PHILADELPHIA — Greetings from the press box at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Philadelphia Eagles will face the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s NFC Wild Card game.

The Eagles (11-6) and 49ers (12-5) will kick off at 4:40 p.m. The game between the NFC East champions and the NFC West squad will air nationally on FOX.

If they beat the 49ers on Sunday, the Eagles’ road to the Super Bowl will head to Soldier Field, where they’ll face the Chicago Bears in the NFC Divisional round.

The defending Super Bowl champs will have to take down San Francisco without one of their best players.

Offensive tackle Lane Johnson is inactive despite optimism that he would be able to suit up against the 49ers.

Johnson, the future Hall of Famer and five-time All-Pro, will now miss his eighth straight game with a Lisfranc foot injury suffered in Week 11.

Veteran reserve Fred Johnson will start in his place at right tackle. The Eagles are 3-4 this season and 18-27 overall since 2013 without Lane Johnson in the lineup.

Still, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are 5.5-point betting favorites against San Francisco, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Our prediction? Eagles win, 24-16.

Stay tuned for updates from the Linc throughout the game.

THIRD QUARTER

7:22 3Q – Eagles 13, 49ers 10

The Eagles’ defense is more than holding up its end of the bargain. Birds allow Niners just one yard while forcing a three-and-out. A terrible punt from Tom Morestead gives the Eagles the ball at the SF 46, just a 25-yard net.

8:17 3Q – Eagles 13, 49ers 10

The Eagles offense does nothing with Mitchell’s INT. It’s a three-and-out in part due to a holding penalty on Cam Jurgens on 2nd down.

10:22 3Q – Eagles 13, 49ers 10

Interception for the Eagles. Quinyon Mitchell picks off Brock Purdy and Eagles take over at their own 48. It’s the first INT of the year for the All-Pro.

Eagles go 3-and-out to open second half. Braden Mann pins San Fran at the 5-yard line with his punt.

HALFTIME: Eagles 13, 49ers 10

It was an eventful first half to say the least. The Eagles lead thanks to a havoc-creating defense, 71 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley and a pair of well-designed red-zone scores by Dallas Goedert.

The 49ers, meanwhile, will be without star tight end George Kittle, who was carted off the field and later ruled out with an Achilles injury.

The Eagles get the ball to start the second half.

SECOND QUARTER

2:50 — Eagles 13, 49ers 10

The 49ers have cut into the Eagles’ lead with a 36-yard field goal. But the bigger news on that drive was the loss of George Kittle. The All-Pro tight end had to be carted off with what some are fearing is an Achilles injury.

6:08 — Eagles 13, 49ers 7

Kevin Patullo, take a bow. That was a well-designed drive by the Eagles’ embattled offensive coordinator. The Eagles marched on a 16-play, 94-yard TD drive, capped by a fourth-down, play-action pass to Dallas Goedert. It was Goedert’s second TD of the first half and his 13th of the season.

Patullo mixed it up all drive, including a pass to DeVonta Smith out of the backfield and a nifty screen to Saquon Barkley, who put the San Francisco defense on skates. Good stuff from the Eagles as they take the lead.

FIRST QUARTER

6:16 — 49ers 7, Eagles 6

The Eagles answered San Francisco’s opening touchdown drive with one of their own. The Birds went 63 yards on 10 plays without a single negative play. Saquon Barkley got rolling with a 29-yard gain (and 45 yards total on six carries). The drive was capped by a jet sweep score for tight end Dallas Goedert. Kevin Patullo continues to call it right in the red zone. Jake Elliott missed his XP, though, so San Fran still leads.

11:51 — 49ers 7, Eagles 0

Well, that’s a less than ideal start by the Birds’ defense. The 49ers score first with a six-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, thanks in large part to a 61-yard catch and run by Demarcus Robinson. The drive was capped on a two-yard scoring strike to Robinson, taking the energy right out of the Lincoln Financial Field crowd.

On both catches, Robinson burned All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell. It’ll be up to Jalen Hurts and Co. to answer.

Eagles News

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