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The 49ers just put the NFL on notice with a 42-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are the 49ers' grades for this performance.
BROCK PURDY: A
He struggled in the first quarter, fell behind by six points and then eviscerated the Eagles defense. Finished the game with 314 passing yards, 4 touchdown passes and a quarterback rating of 148.8. Most of those yards came after the catch, and only one of those touchdown passes was thrown into the end zone, so Purdy benefitted from his supporting cast. But he operated the quick passing game to perfection, avoided pressure, took only two sacks and didn't turn the ball over. He gives Kyle Shanahan the ability to call a pass-first game plan and win, something he couldn't do with Jimmy Garoppolo.
RUNNING BACKS: A
Christian McCaffrey had a rushing touchdown, a 33-yard catch up the sideline and 133 yards from scrimmage. And he wasn't even the 49ers' offensive MVP. What a phenomenal running back.
WIDE RECEIVERS: A
Deebo Samuel was the 49ers' offensive MVP. He had 3 touchdowns -- a 12-yard touchdown run, a 46-yard touchdown catch, a 48-yard touchdown catch and 138 yards from scrimmage. The Eagles didn't want to tackle him. Brandon Aiyuk had a touchdown catch as well.
TIGHT ENDS: A
George Kittle had 68 receiving yards and any number of excellent blocks.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: B
They blocked well in the run game. In the pass game, they clearly were outmatched, but Purdy got rid of the ball so quickly, pass protection hardly mattered.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: A
They sacked Jalen Hurts only three times, and those were coverage sacks, but they shut down the Eagles running game and forced him to pass from the pocket, which was checkmate. When Hurts rolled out of the pocket, he usually threw the ball away. The 49ers made him look like an indecisive amateur.
LINEBACKERS: B-MINUS
Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw were excellent against the run. Greenlaw in particular played hard -- a little too hard, considering he got ejected for poking the Eagles' director of security after committing a late hit. Not a smart play. Greenlaw seems to have zero self control in the heat of the moment. He could hurt the 49ers in the playoffs.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: A
They gave up a passer rating of just 85.2 to Hurts. Charvarius Ward broke up two passes in the end zone, and collectively this unit generated at least two coverage sacks. Impressive considering the Eagles have two elite wide receivers.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B
They didn't have to do much. They punted twice and kicked no field goals. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles committed a facemask penalty which led to a touchdown drive for the Eagles, but that was the only knock for this group.
COACHES: A-PLUS
This was the best game of Kyle Shanahan's life, because he finally matured and grew up. In the past, he was the young coach who would double down when he made a mistake, and make it again. He refused to change. So when the 49ers lost to the Eagles in the NFC Championship because he called a slow-developing play-action pass from under center and got Brock Purdy injured, I expected Shanahan would double down and call that play again today. He didn't. Instead, he acknowledged his previous mistakes and completely changed his offense. And he did this mid game. Whatever his game plan was, it didn't work, considering the 49ers scored zero points in the first quarter. But he saw what the Eagles defense was doing and adjusted to beat them. Instead of calling his typical physical downhill rushing attack, Shanahan beat the Eagles with a finesse, lateral passing attack that got the ball on the edges almost immediately and negated the Eagles front 7. It looked like the West Coast Offense. You would have thought Bill Walsh was calling the plays. It certainly wasn't the old Kyle Shanahan. It was Kyle 2.0. And if he keeps it up, the 49ers will win the Super Bowl this season. That's how much he has improved since last season.
QUALITY CONTROL: A-PLUS-PLUS
Brought the best out of Kyle Shanahan by criticizing him relentlessly for seven years. Give Shanahan credit for finally swallowing his pride and taking suggestions, but this win was all about quality control. What a big advantage the 49ers have over the rest of the NFL.
More must-reads:
- Winners, losers of Wednesday's free agency: Rams cut ties with Super Bowl LVI MVP
- Steelers reportedly made offer to QB other than Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers
- The 'NFL MVPs quiz
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Report: Steelers' Roadblock In Aaron Rodgers Pursuit Finally Exposed
The Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback for the 2025 season. They lost Justin Fields as he left to join the New York Jets, and Russell Wilson is meeting with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday. Aaron Rodgers is starting to feel like a legitimate possibility to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2025. Rodgers has kept everyone waiting as he decides where he wants to play, and Steelers fans have assumed the holdup had something to do with the price or the contract—but that doesn’t appear to be the case. The Steelers, meanwhile, aren’t rushing the process. They understand the magnitude of adding a quarterback like Rodgers and remain patient as he weighs his decision. Rather than viewing his approach as a red flag, Pittsburgh may see it as proof that Rodgers is carefully thinking through his next move, not dismissing them outright. Obviously, for Steelers fans, Rodgers taking his sweet time with this decision, as Dulac described it, can be a bit frustrating. But let's be fair to Rodgers—he doesn’t owe anything to the fans at this point. This is a massive choice for him, one that will shape the next chapter of his career. At 41 years old, Rodgers has shown he might still have a bit left in the tank, which makes him an intriguing option for a team like the Steelers, with a seasoned defense and star wide receivers like DK Metcalf and George Pickens. The Steelers made an impressive turnaround, transforming one of the weakest wide receiver rooms into one of the league’s best in a very short time. This shift came after their bold move to acquire Metcalf in a trade that drastically improved the depth and talent at the position. With a dynamic duo of Pickens and Metcalf, any quarterback would be enticed by the potential. If the Steelers were to land Rodgers, they’d undoubtedly be viewed as Super Bowl contenders heading into the season. The combination of a veteran defense, star wide receivers, and Rodgers at the helm would make Pittsburgh a serious threat in the AFC. At least in the preseason. It’s an exciting scenario for both the Steelers and Rodgers, a perfect match on paper. Yet, the key hurdle remains that Rodgers doesn’t want to rush into anything. As a polarizing figure who rarely reveals his hand, he’s taking the time he needs to carefully weigh his options. For the Steelers, it’s a waiting game, with fans holding their breath to see whether Rodgers will finally choose Pittsburgh. The uncertainty has only heightened the anticipation, but ultimately, Rodgers deserves to make a decision that aligns with his future goals. Steelers Fans Are Left Scratching Their Heads If Rodgers does end up in Pittsburgh, it’ll be fascinating to see the kind of dollar figure he commands. Many Steelers fans are left scratching their heads, wondering how a franchise with such a storied history and well-run organization has found itself in this quarterback predicament. It’s a tough spot to be in—pigeonholed into choosing between two quarterbacks who might be past their prime. Wilson ended the 2024 season as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, and while he didn’t look terrible, he ultimately didn’t do enough to be the difference-maker the team desperately needs. The Steelers are in search of that game-changing player at the position, which is likely why they’re targeting Rodgers. It seems they believe the 41-year-old quarterback still has at least one more season of elite play left in him, a final shot to provide that difference and get the Steelers back to championship contention.
Steelers fans receive vindication for their honest feelings toward potential Aaron Rodgers signing
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Renaud Lavoie has the latest scoop on the Patrik Laine situation
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