49ers vs Eagles odds, picks, predictions, analysis: Bet on San Francisco in NFC title game rematch
The 49ers vs Eagles clash Sunday may be the most anticipated game of the 2023 NFL season. I was stunned when I saw the Eagles as underdogs across all the best NFL betting sites considering they’re at home and have a two game lead on them for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Despite being surprised by the oddsmakers’ moneyline prices in favor of the 49ers, I’m picking San Francisco to win. Use the FanDuel promo code and get $150 in bonus bets if your first wager on the 49ers’ moneyline of $5 or more wins (-148 odds as of time of publish).
49ers vs Eagles prediction: Analysis
(Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)
To their credit, Philadelphia are on a five game winning streak and have a 10-1 record. But their wins have come differently than they did last year. While it’s a good sign that they’ve won games in multiple ways, they’ve come out on top only by the skin of their teeth in their last four wins.
They went to overtime with the Bills and would’ve lost if Josh Allen and Gabriel Davis connected on a score. They beat the Chiefs but would’ve lost without Kansas City being plagued by drops and fumbles. Their wins against Washington and Dallas also came by incredibly slim margins.
Jalen Hurts it the frontrunner for the MVP and has cleaned up his play during their win streak. He’s been much more connected with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and has an 11-3 TD-INT ratio. But Hurts’ mobility is still a tick below what we’re accustomed to, and the absence of Dallas Goedert has been noteworthy.
Defensively, their pass defense continues to struggle horribly while their run defense remains stellar. Last year, Philadelphia beat San Francisco in the NFC title game in large part due to their secondary. But that unit has regressed mightily and could be the biggest achilles heel Kyle Shanahan has his offense attack.
The 49ers’ offense is the best in the NFL in my opinion when healthy. They’ll be operating at full strength in this game with Brock Purdy coming back into form the last three games. While he’s an imperfect quarterback, he’s a perfect fit in Shanahan’s offense.
How well Christian McCaffrey is able to run against Philadelphia will be a big factor in deciding the outcome of this game. Philadelphia’s third ranked run defense against the league’s best running back is the matchup to watch, as McCaffrey running well is what opens up the play action and passing game as a whole.
Brandon Aiyuk has blossomed into a superstar caliber player, while either of Deebo Samuel or George Kittle can blow up for big games at any given moment. In particular, I expect Samuel to have a fantastic day against the Eagles’ cornerbacks.
Defensively I’m intrigued to see how much pressure the front seven can put on Hurts, as Chase Young has been a home run addition so far. San Francisco ranks second in run defense and first in points, but their pass defense can be susceptible to bad games.
49ers vs Eagles prediction: Pick
49ers moneyline on FanDuel (-148)
I’m siding with the 49ers because it’s hard to foresee the Eagles’ luck winning nailbiter games continuing, even at home. I also think the 49ers roster is more talented as a whole than Philadelphia.
These are arguably the best two head coaches in the NFC, but Shanahan has the perfect recipe of weapons to cook up an Eagles secondary that’s been one of the NFL’s worst.
San Francisco’s defense has more impact players than Philadelphia, particularly at linebacker. When it’s all said and done, I think the 49ers win a pivotal game that keeps the NFC’s race for the No. 1 seed alive and well.
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