2023 NFC Championship Game: Eagles vs. 49ers Position by position advantages where each team comes out on top

For much of the 2022 NFL season, the Eagles and 49ers were the NFC’s obvious class. Philadelphia’s 13-1 start paved a relatively smooth road to No. 1. And San Francisco has now gone on to 12 straight wins, with rookie quarterback Brock Purdy unbeaten in his first seven starts, replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo.

Competing in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, these contenders have also been among the conference’s elite for some time. Philly is making its seventh NFC title bid since 2001 and amassed more conference championship appearances during that stretch than any Patriots except the Patriots. The 49ers, meanwhile, are in the NFC Championship Game for the third time in four seasons.

We know both teams are talented. But which side is best to move on to? Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of where the Eagles and 49ers are ahead:

QB

Eagle: Jalen hurts
49ers: Brock Purdy

What Purdy has accomplished from the bank in San Francisco is nothing short of amazing. In eight games and seven starts, the rookie has displayed the kind of fluid mobility the 49ers sought in Trey Lance, as well as the efficiency of predecessor Jimmy Garoppolo, who quickly rose from Mr. Irrelevant to the 2023 job leader. Hurts, however, was on another level. Seemingly recovered from a shoulder injury, the third-year vet is unwavering in his composure. More than that, he’s become one of the most reliable dual threats in the game, offering the vision and strength of a running back alongside vastly improved downfield touch. It’s remarkable that there’s a comparison at all, but the more gifted, more experienced athlete wins.

Edge: Eagle

RB

Eagle: Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell
49ers: Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell

That’s closer than you might think, largely because Sanders has been both healthier and more physically fit behind a strong front this year; The fourth-year pro easily posted career-best numbers (1,269 yards, 11 TDs) as Hurts’ running mate. McCaffrey and Mitchell are also particularly susceptible to their own bumps and bruises. When active, however, the latter two give Kyle Shanahan’s offense an elite 1-2 punch: Mitchell is adept at finding lanes in a run-first attack, and McCaffrey is one of the game’s best safety valves; With four different 80-catch seasons and 50+ receptions in just 10 starts with the 49ers, he’s constantly open to dumpoffs.

Edge: 49ers

WR

Eagle: AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins
49er: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings

Another tight competition, this one is packed with star power. Samuel makes the difference with the ball in his hands, even if his swing is more like a Swiss Army knife than a traditional downfield threat. Aiyuk has become more of a straight-forward vertical option. But the Eagles’ top duo is even more versatile. Physically the alpha, Brown’s impressive combination of size and speed either gives Hurts a nearly untraceable target or distracts Smith’s attention. But his opponent could be even livelier with his approach to the game, winning in tight spaces with utmost focus, distance running and body control.

Edge: Eagle

TE

Eagle: Dallas Goedert
49er: George Kittel

You can see why this overall encounter is so good in every single position. The all-star talent is everywhere! Here on the tight end, you’ll be hard pressed to find two better big-bodied pass catchers this side of Travis Kelce. Both Goedert and Kittle have struggled with injuries this year, but when they’re healthy they make everything look easy. The former is a lock to tumble and trip his way for extra yards after each over-the-middle catch, while Kittle has the advantage of being able to take over a game at straight-line speed.

Edge: 49ers

OIL

Eagle: Jordan Mailata, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Landon Dickerson, Lane Johnson
49er: Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford, Mike McGlinchey

Few teams can match, if not eclipse, the Eagles’ bookends than the 49ers, who receive top-notch protection from the edge from Williams and McGlinchey. Williams, in particular, is still setting the standard in blind side-blocking at age 34. In addition to top-end tackles in Mailata, who often wins based on sheer size and athleticism, and Johnson, a warrior who really excels in the running game, the Eagles have just a little bit more on the inside. That’s largely thanks to Kelce, who at 35 is not only a revered leader in the dressing room but also excels as a second-level lead blocker.

Edge: Eagle

DT

Eagle: Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, Milton Williams
49ers: Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Kevin Givens

On paper, this is about as much as it gets. Armstead and Kinlaw, who were plagued by injuries earlier this year, are big names with all the talent to make the difference. The former certainly helped keep Dak Prescott under pressure as the 49ers won the divisional round. But the inside of Philly was just more consistently productive. Cox isn’t the spoilsport he was briefly at the peak of his career, but Hargrave has been a steady pocket disruptor in one contract year, posting a career-high 11 sacks.

Edge: Eagle

DE/OLB

Eagle: Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham
49ers: Nick Bosa, Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu

If one collective decides Sunday’s game, it could be this one as both clubs boast some of the creepiest pass-rushing routines in the NFL. Both teams are relentless; they just happen to be built differently. In San Francisco, it’s Bosa who does most of the work, single-handedly tormenting QBs with 18.5 sacks and 49(!) QB hits. In Philly, Reddick is the clear headliner, enjoying a career year as a confident stand-up rusher (16 sacks, five forced fumbles), but Sweat and Graham rotate with such efficiency (22 sacks combined) that the pressure is more evenly distributed.

Edge: Even

LB

Eagle: TJ Edwards, Kyzir White
49ers: Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw

Edwards was an underrated tackling machine at the heart of the Eagles’ “D,” but there might not be a clearer talent advantage across the board as San Francisco is absolutely loaded up the middle. Warner remains one of the best players at his position and is perhaps better than ever in coverage. Greenlaw, on the other hand, doesn’t get nearly enough attention for his own skills from sideline to sideline, recording the top three takeaways of his career this year.

Edge: 49ers

cb

Eagle: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Avonte Maddox
49ers: Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Jimmie Ward

Charvarius Ward, a big signing for the Chiefs, was generally a rock-solid coverman for San Francisco despite the lack of gaudy numbers, but also took a deep hit a little further down. Jimmie Ward, on the other hand, has done well as a physical pawn for the 49ers when he’s healthy. In Philly, Slay also tends to give up the occasional big game, but he and Bradberry were like 1A and 1B for the NFL’s top “D” pass. Both Vets are suitably handy in tight windows, and Bradberry has saved its takeaways for the brightest spots. An X-factor will be the Eagles’ slot corner spot, where Maddox shone but struggled to stay sane.

Edge: Eagle

S

Eagle: CJ Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Epps
49er: Talanoa Hufanga, Tashaun Gipson

If you like take-out food, then these safety duos are for you: Hufanga and Gipson have nine picks combined, and Gardner-Johnson has six alone, despite missing a large chunk of time through injury. Surprisingly, none of these defenders overly choked in cover; they were all just very opportunistic. It’s a testament to the true strength of both sides’ dominant defenses: the trenches, where steady pressure has forced more misguided shots toward the back end.

Edge: Even

Special teams

Eagle: Jake Elliott (K), Brett Kern (P), Britain Covey (PR)
49er: Robbie Gould (K), Mitch Wishnowsky (P), Ray-Ray McCloud (KR/PR)

Elliott still has some of that magic from his 2017 title run as he has yet to miss a field goal in the postseason. He also remains a good bet at long kicks, having played eight-for-nine on 50-yard attempts for the past two years. However, Gould is just as reliable with 13 more seasons to go, scoring 16 of his last 17 field goals and drilling two 50-yarders in the divisional round win over Dallas. Wishnowsky, meanwhile, has the best punt percentage within the opposing 20-yard line in the NFL, and McCloud brings some power to the return units.

Edge: 49ers

coaching

Eagle: Nick Sirianni (HC), Shane Steichen (OC), Jonathan Gannon (DC)
49er: Kyle Shanahan (HC), Bobby Slowik (PC), DeMeco Ryans (DC)

Much like his peer Sean McVay, Shanahan isn’t nearly as domineering as his reputation might suggest, and tends to be conservative at some odd times. Sirianni was much more aggressive late in the Eagles, rounding out an energetic approach that fuels his role as “one of the guys” in Philly. But make no mistake: Shanahan and Ryans are two of the best in the NFL. The former creates QB-friendly drives like clockwork, and Ryan’s emotional connection to his physical lineup shows on big downs. Gannon, on the other hand, relies a little more on his front four coming home without exotic pressure to win the day. It’s close, but the 49ers’ longer track record helps them, too.

Edge: 49ers

Final Verdict

Eagle’s advantages: 5
49ers advantages: 5
Even: 2

Well, would you watch that? Unlike in the AFC Championship, where we see the Chiefs have a slight overall advantage over the Bengals despite a perfectly level tie on the QB spot, this one is level all round. And here’s the thing: Even some of the positional advantages — like RB for the 49ers or CB for the Eagles — could easily have been ties themselves. This is truly a pound-for-pound heavyweight showcase featuring two of the NFL’s most diverse clubs, and it becomes all the more apparent when you break it down one by one.

So the key X-Factors are probably in the best places: Hurts has our vote on QB, but how will Purdy handle the cold Philly crowd with a Super Bowl trip down the line? We think the pass rush is balanced, but will Bosa be chasing Hurts often enough for San Francisco’s superior LB Corps to corner the QB as a dual threat? And, on the sidelines, do Shanahan and Ryans really justify our trust in Sirianni and Gannon? The answers to these questions will prove who Yes, really has the advantage of being one of the toughest and closest fights of the postseason.