The 49ers got some revenge on the Eagles this weekend. After Philadelphia took down San Francisco in last season’s NFC Championship Game, the Niners – with a healthy Brock Purdy – turned the tables by handing the Birds their second loss of the season, this one in blowout fashion 42-19.
Andrew Fillipponi of the Audacy original podcast “1st & Pod” had high praise for Purdy and the 49ers, who showed the talent disparity in their win over the Eagles on Sunday evening.
“I thought when the Eagles settled for field goals it was a warning sign that they didn’t get more out of those opening possessions, and San Francisco made them pay,” Fillipponi said (11:44 in player above). “Deebo Samuel talked the talk and he walked the walk in this game. He calls out Bradberry and he’s been talking since that NFC Championship Game.
“I thought that might backfire on him because the Eagles, they beat winning teams, they don’t lose a lot of games with Jalen Hurts, and they were playing at home. I thought that would be a motivating factor for them as an underdog.”
Samuel called James Bradberry “trash” last week after an offseason full of trash talk by the 49ers. He backed that up on Sunday with 138 total yards – 116 receiving – and three touchdowns.
The 49ers might just simply be the better team right now, and that includes at quarterback.
“As it turned out, there’s just a talent disparity or gap between these two teams right now,” Fillipponi continued. “Not to simplify it too much, but when these games where you think great rosters from top to bottom, is it going to come down to the most important position, quarterback? I think Philadelphia would like to think that with Jalen Hurts they have an edge over San Francisco, and I would’ve thought that going into the year. I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”
Hurts had an injury scare during a rare down game for him. He threw and ran for a touchdown, but completed just 26 of 45 passes in the loss.
Purdy, on the other hand, went 19 of 27 for 314 yards and four touchdowns.
“I’ve really been an anti-Purdy guy as a system quarterback, as somebody that just takes advantage of the personnel and the coach he has, and maybe a little bit of that showed up when Samuel was out and Williams was hurt during that three-game losing streak, but when they’re healthy he is as good as any quarterback in the league right now,” Fillipponi said. “And I would include Patrick Mahomes in that statement based on what we’ve seen from Mahomes this year.”
San Francisco may be able to win it all with Purdy after all.
“I didn’t think they could win a Super Bowl with Purdy as their quarterback before the season started,” Fillipponi concluded. “I take back that comment and I think right now Tua would be my pick for MVP, Dak would be second, and I would put Purdy third behind those two guys. He’s been that good.”
The Eagles and 49ers are still two of the odds-on favorites to win the NFC and we could see San Francisco vs. Philadelphia part three in this year’s playoffs.