reid, Eagles Reunite as Opponents - The 33rd Team
Reid was instrumental in Lurie’s decision to hire Doug Pederson as his head coach in 2016 after he fired Chip Kelly. Pederson was Reid’s offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs. “His recommendation of Doug meant a lot to me,’’ Lurie said. “It impacted us. This wasn’t a casual phone call. We had a few calls in the process. I talked to him about virtually every candidate we were interviewing and spent a lot of time on Doug. “Andy was genuine and very helpful. It gave me the confidence that what Doug was doing with Andy was very important and worthy of giving him the chance to be the head coach.’’ The Eagles won their first-ever Super Bowl in Pederson’s second year as head coach. When Reid finally harpooned his white whale three years ago and won his first Super Bowl with the Chiefs in his 21st year as an NFL head coach, Lurie was there for it.

Weighted DVOA Favors Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII - Football Outsiders
Kansas City may have won by just a field goal — and needed that big 15-yard penalty to get into field goal range on the final drive — but DVOA does believe they outplayed the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs ended up with a 90% Post-Game Win Expectancy, as they not only had the higher DVOA but specifically had the higher DVOA passing the ball, which usually matters more than rushing. The Chiefs also ran more plays and had fewer penalties.

5 winners and 5 ‘almost-losers’ from the Chiefs’ AFC Championship win - Arrowhead Pride
Head coach Andy Reid: For the next two weeks, all we’re going to hear about will be the upcoming Andy Reid Bowl. The success that Big Red has carried from his days in Philadelphia through his decade in Kansas City is undeniable. His impact on this franchise, this city and the entire NFL is as significant as anyone in the league’s history. Among his peers, he’s known as an elite signal-caller who displays creativity that others copy every season. But every year, he’s also questioned about his play-calling and in-game decisions. Getting the ball at the end of the first half, Kansas City had the opportunity to double-up: the Chiefs would get the ball to begin the second half. But the offense sputtered to a quick three-and-out on three straight incomplete passes, allowing Cincinnati to score a field goal. Then as the third quarter began, there was another futile three-and-out featuring low-percentage play-calls. Then — with 2:36 remaining on fourth-and-8 from Cincinnati’s 37-yard line, Reid elected to punt. Once again, viewers thought it was the end of the season; the Bengals would likely have plenty of time to drive down the field for a game-winning score — while Mahomes watched helplessly from the sideline. But Reid’s judgement would be vindicated: his defense came up with big plays to get the ball back. We should probably stop questioning the head coach — although it’s doubtful that we ever will.

NFC Hierarchy/Obituary: The final 2022-2023 edition - PhillyVoice
In the leadup to the NFC Championship Game matchup, Nick Sirianni stressed the need to have a plan for the 49ers’ best players on every play they run. Don’t let their best players wreck the game. Seems logical! You can run your offense while also being mindful of how certain plays might be vulnerable to disaster if an elite player on the other team is given a favorable matchup. There is no “Well actually...” here. Just don’t try to block Haason Reddick with a tight end, lol. And then after he produces a turnover and knocks your quarterback out of the game, maybe don’t go right back to it on the next drive. And this is the guy who is probably going to win NFL Coach of the Year honors.

Kyle Shanahan explains decision not to challenge DeVonta Smith catch in 49ers’ NFC title game loss - NFL.com
“I wish,” Shanahan said when asked if he had access to other angles. “But I mean there’s people, I mean I think the NFL can do that, if they can see it, they’re supposed to do it. But I mean, we didn’t see it. There’s a play clock. You have 40 seconds. They’re going to get it off. They got it off. I wasn’t going to throw it anyway. I was just hoping. But it looked like he caught it. And then they showed a replay up there. Which I was shocked they showed it. But it ended up looking like a catch on the replay too because you couldn’t see the other angles. So that’s why we didn’t. I was told at the end of the drive they saw a couple other angles and I was told that it was incomplete.”

10 good minutes with Eli Manning - Big Blue View
On the reaction to his return to Philadelphia after he said he would never go there again ... Eli: “I had a special greeting. I wouldn’t say it was warm, but I think it was a fun-loving situation. I did bring my 11-year-old daughter with me. She definitely saw some gestures, learned a few new vocabulary words. We had to talk about whatever you see and hear in Philadelphia stays in Philadelphia, you can’t bring that back to school, don’t bring that back to mom. We don’t need you getting expelled.”

NFL salary cap set at $224.8 million; Washington will have $32.8 million after Carson Wentz is released - Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders currently have $6.65 million available according to Over the Cap. They are expected to release QB Carson Wentz after his disappointing time under center. Washington traded two 3rd round picks to the Indianapolis Colts last month to get Wentz and his 3-year contract. They paid him $28 million, but his contract doesn’t have any guaranteed money left going forward. Washington saves $26.2 million on the 2023-24 cap which makes it an easy decision to move on. With Wentz’s release Washington will have $32.8 million in cap space going into the new league year, which would be the sixth-highest based on current cap space. Washington carried $5.5 million in cap space over from the current season to next season’s cap.

Evaluating Dak, Part I: Just how good is Dak Prescott and is he the quarterback for the Cowboys? - Blogging The Boys
PHASE FIVE (2021-22) Not great, but not as bad as you think. While Dak’s 2021 DVOA was fantastic, the metrics above suggest that Prescott is teetering right on the fringe of a top-10 quarterback these past two seasons. If you don’t believe he’s elite, you’re right and the data supports you. At the same time, if you look at his less-than-stellar second half of 2021 and roller-coaster 2022, he still emerges as a fringe top-10 quarterback. Now, that we have a good feel for how Prescott has played throughout his career, we want to turn our attention to recent history. What do the Cowboys have in Prescott right now and what are some things that have occurred that might be affecting his performance?

Monday Football Monday #125: Recapping Championship Weekend - The SB Nation NFL Show
RJ Ochoa, Pete Sweeney, and Jeremy Reisman recap Championship Weekend across the NFL. The Super Bowl is set between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Bleeding Green Nation’s own Brandon Lee Gowton stops by to give his first thoughts on the Eagles and Chiefs.

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