49ers

2023 - 1 - 23

49ers vs cowboys 49ers vs cowboys

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Cowboys vs. 49ers live score, updates, highlights from 2023 NFL ... (Sporting News AU)

The Cowboys (13-5) exorcised a few of their playoff demons in their wild card drubbing of the Buccaneers, a game in which starting quarterback Dak Prescott was, ...

[DAZN](https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100lfPvV)(Canada) 6:57 p.m.: Purdy fires a low pass to McCaffrey that skips into the ground. This time, he pulls it back, tossing the ball to Dalton Schultz to give Dallas the lead. Dallas has a decision to make on fourth-and-four: go for it or give Maher a chance to kick the long-range field goal. Prescott made San Fran fear the run after trotting down the field to make it first and goal the play before. 8:24 p.m.: Lamb's influence on the game is growing. 7:57 p.m.: Purdy hits Samuel for a ten yard gain, getting the Niners into Dallas territory. Ray-Ray McCloud has the ball jarred loose on the punt return, and it ends up in Cowboys' hands. 9:39 p.m.: Schultz had the easy grab on the out route. 8:32 p.m.: Dallas' defense firms up to force the three-and-out. McCaffrey waltzes into the end zone with ease, giving the Niners the lead! After stuffing KaVontae Turpin on the final play of the game, it was fitting that the DeMeco Ryans-coached unit led the celebrations.

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49ers grind past Cowboys in defensive struggle (ESPN Australia)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- With two great defenses in the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers, it's no surprise that Sunday's NFC divisional round game ...

For a defense that feasted on quarterback pressures and takeaways, it had difficulty getting to Purdy in the second half, and Troubling trend: It's hard to blame the Cowboys' defense for anything; but in the second half, it allowed a 91-yard scoring drive with the score tied 9-9, and after the Cowboys cut the deficit to 16-12, they allowed a 64-yard field goal drive. He became the first Cowboys quarterback with two interceptions in a playoff game since Troy Aikman in the 1998 wild-card round. Without his speed and elusiveness, the Cowboys could not do much of anything against a Niners run defense that did not allow an individual runner to top 70 yards during the season. It was just the second red zone pick of the season for Prescott. The Cowboys are now 6-13 in the playoffs when their quarterback has multiple interceptions in a game. Since winning Super Bowl XXX in the 1995 season, the Cowboys have lost to the As a result, the Cowboys' Super Bowl drought is now at 27 years and counting, and they face a daunting offseason that sees them with limited salary-cap options, crucial free agent decisions and the potential loss of two coordinators to head-coaching jobs elsewhere. That showed up on Sunday as they stood in the middle of the ring and exchanged blows for all 60 minutes, before the Niners emerged with the victory. It came with 5 minutes, 19 seconds left in the third quarter, when Purdy rolled to his left and saw tight end So, Kittle improvised, reaching out with his right hand and juggling it twice before hauling it in for a 29-yard gain. As in the number of turnovers he had.

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49ers face Eagles for place in Super Bowl after smothering ... (The Guardian)

Christian McCaffrey scored on a go-ahead run in the fourth quarter and his defense did the rest, sending the 49ers to their second straight NFC title game.

“He’s playing at a high level, getting our best players the football, he’s awesome and confident in the huddle. Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 draft, improved to 7-0 as a starter since replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo early in Week 13. The 49ers used back-to-back long scoring drives in the second half to wear down the Cowboys and win their 12th straight game. I mean, he’s only won I think like seven in a row now. He later made two field goals. Dallas never got close from there.

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Spadaro: Bring on the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game! (PhiladelphiaEagles.com)

The Eagles will host the 49ers next Sunday at 3 PM at Lincoln Financial Field. The winner will advance to Super Bowl LVII.

It's the right blend to have heading into Sunday and the biggest NFC stage. The Eagles have gotten a Pro Bowl season from Sanders, excellent production from Gainwell and Scott throughout the year, and development in the system from Sermon, a second-year back with a lot of promise. We're enjoying this win and we're on to the next one because we're getting closer to our dreams right now." "Being able to efficiently run the ball, throw the ball efficiently, and if the quarterback can do it as well, it's a good thing to have and I think it's a special thing when we're able to do all of that. Work hard, control what you can control, and when it's your time, make the most of it." Back-to-back sacks ended New York's first offensive possession – Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick shared the first sack and Reddick got to Jones on the next play – so as much as the offense set the tone with its first-possession touchdown, the defense did the same. On Sunday when the Eagles line up in the NFC Championship Game against San Francisco, they will line up with Jalen Hurts at quarterback and an offense that is as unpredictable as any in football, one that is as lethal as any, also. You've got to stay focused to what's at task, and that's winning the next one. This Eagles roster has been carefully crafted and has the perfect blend of experience and youth, so reaching the NFC Championship Game is not a moment too big for the team. An offense that has been in sync for so much of the season when Hurts has been on the field – the Eagles are 15-1 when he starts – showed on Saturday just how potent it can be when it's rolling. A strong defensive performance that featured two interceptions and a balanced and patient offensive attack led San Francisco to a 19-12 win on Sunday over the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game, thrusting the 49ers into Sunday's 3 PM NFC Championship Game against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Second-year man Trey Lance opened the season at the position before he suffered a year-ending injury and then was replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a broken foot on December 4 and was replaced by Purdy, who went 5-0 through the remainder of the regular season and then won games against Seattle and Dallas in the playoffs.

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With an impossible catch and an unwavering will, the 49ers send the ... (The Washington Post)

One oh-my-God catch and an unbending defense let the 49ers dispatch the Cowboys and return to the NFC championship game.

And instead of Purdy, it was the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott who was pressured into big mistakes: two interceptions that led to a pair of Robbie Gould’s four field goals. What Purdy had was all kinds of composure — and the sense not to try to do too much, just his part. The 49ers took over again and wouldn’t give the ball up until 3:04 remained — “chewing the clock,” Purdy said, holding on for nearly eight minutes before settling for Gould’s 28-yard field goal. “You could feel it in the whole stadium — that, man, that felt good,” Purdy said. Parsons was almost condescending on the subject in the days leading up to the game — he did everything but call Purdy a cute kid. Sometimes watching this exquisitely crafted yet deep and muscled 49ers team is like trying to follow a magic trick, and sometimes it’s like watching a tank. “It was some tough runs, some tough yardage out there,” said the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey, who qualified as a big scorer with his two-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter set up by “The Bobble.” Instead, George Kittle made something so big happen, a catch so eye-widening and lore-worthy, that it rescued this stingy small-yardage game and helped vault the 49ers to the NFC championship game by the suggestively grudging score of 19-12. It started with a naked bootleg by rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who whirled to his left and found none of his options available. “You don’t see a young player making panicked decisions,” Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy remarked of Purdy in the previous week. “The Bobble” was somewhat less definitive — the 49ers still must get past the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles if they want to play for the Lombardi Trophy. — For all the foot-burners on the field at Levi’s Stadium in Sunday’s NFC divisional-round playoff game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, it was becoming a battle of attrition, turnovers, field position, old-school defense and — swallow hard — kickers.

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Cowboys Doomed by Miscues Against 49ers Defense (The New York Times)

Dak Prescott's interception woes continued and Dallas' kicker missed an extra point as the Cowboys fell to the 49ers in the divisional round of the N.F.L. ...

The stout Cowboys defense held the 49ers to a field goal after each turnover. As Maher prepared to kick the extra point after Dallas’s first touchdown of the game, Cowboys fans stopped swinging their blue and white towels and seemed to hold their collective breath. Despite adding another kicker to the roster ahead of Sunday’s game, the Cowboys stuck with Maher, who had missed just three extra points in the regular season. The 49ers’ Robbie Gould connected on a 26-yard field goal to put San Francisco ahead, 3-0. “Just so everyone has an idea of what Dallas and the Niners mean to people,” he said. Often, one team’s biggest obstacle to winning a championship was the other.

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49ers return to NFC championship as Cowboys fail again (Los Angeles Times)

Behind a stifling defense, the 49ers eliminate the Cowboys for the second season in a row to move into the NFC championship game at the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Just for TV, get the ratings up. It was a 30-yard reception by tight end George Kittle, who stretched with his right hand to tip the ball back to himself. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Christian McCaffrey scored on a two-yard touchdown run that put the 49ers up, 16-9, all the lead they would need. “Our takeaways for the season speak for themselves. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who was coming off a stellar performance in a wild-card win at Tampa Bay, was reacquainted with the interception issues that dogged him during the regular season. I can promise that the number will never be this again.” “He gave me a catchable ball, and I was just trying to be dramatic,” the tight end said with a smile. “That’s pretty sweet in the playoffs.” “He made a number of plays today,” Shanahan said. But Dallas didn’t force the rookie quarterback into a turnover. “We thought we were going to be able to get our hands on the ball just because of the way we play on defense,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “The number that it’s gotten to is ridiculous.

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'Abject disaster': Brutal NFL implosion as QB's 'insane' Super Bowl ... (Fox Sports)

'Abject disaster': Brutal NFL implosion as QB's 'insane' Super Bowl fairytale lives on.

Dallas though could not find a way to break the San Francisco defence, instead giving up another field goal and failing to come up with a late stop in a 19-12 defeat. But once again, the Cowboys would have to live with a Maher field goal, closing the gap to 16-12 with 10 minutes left in the quarter. An electric 44-yard return from KaVontae Turpin gave the Cowboys solid field position for Prescott to work with and a 17-yard completion put Dallas in scoring range. It was still a missed opportunity for the Cowboys as a spectacular 30-yard grab from 49ers tight end George Kittle sparked a scoring drive in response from San Francisco that ended with McCaffrey punching it in. The end result for San Francisco was a Robbie Gould field goal, giving the 49ers a 3-0 lead over the Cowboys after the opening quarter. Speaking of which, the 49ers had the first real scoring chance of the game after Prescott was intercepted while attempted a pass for Michael Gallup in a straight shotgun dropback.

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Kawakami: Why the 49ers' victory over Dallas is a model for how ... (The Athletic)

To win the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers have to do everything they did to beat the Cowboys ... only better.

After Dallas drove for a field goal to make it 16-12, the 49ers went on another time-consuming drive, this time featuring seven hard [Elijah Mitchell](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/elijah-mitchell-U2DluzFgHJ8ncRvW/) runs for 26 yards, to set up a short [Robbie Gould](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/robbie-gould-jBFH4R11aFY9PYhJ/) field goal and the final score. When he sets up his game plan for these games, he has a pretty specific sense of how he thinks it has to go and what he wants to avoid. “I was trying to see if there would be a window opening up late, and I think the corner undercut it. Dallas’ pass rush wasn’t the same (the Cowboys had 54 on the season and two more against the [49ers](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/niners/) look overpowering on Sunday as they mucked around and outlasted the [Cowboys](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/cowboys/), 19-12, at Levi’s Stadium? And showed that the 49ers are the only NFC team that is capable of solving them on this stage. The 49ers’ defense prides itself on shutting down the run, and it was worth underlining that Dallas essentially abandoned its rushing game in the second half. Instead, the 49ers got the momentum from that stop. The 49ers are the No. But the high-flying team heading into next weekend’s epic NFC Championship Game matchup in Philadelphia right now is the [Eagles](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/eagles/), who destroyed the [Giants](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/giants/) in their divisional-round game. And they don’t have to be daring and dynamic to be extremely difficult to beat. [Jalen Hurts](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/jalen-hurts-yhzPJprUoEnfzPvf/) missed two of the last three games of the regular season and they finished 14-3.

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Skip Bayless throws epic temper tantrum after Cowboys' playoff loss ... (NBC Sports Bay Area)

Heading into the Cowboys-49ers matchup, Bayless had complete confidence in Dallas. The "Undisputed" host even tweeted a prediction after Dallas' 31-14 wild-card ...

The prediction, however, didn't come to fruition. Heading into the Cowboys-49ers matchup, Bayless had complete confidence in Dallas. became a reality.

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NFL Twitter Reacts to Cowboys' Bizarre Last Play vs. 49ers (Video) (Sports Illustrated)

Down seven with five seconds left in the game, the Dallas offense took the field on their own 24-yard line looking to drum up some magic to erase the deficit.

The bizarre game-ending sequence ignited a wave of reaction on Twitter as the NFL world weighed in on the questionable play call by Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Elliott was the only “offensive lineman” near Prescott, who was flanked by rookie back Malik Davis on the play while the rest of the actual O-line lined up out wide next to the receivers. Prescott lined up in a shotgun formation ready to receive the snap from running back Ezekiel Elliott, who lined up as the center …

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San Francisco 49ers to Face Philadelphia Eagles in NFC ... (49ers.com)

With the San Francisco 49ers win over the Dallas Cowboys, the team has advanced to the NFC Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles.

29th at 12pm PT on FOX 29th at 3:30pm PT on CBS As the No.

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Cowboys bewilder NFL world with final play call vs. 49ers, draw ... (Sporting News AU)

The Cowboys' playoff struggles are the gifts that keep on giving. On Sunday, Dallas left NFL fans with yet another hilarious memento as it closed out itsr ...

Many, including former Colts safety Darius Butler, likened the play to Indianapolis' failed trick play vs. It just seems as though Dallas can't get luck to fall its way. Elliott's army of one got flattened like a pancake, forcing Prescott to quickly find KaVontae Turpin just a few yards away over the middle. On the other was its offensive line. Here was the situation: Dallas had six seconds left and no timeouts, and it needed a touchdown to potentially tie or beat the 49ers in the divisional round. On Sunday, Dallas left NFL fans with yet another hilarious memento as it closed out itsr season.

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Defense carries 49ers to a win over Cowboys and trip to NFC ... (Yahoo Sports)

In a conference championship round filled with star quarterbacks, the San Francisco 49ers' defense might end up being the star of the NFL's final four. San ...

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How to watch 49ers vs. Eagles in NFC Championship Game (NBC Sports Boston)

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. Here's how to watch.

Fox will broadcast the game. What is the weather forecast for the NFC Championship Game? 2 San Francisco 49ers](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers) sent another NFC East team packing when they [beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-12](https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/9ers-beat-cowboys-advance-nfc-championship-game/2959582/). What time is the NFC Championship Game? The Eagles jumped out to a 28-0 lead at halftime and never looked back. When is the NFC Championship Game?

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Mike McCarthy explains Cowboys' bizarre final play in 49ers loss ... (Sporting News AU)

Somewhere, the 2015 Colts are laughing. The Cowboys were a comedy of errors during the last few minutes of their divisional matchup loss to the 49ers, ...

This play will enter the pantheon of bloopers alongside that fake punt and the infamous Buttfumble. Turpin himself was tackled immediately after the pass was caught. It's a last play situation-call that we practice."

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San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles picks, predictions: Who ... (AZCentral.com)

The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles play on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. Which team will win the game?

Chiefs](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/cincinnati-bengals-kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-playoff-game-schedule-tv/69827485007/) Eagles](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/san-francisco-49ers-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-playoff-game-schedule-tv/69827474007/) Eagles](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/san-francisco-49ers-philadelphia-eagles-betting-odds-nfc-championship-game/69827381007/) Chiefs](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/22/cincinnati-bengals-kansas-city-chiefs-betting-odds-afc-championship-game/69827415007/) Chiefs](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/cincinnati-bengals-kansas-city-chiefs-picks-predictions-afc-championship-game/69827593007/) Eagles](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/san-francisco-49ers-philadelphia-eagles-picks-predictions-nfc-championship-game/69827560007/) [Announcers/TV info.](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-announcers-television-schedule-afc-nfc-championship-games/69827451007/) [Sports Betting Dime](https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/nfl/odds/matchup/e04a50a8-3007-4963-b5b5-fa91c809761c/): 49ers 20.6, Eagles 18.8 [NFL playoff odds](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-odds-nfc-afc-championship-point-spreads-moneylines-totals/69827289007/): [NFC Championship Game: 49ers vs. [The Republic's predictions](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-picks-predictions-nfc-afc-championship-games-sunday/69827427007/) [Draft Kings](https://dknation.draftkings.com/2023/1/22/23566539/49ers-vs-eagles-predictions-pick-against-the-spread-opening-odds-nfc-championship-game-nfl-playoffs): Take the Eagles to cover vs. [San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/san-francisco-49ers-philadelphia-eagles-betting-odds-nfc-championship-game/69827381007/) play on Sunday, Jan. [NFL playoff picks](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-picks-predictions-nfc-afc-championship-games-sunday/69827427007/): [NFC Championship Game: 49ers vs. [Eagles are a 2.5-point favorite](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-odds-nfc-afc-championship-point-spreads-moneylines-totals/69827289007/) in the game.

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NFL betting: Eagles open up as small favorite against 49ers in NFC ... (Yahoo Sports)

The San Francisco 49ers might be the hottest team in the NFL, but they're not favored in the NFC championship game. The Philadelphia Eagles have been the ...

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George Kittle's 'unbelievable' catch sparks 49ers' victory (ESPN Australia)

With a catch described as "unbelievable" by teammate Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco tight end George Kittle provided the jump-start the 49ers needed at ...

"You see it every day with the way he prepares, and you see it in practice and games," McCaffrey said. And if that wasn't available, Purdy was supposed to find fullback [Kyle Juszczyk](http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/16002/kyle-juszczyk) in the flat. That's why San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of his squad were quick to turn the page after Sunday's triumph. "Playoff football, any game, really, in the NFL, you can't afford to be throwing the ball up or fumbling or anything like that, obviously," Purdy said. Purdy, Flacco and Sanchez are the only rookie signal-callers to win multiple playoff starts. If that wasn't there, the ball was supposed to go to wideout [Deebo Samuel](http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3126486/deebo-samuel) farther down the left side. Before this season, there had never been a rookie quarterback to throw for 200-plus yards and have no interceptions in a playoff game. Kittle and Purdy have had a strong chemistry since Purdy took over as the starter in Week 14. "I'm not in the read at all," Kittle said. For Kittle, it was the biggest highlight of his best career playoff performance. "That was one of the best catches I've ever seen. I was trying to be a little dramatic, get the ratings up.

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49ers vs. Eagles picks, predictions against spread: Why San ... (Sporting News)

Here's a complete breakdown of 49ers vs. Eagles in the 2023 NFC championship game, including our expert's pick to reach Super Bowl 57.

The Eagles have been the best team in the NFC From early in the season, but the 49ers have been working to gain on them fast in the second half. The 49ers have won 12 consecutive games and seem possessed to make up for being shot of winning the Super Bowl twice of late under Shanahan. Nick Sirianni has been great for the Eagles with his brash and dynamic personality. Kenneth Gainwell, with his open-field and red zone closing pop, can be more effective out of the backfield at times than Miles Sanders. He just needs to protect the ball and be more selective about his running spots vs. The 49ers offensive line will facilitate them moving the ball in a diverse, balanced attack. Philadelphia's offensive line can also work to keep Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Samson Ekubam and the rest of San Francisco's front-four pass rushers at bay. That means they'll be fine trusting Jalen Hurts to throw often and when contain breaks on a dropback, to take off for key yardage. That plays into the game plan to which the 49ers should adhere with Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell in the backfield and rookie seventh-rounder Brock Purdy at quarterback. The Eagles' defense can present some of the same problems with a tough pass rush and tight coverage behind active linebackers. ET, Fox) to see who will advance to play either Kansas City or Cincinnati in Super Bowl 57 in Arizona in Feb. 2 seed, they will go on the road to face the No.

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Super Bowl to feature an Aussie after 49ers knock off Cowboys in ... (7NEWS.com.au)

Two Australians will face off in next week's NFC championship game with the winner set for Arizona's showpiece event.

Cincinnati advanced to consecutive AFC championship games for the first time in franchise history, and will again travel to play Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City. Ja’Marr Chase, Hayden Hurst and then Joe Mixon scored touchdowns, with Evan McPherson making two field goals in a game they never trailed. Watch games Live and Free every Monday on 7mate and Burrow completed his first nine passes for 105 yards in leading the Bengals to a 14-0 lead after their first two possessions. The 30-year-old from WA is in his fourth season with the Niners since being drafted out of the University of Utah, and had four punts for an average of 36 yards - with a long of 46. Damar Hamlin’s inspirational presence while watching the game from an end-zone suite was not enough to spark the Bills in Sunday’s rematch of a regular-season game that was cancelled on January 2 when the safety went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati.

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An early preview at Eagles-49ers NFC Championship Game matchup (NBC Sports Bay Area)

The Eagles and 49ers, the top two seeds in the NFC playoff bracket, will meet Sunday in Philadelphia for the NFC Championship Game.

The Eagles are 3-4 in NFC Championship Games, beating the Cowboys at home in 1980; losing to the Rams in St. Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner are among the best linebacker tandems in the NFL. The 49ers edged the Eagles by 15 yards for the No. The 49ers beat the Cowboys 19-12 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara to advance. 1 in defense and No. 2 in defense and No.

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49ers were an offseason drama factory. They're going to an NFC title ... (Yahoo Sports)

The play that ignited the 49ers Sunday, George Kittle's 30-yard juggling catch over the middle, was gloriously off-script. Same has been true for their ...

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Jerry Jones backs Dak Prescott after Cowboys loss vs. 49ers: 'If we ... (Sporting News AU)

Jerry Jones is backing not only Mike McCarthy but Dak Prescott too after the Cowboys' playoff loss to the 49ers.

"It's about finding a way to get better, mastering everything that we can to make sure that we get over this hump, whatever it is, and give ourselves a chance of winning it all." So, Prescott surely appreciates the vote of confidence from Jones in wake of his harsh self-assessment. "I'm disappointed in the way that I've played," Prescott said during his postgame news conference. And as I said, it will make me better. Prescott endured a rocky outing against the 49ers and was plagued by turnovers during it. He had a couple more potential interceptions dropped and was largely outplayed by rookie quarterback Brock Purdy.

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Spadaro: 6 keys to beating the 49ers (PhiladelphiaEagles.com)

What do we know about the 49ers? The surface stuff – rookie quarterback, 12-game winning streak, great defense, a lot of weapons on offense, and a third ...

Running the football is crucial, and Hurts is the important element in that equation. The 49ers have the top-ranked defense in the league, No. Dallas did a good job on Sunday by winning at the line of scrimmage, by stopping the running game (the 49ers gained 113 yards on 32 carries), and by tackling very well. Those are four threats right there, but there are more – fullback Kyle Jusczcyk is considered the best in the NFL, wide receiver Jauan Jennings is a contributor as is receiver Ray-Ray McCloud is a threat, and running back Elijah Mitchell forms a good combination with McCaffrey. But there are weaknesses on every team, so the onus is on the Eagles finding a few and winning those battles on Sunday. He was held in check by Seattle, but then had a huge game against Dallas with 5 receptions, 95 yards, including the big 31-yard catch and run that sparked the San Francisco offense. You can look at this any number of ways, but here are some to win on Sunday: effectiveness on third down both offensively and defensively, touchdown efficiency in the red zone on both sides of the ball, and turnover differential. Clearly, the Eagles need to be outstanding against Kittle, a superb catch-and-run player, and they have to defend against the dual-threat skills of Samuel and McCaffrey. Same with the 49ers in their win over Dallas – they won on third down, they were the same as Dallas in the red zone, and they won the takeaway battle, 2-1. The surface stuff – rookie quarterback, 12-game winning streak, great defense, a lot of weapons on offense, and a third appearance in the last four NFC title games. The 49ers have enormous faith in their rookie quarterback, who has been poised and productive and flat-out terrific in his seven starts. This is a fitting matchup in the NFC Championship Game with the two best teams in the conference squaring off at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday at 3 PM.

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