49ers (

26) at
Eagles (

23)

Game Overview ::

By MJohnson86 >>

• San Francisco had many positives from their season opening win, but also showed some issues that a better opponent may expose
• Both teams will face more resistance at the line of scrimmage than they faced Week 1
• From a “matchup” perspective, both teams had close to as optimal of a situation as they could ask for to start the season
• These teams were predictable, albeit with a spread the wealth approach, when playing while in control of the game; if one team takes a substantial lead here, how they react will be less predictable or certain

How San Francisco Will Try To Win ::

The 49ers will attempt to control this game at the line of scrimmage and put Jimmy Garropolo in manageable situations throughout the game. The reduced playing time of Brandon Aiyuk and the season-ending injury of Raheem Mostert significantly alter the makeup of the San Francisco offense from a playmaking standpoint. With Mostert out and rookie Trey Sermon in, it is anyone’s guess how the backfield touches will be deployed. The Eagles are historically above average against TEs and after watching Week 1 will likely be prepared to give extra attention to Deebo Samuel. This has the feeling of a bit of a standoff as the Eagles are unlikely to get torched by any specific SF player but also are unlikely to completely shut down any specific avenue for production.

The 49ers will likely attempt to assert themselves on the ground and use play-action or other means of misdirection to create advantages early against an aggressive Eagles defense. In an ideal world, their defense will contain the Eagles and they will sustain methodical, efficient drives and punctuate them with touchdowns. While this outcome is far from a certainty, the 49ers are well coached and have a veteran heavy roster that could execute at a high level and take control early.

How Philadelphia Will Try To Win ::

The Eagles have what appears to be a franchise cornerstone QB, top 5 offensive line, and speedy playmakers at the skill positions. Jalen Hurts gives them a chance to win any game with his dynamic playmaking ability and what he has shown to be above average decision making. With dynamic playmaker Miles Sanders and explosive rookie Kenny Gainwell in the backfield, the Eagles will stretch opposing defenses horizontally and force them to respect many different run game concepts from the opening kick. The Eagles also have a variety of weapons in the pass game in their dependable and playmaking TEs in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, as well as a trio of playmaking WRs in Devonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, and Quez Watkins. I would expect many read-option type of looks early from the Eagles, as well as some play-action or double-move type of shot plays that attempt to exploit an aggressive 49ers defense. The 49ers gave up 33 points to the Lions who were led by Jared Goff in Week 1; while I expect them to perform better in a more competitive game, it is worth noting that they had many flaws against a talent deficient offense and the Eagles are much more likely to exploit any deficiencies from the start.

Likeliest Game Flow :: 

Both teams are likely to sustain drives but encounter difficulty turning those drives into a large number of points. The likeliest game flow is the Eagles controlling the line of scrimmage on the offensive side and moving the ball consistently (as the Lions were able to do when they provided adequate protection for Goff). The 49ers are likely to turn to their run game and play action as a means to protect Garoppolo in this spot. While Kyle Shanahan has a pissing match with his possible superstar WR, Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers may struggle to move the ball early in the game. The reality is that, as great of an offensive mind as Shanahan is, the 49ers can’t just move one of their best players into a part-time role and expect to move the ball consistently against a respectable defense. In this scenario, the 49ers will likely be spreading their rushes between two or three running backs while trying to get the ball out of Jimmy G’s hands quickly on passing plays to Deebo and George Kittle (or a plethora of other “meh” skill position players). On the other side of the ball, the Eagles are likely to test and stretch the 49ers defense horizontally first with misdirection and read-option concepts and then vertically with shot plays to their elite speed options.

This should be a competitive game throughout. Both teams are well coached and have enough talent on the defensive side of the ball to keep the game from getting out of hand either way. Meanwhile, neither team is likely to completely abandon their identity (rushes and short passes followed by YAC) at any point before the 4th quarter unless somehow they are facing an extreme deficit.

DFS+ Interpretation ::