At a Glance
- The Eagles blew a 19-17 fourth-quarter lead and lost 23-19 to the undermanned 49ers at the Linc.
- Philadelphia’s offense scored just 19 points for the sixth straight game against a winning team.
- The defense surrendered two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 66-yard game-winning drive.
- Why it matters: A season that began with Super-Bowl expectations ends in the wild-card round, raising major questions about the coaching staff, play-calling, and several star players’ futures.
The Eagles’ season is over. What looked like a can’t-lose setup-home game, rested roster, cross-country opponent missing a raft of stars-turned into a 23-19 nightmare against the 49ers in the wild-card round. A 19-17 lead with under six minutes left evaporated on a 10-play touchdown march, and a last-gasp fourth-and-11 heave into triple coverage fell incomplete, sealing the loss.
Offense Fizzles Again
19 points. That has been the ceiling against any team that finished above .500 since Week 3. With the season on the line, the unit produced the same flat result. Five second-half drives started on the Eagles’ 48, the 49ers’ 46, and their own 35, 38, and 35. The yield: two field goals.
Play-calling drew immediate heat. Head coach Nick Sirianni and passing-game coordinator Kevin Patullo dialed up a fourth-and-11 concept that left every target covered. Jalen Hurts forced a desperation throw to Dallas Goedert that never had a chance.
A.J. Brown dropped three passes, including two perfect deep shots before halftime. He finished with three grabs for 25 yards and a heated sideline exchange with coaches. DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley also let catchable balls hit the turf, short-circuiting what could have been a 300-yard day for Hurts.
The identity crisis is real. The Eagles talk about imposing their will, but week after week they rely on the defense to mask an attack that looks predictable and, at critical moments, scared.
Fourth-Quarter Collapse on Both Sides
The defense entered on a second-half tear-31 sacks in the previous 10 games-yet managed only one QB hit from an edge rusher and zero sacks from the position group. Brock Purdy had time when it mattered, and the result was two fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 66 and 64 yards.
Quinyon Mitchell bookended his day: burned for a career-long 61-yard completion on the second snap, then rebounded with two interceptions. The rookie became only the fifth Eagle with multiple playoff picks, but the early strike set up San Francisco’s first touchdown.
Third-down defense faltered. The 49ers converted 6-of-11, extending drives that kept the crowd out of the game and the offense on the sideline. Demarcus Robinson and Jauan Jennings-role players thrust into larger roles-combined for 143 yards and a score.
Critical Mistakes, Hidden Yards
Jake Elliott’s missed extra point after the opening TD meant Philadelphia chased four points, not three, on the final drive. Elliott is 5-for-15 from 50-plus yards over the last two seasons and has missed four postseason PATs in that span.
Penalties and clock management hurt. A delay-of-game flag after the two-minute warning pushed the Eagles back before the ill-fated fourth down. Sirianni used his last timeout to devise the play that never materialized, leaving Hurts no safety valve once the lone called route was smothered.
What Comes Next
The Eagles have reached the postseason five straight years, but back-to-back December fades raise hard questions:
- Is the answer at offensive play-caller on the current staff?
- Will A.J. Brown request a fresh start after a career-worst playoff showing?
- How will vice president/general manager Howie Roseman reload a pass-rush that could lose Jaelan Phillips (free agency) and Brandon Graham (retirement)?
- Does Vic Fangio return for a second season, and with what reinforcements?
The roster remains among the NFC’s most talented. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Quinyon Mitchell, and Reed Blankenship all sit under contract for 2025. The core is young and playoff-tested, but the franchise must decide if the coaching infrastructure maximizes it.
NFC contenders also face questions. Detroit, Dallas, Green Bay, and the Rams enter the offseason with quarterback, cap, or coordinator concerns. The conference lacks a dominant front-runner, meaning a retooled Philadelphia could re-enter the Super-Bowl conversation-if decision-makers nail the coming weeks.
Key Takeaways
- The Eagles lost a game they were built to win, squandering a fourth-quarter lead at home to an injury-ravaged opponent.
- Offensive inconsistency is chronic: six straight sub-20-point outings versus winning teams, dating to mid-October.
- Fourth-quarter failures doomed the year: Philadelphia was outscored 137-91 in final periods, including 13-3 on Sunday.
- Major changes appear likely, starting with play-calling duties and potentially extending to high-profile roster spots.
One bad quarter ended 2024. The Eagles must now decide whether tweaks or a shake-up gives them a better shot at the 2025 postseason.
