Purdy gets second shot at Philly

Chronicle staff expect quarterback to impress against Eagles’ lackluster secondary

What do you expect from Brock Purdy in a full game against the Eagles?

Ann Killion: As Purdy said this past week, he’s a much different quarterback in terms of his mental preparation and his comfort level than he was in January. “At that time, I don’t know if I was that guy,” he said. He’s that guy now, and if he plays a full game I expect him to be the same player we’ve come to know: consistent, smart and prepared. He might make some mistakes — as we saw with his first pick-six against Seattle — but he is good at turning the page. Purdy said he doesn’t expect to feel sentimental but I imagine he’ll have a lot of feelings when he takes the field at the Linc. The last time he left that building he had no idea what his future held.

Eric Branch: Barring a downpour, I expect the NFL’s leader in passer rating, completion percentage and yards per attempt to have a big game against a defense that has allowed the league’s second-most passing touchdowns, fourth-most passing yards and sixth-highest passer rating. The Eagles could be without All-Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (groin), their linebacker corps has been ravaged by injuries and they are coming off an overtime win against the Bills in which their defense played 92 snaps, matching the most in the NFL this season.

Michael Silver: I believe Sunday will be a very bad day for the “Brock Purdy is a System Quarterback” Society. Kyle Shanahan believed he had an ideal game plan (on both sides of the ball) to defeat the Eagles last January, and Purdy’s experience gives him even more options this time around. The key — and I know no one needs me to say this — will be protecting Purdy, and his getting rid of the ball quickly. I

have a good feeling about it.

Which player-on-player matchup are you convinced could make all the difference? Why?

Branch: There’s a potentially massive mismatch that Shanahan will undoubtedly attempt to exploit: 49ers tight end George Kittle against Eagles linebacker Christian Elliss. Who? Elliss, an undrafted free agent from Idaho, will be making the first start of a three-season career that included 104 defensive snaps and stops with three teams (he was released by the 49ers after a one-week stay in November 2021). You’ve probably heard of Kittle. He needs nine catches and 79 receiving yards to become the fourth tight end in NFL history with 450 receptions and 6,000 yards in his first seven seasons.

Killion: Like Eric, I believe that Kittle could have a huge advantage thanks to the Eagles’ depleted linebacker corps. I think Deebo Samuel

would very much like to have a huge day against James Bradberry, who he called “trash” after last year’s NFC title game. Like with most trash talk, that puts more pressure on the perpetrator than the victim.

Silver: Christian McCaffrey — with the threat of play-action — against all 11 Eagles defenders. Remember McCaffrey’s epic touchdown run through, around and past basically everyone in the NFC Championship Game. It briefly gave the Niners hope, even after Purdy’s injury, and it was one of the greatest runs in franchise history, all things considered. The Eagles bottled up McCaffrey once the Niners literally couldn’t throw the ball beyond a couple of yards; good luck stopping him as a runner and receiver when the Niners’ offense is whole. I expect some ‘CMC MVP’ vibes in this one.

The 49ers’ defense took the NFC’s highest-scoring team, the Cowboys, down a peg. Can they repeat the feat against the Eagles?

Killion: The 49ers’ defense is clicking again, but I don’t think it will romp the way it did against the Cowboys. The Eagles are a much more dangerous offensive team than the Cowboys: Jalen Hurts is an unbelievable two-way threat and most observers think the Eagles offensive line is the best in the NFL (and the key to the unstoppable Tush Push). I think the defense will have its hands full and don’t expect a repeat of the complete shutdown of Dallas.

Branch: The 49ers’ defense has returned to its Week 5 peak (49ers 42, Cowboys 10) and now has pass rusher Chase Young. But the Eagles have a mobile QB (Hurts), two No. 1-caliber WRs (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith), one of the NFL’s best offensive lines and the nearly unstoppable Tush Push, and pose a more formidable challenge than did Dallas. The key? Can the 49ers’ enlivened pass rush harass Hurts and protect a secondary that includes still-unproven corner Ambry Thomas

and rookie strong safety Ji’Ayir Brown, who will be making his second career start.

Silver: The defense isn’t going to shut down Philly completely — Hurts is too good for that, even better than we realized in last year’s NFC title game. He has dangerous downfield weapons and a balanced attack; the Eagles will get theirs. However, even without Talanoa Hufanga, there are a lot of playmakers on this defense. Dre Greenlaw is due; Javon Hargrave is playing against his former team; Deommodore Lenoir fights for every ball; Nick Bosa is Nick Bosa; Fred Warner shows up in these moments. A couple of turnovers or game-turning stops may be all the Niners need.

Predictions, do the 49ers win their rematch or will they have to hope they get off the schneid in the playoffs in what would be a third game within 12 months in Philadelphia?

Killion: We deserve the game we were hoping to get last January, which could have been a great matchup until it just became a bad joke. I don’t see a lopsided victory by either team. I expect it to be close: a one-score game that could (gulp, 49ers fans) come down to a field goal. I get all the reasons why I should pick the 49ers: coming off extra rest, very healthy, while the Eagles are banged up, are in the midst of a brutal schedule, and have been squeaking by teams. I would pick the 49ers if they were playing at home. They aren’t. They’re at one of the toughest places to play, going against a team that knows how to grind out messy wins. That’s something the 49ers haven’t proved they can do. Eagles

31, 49ers 28.

Branch:

Prediction within a prediction: If the weather isn’t too messy, the 49ers will score 30plus points, which “should” be enough to win. They are the healthier and better rested team and, even without those advantages, they might just be flat-out better. The Eagles’ seven one-score wins are evidence of their grit and, perhaps, are a sign that they are a lesser version of their 2022 edition.

49ers 34, Eagles 24.

Silver:

A few days ago I was thinking this would be a close, back-and-forth game settled by a major mistake or epic moment in the final minutes. Then I started talking to Niners players and felt their confidence — it reminded me of the lead-up to the game against the Cowboys — and I reassessed. They’ve been waiting for this. They’re not falling into the “we only lost because our quarterbacks went down” trap. They just understand how good they are and are very eager to show it — again — on a national stage.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The 49ers’ defense and its bevy of playmakers will face a tough challenge from the Philadelphia Eagles’ dynamic offense. Two-way threat Jalen Hurts and the famed “Tush Push” have been dominant this season.