SAN FRANCISCO – The Philadelphia Eagles finally met their match on Sunday, as their early-season magic faded in a 42-19 blowout loss against the San Francisco 49ers.
The defeat ended Philly’s four-game win streak – tied for the longest active streak in the NFL heading into Week 12 – and showed they still have work to do to compete with the league’s elite teams.
Offensive Struggles Highlight Eagles’ Flaws
After a season of overcoming deficits, the Eagles struggled to mount a comeback, falling behind 14-6 at halftime. Their vaunted offense stalled repeatedly in the red zone, settling for two first-half field goals.
“We just kind of weren’t able to connect and execute like we wanted to in the red zone,” said quarterback Jalen Hurts. “When you’re playing a good team like that, every little thing matters.”
More Red Zone Woes Resurface For Stagnant Offense
The red zone efficiency that fueled the Eagles’ win streak vanished against San Francisco’s staunch defense. After scoring touchdowns on 10 straight red zone trips, Philadelphia regressed to early-season miscues.
Despite 45 pass attempts from Hurts, the Eagles often relied on their quarterback’s legs near the goal line rather than his arm. It was a surprising strategic choice that failed to pay dividends.
The offense gained nearly 500 total yards but consistently stalled when it mattered most, scuffing multiple scoring chances.
Defense Falters After Carrying Eagles Thus Far
While the offense spun its wheels, the Eagles defense finally showed signs of wear after an admirable start to the year.
Philadelphia’s defense was on the field for 92 plays last week against Buffalo and was without two starting linebackers on Sunday. The accumulated toll showed, as the 49ers imposed their will in the second half.
San Francisco scored 28 unanswered points after halftime, gashing a tired Eagles defense both on the ground and through the air. Several normally sturdy playmakers like Fletcher Cox failed to meet their high standards.
“We didn’t tackle. We didn’t cover. We missed a bunch of plays,” Cox said after the game.
The game was not without bright spots for the defense, however. First-round rookie Jordan Davis flashed disruptive ability against the run before exiting with an injury. But his departure only weakened a fading unit further.
Eagles Still In Pole Position Despite Bruising Loss
At 10-2, Philadelphia remains atop the NFC East and well on track for a playoff bye. Veterans like center Jason Kelce emphasized not overreacting to one poor performance.
“I still have the utmost confidence in everybody in this locker room on both sides of the ball,” Kelce said. “This game doesn’t do anything to sway that.”
Still, with improving teams like San Francisco hot on their trail, the Eagles no longer have margin for error if they hope to secure home-field advantage.
They still hold the keys to the NFC East and have winnable upcoming games to get back on track. But based on Sunday’s lopsided result, they are far from the conference’s most complete team. That distinction belongs to Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers.
“It’s a possible rematch,” said offensive tackle Jordan Mailata about playing San Francisco in the NFC Championship. “But today, you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and say they were the better team.”
For the Eagles, the loss will test their resilience but won’t yet shake their status among the NFC elite. The stern self-reflection it forces, however, may only help them in the long run – especially if these two 12-win juggernauts meet again with a Super Bowl berth at stake.