In a bizarre twist of narratives, it was the San Francisco 49ers' turn to storm back in the second half while the Philadelphia Eagles struggled down the stretch. After taking a 21-10 deficit in the second quarter, the 49ers outscored the Eagles 16-0 the rest of the way for a much-needed 26-21 win.
Eagles vs. 49ers final score: 3 things we learned during San Francisco’s 26-21 win
The 49ers were a much different team this Sunday, shunning second-half woes to post a much-needed win over the Eagles.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Chip Kelly's offense was anemic for almost the entire game. The Eagles did not cross the 50-yard line until late in the fourth quarter, and gained just 213 total yards on the day. Fresh off a big game against Washington, Nick Foles struggled, going 21-of-43 passing for 195 yards and two interceptions. Foles was under constant pressure behind a makeshift offense line. The running game once again disappointed, gaining just 21 yards on 11 carries between LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles.
The Eagles’ offense came alive in crunch time, however. A spectacular catch threatened to flip momentum. With the Eagles down five points and facing a long third down with three minutes to go, Jeremy Maclin made a one-handed grab deep down the sideline to keep a pivotal drive alive. 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh challenged the play, but upon review it was determined that Maclin kept control inbounds.
The Eagles drove down to within the 5-yard line, but the offensive line gave Foles little time on a fourth-down rollout, and Foles’ pass sailed well high of its intended target, giving the ball back to San Francisco with under two minutes remaining.
Philadelphia's offensive performance spoiled what had been a great day for the special teams and defense. The Eagles took a 7-0 lead when they stormed the 49ers' punting unit and forced a buttpunt and fumble that they recovered in the end zone. Malcolm Jenkins had a superb interception return for a touchdown after San Francisco took a 10-7 lead, then Sproles gave the Eagles a two-score cushion with a punt return to the house.
The 49ers' offense simply made the necessary plays to support an outstanding day for the defense. Frank Gore continues to defy aging. The veteran running back had 119 yards on the ground, and scored a touchdown on a cross-field swing pass during which he shunned the only defender in the area to stop him. Colin Kaepernick made a beautiful throw on the play, and in general looked much better than the quarterback who had shown up to start the season.
What we learned:
1) The 49ers final got their act together in the second half
The 49ers were a mess through three games. They made a habit of collapsing in the second half, with dumb penalties and offensive miscues. They picked themselves up on Sunday, however. They FINALLY scored a second-half offensive touchdown, Kaepernick’s second of the game. He had thrown two touchdowns combined over his previous two games. The defense was fantastic, obviously.
The 49ers still have yet to put together four consecutive quarters of good football, but their strong second half has to infuse needed confidence in a team that had been a big disappointment through three games.
2) The Eagles’ offense is overrated
And that’s not to say it is bad. It certainly had an awful outing against the 49ers, but units should be forgiven for the rare meltdown, especially on the road against a tough opponent.
The Eagles' offense is overrated in the sense that Chip Kelly's baby is often hyped at the expense of the team's other two units. The Eagles' special teams have been outstanding this season. Darren Sproles and Chris Polk have been spectacular additions to the return game, and the Eagles were seemingly a threat to block every punt and kick the 49ers made on Sunday (nevermind the one they did). The Eagles' defense was terrific until it got gassed after being on the field so long -- the 49ers won the time of possession battle 42:17 to 17:43.
With just a mediocre performance on offense, the Eagles might have won this game.
3) Where have you gone, LeSean McCoy?
McCoy has not had any help from a ravaged offense line, but even when plays were available to be made in space, he struggled to take advantage. McCoy has fallen well short of 100 total yards two weeks in a row. On Sunday, he wasn’t even close to the mark, gaining 17 yards on 10 touches.
We know McCoy is an elite talent and competitor. At the moment, however, it appears that the offensive line’s struggles have had a demoralizing effect on the running back, and perhaps the rest of the Eagles’ offense.
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