The Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) have managed to overcome slow starts with thrilling comeback finishes, and are undefeated on the season accordingly. The San Francisco 49ers (1-2) have jumped to early leads in all three games, but have struggled in the second half, leading to two losses. Yet the 49ers, one of the best teams in the NFL a season ago (it should be noted they started 1-2 then as well), are favorites to hand the Eagles their first loss.
49ers vs. Eagles 2014: Philadelphia tries to stay unbeaten
The San Francisco 49ers will try and make up for some poor outings by taking down the unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4.
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
It's going to be a tough task for the 49ers, though. They've been bad playing from behind this year -- just about everything goes wrong when they do so. The offensive line crumbles, they abandon the running game, Colin Kaepernick panics and forces bad throws and the secondary collapses. It's a bad scene all around and if the Eagles manage to put up points early and often, the game could be over well before the final quarter if the 49ers play like they have been.
Digits
San Francisco's running game should be a strength this season, but it hasn't been. Rookie running back Carlos Hyde has looked excellent with the ball in his hands, but he's getting so few touches. Veteran Frank Gore, who looks as good as ever, is hardly getting any touches as well. The 49ers are responding to criticisms about a lack of passing game by totally eliminating the running game. Regardless of the way a football game is going, Gore and Hyde should not combine for nine carries as they did against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3.
Nine carries is all Gore and Hyde had between them. The 49ers are averaging 112.0 rushing yards per game on average, but when you add together the two losses, Gore and Hyde have 26 carries between them. Again, that's excluding the win over the Dallas Cowboys in the opener.
The last time the Eagles started with three consecutive wins was a full decade ago, but they've managed it this season. It's kind of remarkable given the fact that they trailed by at least 10 points in each of the three games they've won this season. Nick Foles, though, leads the NFL with 326.0 passing yards per game and he should be big trouble for San Francisco's ailing secondary.
Who to watch
Frank Gore: After the loss to the Cardinals, Gore said he was too upset to talk to the media. He later clarified that he was upset about the loss, and not about the fact that he only carried the football six times. Gore has 35 carries for 130 yards and a touchdown on the season, and he’s just itching for a big game with a full workload. Hyde will take some of his carries to be sure, but the Eagles allow 105.7 rushing yards per game on average and Gore will be looking to beat said average.
Colin Kaepernick: Maybe it's cliche, but Kaepernick has really struggled this season. He completely collapsed against the Chicago Bears, throwing multiple interceptions and generally helping give the game away. Against the Cardinals, he played fine when it comes to the stat sheet -- 29 completions for 236 yards and a touchdown, with 12 carries for 54 yards. But he struggled in the second half of the game and all eyes will be on him this week.
Jeremy Maclin: The 49ers are pretty solid when it comes to stopping guys like Darren Sproles and Zach Ertz, but San Francisco really needs to do something creative to stop Maclin. Perrish Cox is playing fine at the cornerback position, but everyone else is struggling against top receivers. Jimmie Ward was beaten for three touchdowns by Brandon Marshall in Week 2 and Maclin will be looking for something similar this week.
How to watch
Where: Levi’s Stadium
When: 4:25 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews
Radio: 49ers Radio Network | Eagles Radio Network
Online Streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile
The venue
The 49ers worked hard to get a new stadium and it’s paid off. Located in Santa Clara, Levi’s Stadium is the newest venue in the league and it’s one of the most technologically advanced. There were some significant issues with the turf in the preseason but that did not seem to be an issue against the Bears in the home opener in Week 2. One issue thus far: the crowd was not particularly loud against the Bears, even when the 49ers were winning.
Odds
The 49ers opened as 4.5-point favorites and that line has remained on many books. Some have widened the gap slightly, with the 49ers as high as 5-point favorites, according to OddsShark.
Preliminary judgment
SB Nation’s seven experts weren’t exactly split when it came to this game. Of the seven, only Ryan Van Bibber and Joel Thorman picked the Eagles to win, with Stephen White, David Fucillo, Danny Kelly, PFT Commenter and Matt Ufford picking the 49ers. You can find their full Week 4 picks here.
Further reading
You can find more on the 49ers over at Niners Nation. For more on the Eagles, head on over to Bleeding Green Nation.
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