The San Francisco 49ers are winners of three-straight games following their Week 9 Bye, and currently, the team finds itself in the midst of a gauntlet that involves facing their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks twice on either side of a visit to the East Coast to face the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The 49ers Week 13 matchup with the Eagles is one that fans across the league have had circled on their calendars since the schedule dropped in May, and with the way the season has shaken out thus far, it's likely this game will have its fair share of playoff implications. With a Detroit Lions loss to the Green Bay Packers and a 49ers victory over the Seahawks on Thanksgiving, San Francisco owns the No. 2 seed in the NFC. A win on Sunday would help San Francisco inch closer to the top of the conference standings.
Health wise, San Francisco is on the mend with offensive lineman Spencer Burford returning to practice on Monday after sustaining a knee injury versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. However, the 49ers are running thin at safety after placing George Odum on the Injured Reserve list due to a biceps injury he suffered on Thanksgiving day.
Let's take a look at what national outlets had to say about the 49ers headed into Week 13:
Lead Draft Writer Eric Edholm
"The division crown isn't completely sewn up, but it's getting there. The 49ers have dominated the NFC West lately, winning 10 straight games against their most familiar foes. The next mantle is the NFC's No. 1 seed, with the Eagles on tap this week in Philadelphia. San Francisco has work to do to catch Philly, but winning Sunday would be a huge step in that direction. This team has completely realigned itself after the three-game losing streak, winning the past three comfortably by double digits. Nearly every hole we poked in the Niners during the skid has been answered since, headlined by Brock Purdy's reemergence and the rediscovery of the pass rush. Now they catch Philadelphia at a fascinating juncture, with the Eagles coming off an emotional seven-day span that included comeback wins over the Chiefs and Bills. Will the 49ers be the next late-game victim, or are they due to end Philly's magic run?"
NFL Writer Mike Florio
"They'll likely outplay the Eagles. Can they outscore them?"
NFL Writer Nick Wagoner
"Aside from struggling in an injury-prone, rain-plagued game against a great defense in Cleveland, the 49ers offense has been the most rounded and efficient group in the league. Running back Christian McCaffrey is leading the league in rushing yards (939) but quarterback Brock Purdy also leads the league in Total QBR (75.6) and completion percentage (70.2%). Defensively, the Niners struggled during their three-game losing streak but have righted the ship lately behind a pass rush that's racked up 15 sacks in the past three games after posting just 18 in the first eight. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky has been excellent and kicker Jake Moody has been solid aside from one significant miss against the Browns, but the kick coverage and return games have been lacking."
NFL Writer Pete Prisco
"They are so good when they have all their players. Brock Purdy is playing at such a high level right now, which is why they have that Super Bowl look again."
