When will the San Francisco 49ers (0-7) win a game? Not this week, but they’ll give it a solid go when they travel to Lincoln Financial Field to take on the team with the best record in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles (6-1).
FOX will present this game right in your face on your local station at 1 p.m. EST.
The Game: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (-11.5)
O/U: 44.5
The History
The Eagle sand 49ers have faced off 32 times with San Francisco holding a 19-12-1 advantage in the all time series.
They last met on September 28, 2014 with the 49ers winning 26-21. Colin Kaepernick completed 17 of 30 for 218 yards, two touchdowns and a pick while rushing seven times for 58 yards in the win.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-7)
After five consecutive weeks of taking games down to the wire and then losing, the 49ers decided to shake things up, getting blown out by the Dallas Cowboys 40-10 at home. Still, there are a handful of positives to take from that game. Rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard went 22 of 38 for 235 yards, no touchdowns but no interceptions. He ran five times for 30 yards and a touchdown. Carlos Hyde did a decent job running the ball, rushing 14 times for 68 yards.
Beathard spread the ball around to eight different receivers, with Marquise Goodwin being his most productive target. Goodwin caught four passes for 80 yards. Pierre Garcon had five catches for 49 yards. Rookie Trent Taylor continues to get more involved in the offense, catching five passes of his own for 39 yards.
It’s unlikely that Brian Hoyer will see the field unless Beathard gets injured. But Beathard isn’t just playing to stay in the games for 2017. He’s playing to convince the 49ers that they don’t have to draft anyone high or sign Kirk Cousins (if the Redskins don’t franchise him again and I don’t think they will). He’s shown so far that San Francisco didn’t waste a draft pick on him, but he’s not displayed anything other than back up status. He’ll have nine more games to do something impressive.
The 49ers will be without defensive lineman Aaron Lynch and cornerback K’Waun Williams. Reuben Foster, Brandon Fusco and Goowin are all questionable but practiced this week. Tackle Trent Brown is questionable too, but he’s been held out on the concussion protocol. I doubt he’ll suit up.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (6-1)
Sunday will be Carson Wentz first game without left tackle Jason Peters guarding his blind side. Peters is out for the season after he tore his ACL and MCL last week. In his stead we’ll see Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who I’m just glad isn’t a skill player so I don’t have to type that name 50 times. Vaitai said this week he wants to make Peters “proud.” Wentz and the Eagles just hope he can hold his jock.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks will be out too and Ronald Darby, who looked like his season was over a month ago, practiced all week and is officially listed as questionable.
Philadelphia is riding a five game winning streak, with their last two victories being their most impressive. They took down the Carolina Panthers 28-23 and beat the Washington Redskins on Monday night 34-24. Incidentally, I picked them to lose them both games. Yes, I am a professional.
Against a solid Redskins defense, Wentz was 17 of 25 for 268 yards, four touchdowns and one pick. He led the team in rushing too with eight carries for 63 yards. Tight end Zach Ertz continues to be Wentz’s favorite target. He caught five passes last week for 89 yards and a score. In all, Wentz found eight different receivers and has yet to really click with free agent acquisition Alshon Jeffery. Whenever that starts working, look out.
The Pick
Are the 49ers better than their record? Maybe. That won’t matter Sunday. The only thing that could help San Francisco in this game is a Zika outbreak in the Philly locker room. The recent cold flap should keep that from happening. Eagles 38, 49ers 16
This week
Straight up: 0-1
Against the spread: 0-1
Last week
Straight up: 12-3
Against the spread: 7-8
Season
Straight up: 60-46
Against the spread: 50-56
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