The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles both had an opportunity in Week 18 to avoid facing one another on Wild Card Weekend. Instead, they both lost, setting up a rematch of previous playoff duels between the two NFC powerhouses.
Both clubs have flaws. San Francisco’s defense, thanks to injuries, has been abysmal in the second half of the season. Meanwhile, the Eagles’ offense under play-caller Kevin Patullo seems to be the definition of inconsistency. It should make for an interesting clash on FOX.
Let’s dive into our 49ers vs Eagles predictions for Wild Card Weekend.
Saquon Barkley Erupts for 120+ Scrimmage Yards
Saquon Barkley must be the centerpiece of the Eagles’ offense in the wild-card round. Since Week 8, San Francisco has surrendered the second-highest rush success rate (47.8%) in the NFL, with opponents averaging 4.6 yards per carry across 246 touches. With Lane Johnson back at right tackle, the Eagles’ offensive line is well-equipped to consistently win the battle in the trenches against the 49ers. San Francisco has also allowed the third-most receptions to running backs (94) on the year. Barkley should be the one carrying the Eagles’ offense on Sunday afternoon, and if Kevin Patullo gives him 25-plus touches, Barkley will deliver one of his best performances of the season.
Christian McCaffrey Bottled Up, Finishes Under 80 Yards
From Weeks 12 through 17, Christian McCaffrey was effectively the entire offense for the San Francisco 49ers, as evidenced by his 132 touches (26.4 touches per game). He’ll likely be receiving a similar workload on wild-card weekend for San Francisco to have any shot in this game. The problem for Kyle Shanahan is that Philadelphia has really improved against the run down the stretch, allowing just 117.7 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry in the final four games. With Jalen Carter healthy and Jordan Davis enjoying a breakout season, finding rushing lanes will be even more difficult. This is the kind of matchup where we could see McCaffrey held under 60 rushing yards, with most of his damage coming as a receiver.
Read More: NFL Defense Rankings 2026, Evaluating Playoff Defenses
DeVonta Smith Puts Up 70+ Yards, Hits Paydirt
Without much of a pass rush to speak of, San Francisco is going to have an even more difficult time holding up in coverage versus A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Assuming that Brown draws the focus in coverage, that positions Smith to have a great showing. He finished the regular season tied with the team lead for receptions on throws 20-plus yards downfield, putting up 335 receiving yards with 8 receptions on 23 targets. Hurts is going to have a clean pocket at home and with that time will come two or three downfield shots to Smith. He’ll pull in a pair, including a long touchdown, finishing as the team’s leader in receiving yards.
Brock Purdy Throws 2 Interceptions
Since making a full recovery from his toe injury, Brock Purdy has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL. From Weeks 11 through 17, San Francisco’s star quarterback completed 70.7% of his passes, averaged 7.9 yards per attempt, and posted a 16-5 TD-INT line with an 8.7% touchdown rate versus just a 2.7% interception rate.
However, Purdy is still very aggressive with the football, and that decision-making means taking some chances he shouldn’t. He finished the regular season with a 4.2% interception rate when pressured and a 5.1% interception rate when blitzed. Philadelphia’s pass rush, which averaged 3.1 sacks per game from Weeks 8 through 17, will be able to get in his face and force throws under duress. Two of those throws will be picked off, including one in the fourth quarter.
Related: NFL Wild Card Round Predictions, including 49ers vs Patriots Winner
