At a Glance
- The San Francisco 49ers entered the wild-card round missing six starters and lost two more key players during the game.
- Jauan Jennings, a converted quarterback, threw a 29-yard touchdown to Christian McCaffrey for a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead.
- San Francisco upset the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on the road.
- Why it matters: The injury-ravaged 49ers keep their home-field Super Bowl hopes alive and advance to face the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks.
The San Francisco 49ers limped into the wild-card round missing half their stars, then lost two more critical pieces before halftime. Still, they walked out of Philadelphia with a 23-19 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions, extending a season that has tested the depths of their roster like few in recent memory.
A M.A.S.H. Unit in Cleats
San Francisco opened the night without Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Mykel Williams and Dee Winters. The inactive list grew longer when starting safety Ji’Ayir Brown exited early and All-Pro tight end George Kittle suffered a torn Achilles soon after. Right tackle Trent Williams, 37, returned from a hamstring injury but admitted post-game he took a risk and came back early.
The injuries forced head coach Kyle Shanahan to lean on names barely on the roster radar in September. Fifth-string wideout Skyy Moore took a first-quarter jet sweep. Demarcus Robinson, signed off the street in October, finished as one of Brock Purdy‘s top three receivers.
The Trick-Play Dagger
Early in the fourth quarter, with the 49ers trailing 16-10 and their season on life support, Shanahan reached into his bag of alchemy. Purdy handed to Moore on a jet sweep. Moore flipped the ball back across the field to Jauan Jennings, the team’s de-facto WR1 after the injury avalanche. Jennings planted his feet and lofted a 29-yard strike to a wide-open Christian McCaffrey for the go-ahead touchdown.
It was the second time Jennings has thrown a touchdown in the postseason. He also hit McCaffrey for a 21-yard score in Super Bowl LVIII against Kansas City. The latest heroics gave San Francisco a 17-16 lead it would not relinquish.
By the Numbers
| Category | 49ers | Eagles |
|---|---|---|
| Deep passes (15+ air yards) | 3-for-5, 122 yd, TD, INT | 0-for-5 |
| Total injuries to starters | 8 | 1* |
| Time of possession | 32:11 | 27:49 |
| Final score | 23 | 19 |
*Star tackle Lane Johnson was inactive.
What’s Next
The 49ers travel to Seattle for a divisional-round date with the top-seeded Seahawks at Lumen Field, the same venue where they opened the regular season with a last-second win. A victory would put San Francisco one game from a home Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium.
Linebacker Fred Warner could potentially return for the NFC Championship Game if the 49ers advance, according to News Of Philadelphia‘s Olivia Bennett Harris.
The Equivalent Exchange
San Francisco finished the regular season 12-5 despite the torrent of injuries. No other team in recent memory has navigated a comparable roster drain and still secured a playoff berth, let alone knocked off the defending champs on the road. The win keeps alive the dream scenario: playing for a Lombardi Trophy in their own building on February 9.
Key Takeaways
- The 49ers have now won three straight over the Eagles in Philadelphia, including the 2022 NFC Championship Game.
- Jauan Jennings owns the highest possible passer rating (158.3) in multiple playoff games for the same franchise, per NFL+.
- Christian McCaffrey finished with 79 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in his first playoff action since January 2023.
- The Eagles’ repeat bid ends with zero completions on deep shots and more questions than answers about their high-priced core.
