NFL Playoffs: San Francisco 49ers eliminate defending Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles with stunning upset | NFL News

The San Francisco 49ers pulled off a sensational 23-19 victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, to eliminate them from the NFL playoffs in the Wild Card round.

The already battered 49ers without key players like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Ricky Pearsall due to injuries – among many others – also lost talismanic tight end George Kittle in the first half to a season-ending torn Achilles.

But San Francisco’s playoff run is far from over, as they now head to the NFC’s No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks in next week’s divisional round.

Despite losing Kittle and the 49ers down six early in the fourth quarter, they would take the lead on the next play, a beautiful trick-play play in which receiver Jauan Jennings threw a 29-yard scoring strike to Christian McCaffrey.

The Eagles, whose offense stalled badly in the second half – limited to just 23 yards until then, regained the lead – going up 19-17 – with a field goal following a second Brock Purdy interception with eight minutes remaining.

But Purdy responded to lead another scoring drive – this time finding McCaffrey himself in the end zone for what would prove the game-winning score with just under three minutes to play.

The Eagles converted on a 4th-and-5 from their own 45-yard line with the game on the line, eventually driving to the San Francisco 21-yard line before Jalen Hurts threw three consecutive incompletions to end the game – recently acquired 49ers linebacker Eric Kendricks breaking up Hurts’ key fourth-down pass intended for Dallas Goedert.

Statistics leaders:

49ers

• Passage: Brock Purdy, 18/31, 262 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
• Rushing : Christian McCaffrey, 15 carries, 48 ​​yards
• Reception : Demarcus Robinson, 6 catches, 111 yards, 1 TD

Eagles

• Passage: Jalen hurts, 20/35, 168 yards, 1 TD
• Rushing : Saquon Barkley, 26 carries, 106 yards
• Reception : DeVonta Smith, 9 catches, 70 yards

San Francisco came out of the blocks on offense, scoring on its first series as Demarcus Robinson followed a monster 61-yard reception on the second play from scrimmage with a five-yard touchdown run to cap the drive.

Philadelphia responded immediately as Goedert scored his first of two first-half touchdowns, running in this one from the goal line before coming down with a nine-yard grab into the end zone to give the Eagles the lead in the second quarter.

The 49ers, after their explosive start, suddenly stalled on offense amid Kittle’s injury, going three-and-out twice before adding a field goal from Eddy Piniero to cut the Eagles’ lead to three at 13-10.

Poor clock management denied San Francisco the chance to tie in the final minute before halftime, which ended with a Purdy fumble out of bounds as the clock wound down.

Despite his lead, Eagles receiver AJ Brown had to be separated from head coach Nick Sirianni by head safety Dom DiSandro late in the first half during a sideline breakup.

Brown ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled in Sirianni’s direction after the Eagles punted to end a drive in which he had a few drops on consecutive plays.

Purdy was picked off to end the 49ers’ first series of the second half — Quinyon Mitchell falling with both quarterback interceptions — but the Eagles’ increasingly anemic offense couldn’t capitalize on the mistake.

A Jake Elliott field goal late in the third quarter would push Philly’s advantage back to six, at 16-10, before the 49ers rallied in superb fashion in the final quarter to clinch a remarkable road victory over the defending champions and keep their own Super Bowl dreams alive.

Watch every minute of the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium live on Sky Sports NFL.