We're now into the NFL final four, and by the end of today we'll know what the Super Bowl LVII matchup in Arizona will be.As usual, we expect some crazy stuff to happen when these conference championship games kick off. So, here we are once again with our bold predictions: three for both the NFC and AFC title games.Brock Purdy has done the miraculous: gone from the last pick of the 2022 and a third-string quarterback to 7-0 as the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback with a 116.0 pa ser rating
Brad Hand Jersey in that span since Week 14, the highest in the and the best pa ser rating by a 49ers player in a seven-game span since Hall of Famer Steve Young in 1996-97. It's remarkable. One of his most impre sive traits is his ball security with 14 touchdown pa ses and only two interceptions, none in the playoffs.However, Purdy's perfect run will come crashing to a halt with him going down in flames on Sunday in Philadelphia against the Eagles, the team that has the most sacks in football this season, 75, including the playoffs (the third-most in a single season in NFL history including the postseason) and the second-highest pre sure rate in the NFL (39%). The rookie had performed well under pre sure in his first six starts, registering a 121.2 pa ser rating when under pre sure. However, when facing Defensive Player of the Year finalist and the front, Purdy wilted as he completed only three of his 11 pa ses when under pre sure for a 39.6 pa ser rating. The Eagles pa s rush should be even more a struggle for the 49ers offensive line to contain since it's not centered around predominantly one player. Philadelphia has four players with double-digit sacks this season -- linebacker (16.0), defensive tackle (11.0), defensive end (11.0), and defensive end (11.0) -- the most in NFL history.Brock Purdy vs. pre sureFirst 6 startsDivisional round vs. CowboysComp pct54%27%Pa s yards/att8.32.2Pa ser rating121.239.6When Purdy does make his eighth career start on Sunday, he will become the he fifth rookie quarterback to start a conference championship game joining Shaun King on the 1999 , on the 2004 , on the 2008 , and on the 2009 . Those quarterbacks went a combined 0-4 while throwing four
San Diego Padres pa sing touchdowns and interceptions. Purdy will run that record to 0-5 and add a couple more interceptions to that cumulative box score.The 49ers defense is the NFL's best in terms of scoring -- 16.3 points per game allowed -- and total yards -- 300.6 total yards per game allowed -- but a lot of what they do depends on the NFL's sacks leader, defensive end (18.5), creating pre sures and racking up sacks. That defense will be in for a bit of whiplash after going up against a Dallas Cowboys team a week ago that played predominantly without their best running back ( ) and a quarterback in who only , .Their challenge this week for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, one of three quarterbacks in NFL history to total over 3,500 pa sing yards and over 750 rushing yards in a single season, presents an entirely different host of problems for San Francisco's vaunted defense as a true dual-threat. Plus, the Eagles can mitigate the 49ers prolific pa s rush with the best offensive line in football.Eagles offensive line succe s this seasonIndividual offensive linemen have combined for the fewest sacks (14) and the lowest pre sure rate (3.5%) allowed this seasonCenter and right tackle have allowed zero sacks between the two of them1st in pa s block grade and 3rd in run block grade, according to Pro Football FocusThe entire offensive line has been selected for the Pro Bowl or chosen as alternateHurts and the Eagles are one of the NFL
Tyson Ross Jersey 's most multi-faceted offenses: they have either had over 300 pa sing yards or over 200 rushing yards in five of Jalen Hurts' last six starts. In short, they've pretty much been alternating beating team's through the air vs. on the ground. This week, it would appear that the air would be the move.Eagles yardage in Hurts' starts since Week 12Pa singRushingWeek 12137363Week 1338667Week 14184253Week 15309112Week 18207135Divisional round148268Another reason Hurts could accumulate yards quickly on Sunday is because he led the NFL in completion percentage (50%), pa sing touchdowns and pa ser
Allen Craig Jersey rating on throws of 25 or more yards downfield this season. On the flip side, the 49ers have been one of the league's worst deep pa sing defenses ranking 25th or worse in all of the aforementioned categories.Pa sing 25+ yards downfield this season, including playoffs49ers defenseJalen HurtsComp pct41%**50%*TD-INT5-2**10-1*Pa ser rating106.6**125.0*Between great protection upfront and a susceptible 49ers secondary, Jalen Hurts is going roll against the 49ers for four total touchdowns and over 350 total yards.A.J. Brown on the Eagles sidelines in the midst of Philadelphia blowing out the in the divisional round, 38-7. He only had three catches for 22 receiving yards in run-heavy approach that night. However, it will be all smiles for Brown, whose 1,496 receiving yards this season set the Eagles' single-season record, as he goes up against the susceptible 49ers secondary mentioned aboveHe had seven receiving touchdown of 25 or more air yards this season, tied for the second-most by any player in a season since air yards were first tracked in 2006. He's going to add to that total in a big way.Most receiving TDs on throws of 25+ yards downfield since 2006SeasonPlayerReceiving TD202282022A.J. Brown72010Mike Wallace72007Randy Mo s7In addition to being a subpar deep pa sing defense this season, the 49ers have struggled to keep up with opposing wideouts all season along as they ranks 25th or worse in numerous categories while Jalen Hurts is a top 10 pa ser when throwing to receivers, including Brown and , the first Eagles receiver duo each over 1,000 receiving yards in the same season in team history. NFL rankings targeting WRs this season49ers defenseJalen HurtsComp pct30th10thPa s yards/att25th4thPa s TDT-26thT-6thDespite being the league's top scoring and total yardage defense, the 49ers have allowed their opponents' top wide receiver to go over 100 yards in three of their last four games. Brown will do so easily and grab a touchdown or two.100-yard wide receivers vs. 49ers since Week 17Rec-yards-TDWeek 17 at Davante Adams7-153-2Wild-card round vs D.K. Metcalf10-136-2Divisional round vs CowboysCeeDee Lamb10-117-0Everyone on Earth knows that when there is a Kansas City Chiefs football game, 2022 first-team All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce is going to catch a lot of pa ses. He led all tight ends in catches (110), receiving yards (1,338) and receiving touchdowns
Rollie Fingers Jersey (12) this season, and he's en route to becoming one of the most prolific postseason pa s-catchers in NFL history.His 120 playoff receptions are the second-most all-time behind only the receiving GOAT Jerry Rice (120); his 1,389 playoff receiving yards are tied for the third-most all-time with Rob Gronkowski; and