Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick, right, causes a fumble by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the first half of the NFC championship game Sunday in Philadelphia. Purdy injured his throwing elbow, but was later forced back into the game when his backup, Josh Johnson, was also injured. Seth Wenig/Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts had one of Philadelphia’s four rushing touchdowns and the Eagles soared into the Super Bowl, forcing both of San Francisco’s quarterbacks out of the game with injuries and beating the wounded 49ers 31-7 in the NFC championship game on Sunday.
The Eagles, who won the Super Bowl five years ago with a different coach and quarterback, will try to do it again behind the formidable duo of Hurts and Coach Nick Sirianni. Philadelphia will play former Eagles coach Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs.
“We get to do it because we did it better than anyone in the NFC this year,” Sirianni said.
Hurts had a modest game by his standards after a season in which he is a finalist for MVP. He was 15 of 25 passing for 121 yards and ran for just 39. Hurts sat alone at his locker dressed all in purple and took a few puffs of a cigar as the Eagles celebrated around him. He understood there was one more game to win.
“I never knew how far we’d go,” Hurts said, “but I never said it couldn’t be done.”
Miles Sanders ran for two touchdowns and linebacker Haason Reddick made the hit that forced 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy out of the game because of an elbow injury. Reddick also recovered a fumble by Purdy’s replacement, Josh Johnson, who later suffered a concussion.
That forced Purdy back into the game, but his injury was clearly a factor as the 49ers all but gave up on throwing the ball, even while trailing by multiple scores.
San Francisco’s bad luck at quarterback was finally too much to overcome as its 12-game winning streak ended. The Niners lost both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to season-ending injuries, and Purdy – the final pick in April’s draft – lost as a starter for the first time.
Philadelphia police greased traffic and light poles in what has often proved a futile attempt to slow the revelry ahead. But a city that has been starved for a championship now has its beloved Eagles in the Super Bowl just three months after the Philadelphia Phillies reached the World Series.
“When you guys go into our indoor (practice facility), there’s always that picture in the back part of it of the 2017 NFC championship game, and it’s just the electricity of the stadium,” said Sirianni, who was hired two years ago to replace the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning coach, Doug Pederson. “We’re looking forward to getting another picture up there of this special moment that we had.”
The game disintegrated in the waning minutes and Philadelphia’s K’Von Wallace and San Francisco’s Trent Williams were ejected for their roles in a brawl. Williams yanked Wallace from behind and slammed him to the ground.
The moment only seemed to rile up Eagles fans even more as they soon waved their green towels and went wild as confetti fluttered around them.
“We’ve got one more game for the rest of our lives,” Sanders said.
The Eagles broke the game open in the final two minutes of the first half, getting a rise out of a crowd that had been quiet with nervous energy since a touchdown on the opening drive.
Sanders broke free for a 13-yard run that gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead, concluding a 14-play, 75-yard drive extended by three 49ers penalties.
Johnson bobbled a shotgun snap and fumbled on the next drive, and Reddick – the free-agent pickup from Carolina having one of the great defensive seasons in franchise history – recovered at the San Francisco 30. Boston Scott scooted 10 yards for a touchdown and 21-7 lead.
Even with Hurts almost a non-factor – he had 97 yards passing in the first half – the Eagles were firmly in control. Hurts finished 15 of 25 for 121 yards. His 1-yard rushing touchdown on Philadelphia’s signature rugby-style QB sneak made it 28-7.
“We’ve got a chance to go out there and win it all,” Hurts said. “So we want to go prepare to do that.”
Purdy left the game because of an elbow injury after he was drilled in the arm by Reddick on San Francisco’s first drive, leading to a fumble. The 23-year-old Purdy’s improbable rise from “Mr. Irrelevant” to playoff starter ended with a whimper as he failed to become the first rookie QB to lead a team to the Super Bowl.
He was improbably needed again in the third quarter after Johnson, a journeyman backup signed in December, was also hurt.
“My arm felt like it stretched out, a lot of shocks all over from my elbow down to my wrist, front and back, pain all over,” Purdy said. “I couldn’t throw more than 5, 10 yards.”
Purdy will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his injury, a theme quite familiar to the 49ers.
“It’s tough, it’s frustrating,” tight end George Kittle said. “Life kind of punches you in the face sometimes and it is what it is.”
The Eagles used quick thinking as they scored on their opening drive for the second straight playoff game. DeVonta Smith made a sensational one-handed grab for 29 yards, but replays showed he appeared to lose control of the ball as he hit the ground. Smith popped up and frantically waved the Eagles to the line. Niners Coach Kyle Shanahan did not challenge the call and the Eagles got off the next play. Sanders scored on a 6-yard run.
“Smart players do smart things,” Sirianni said of Smith. “He did a smart thing right there. I’m going to say he caught it, though.”
With little hope they could get anything going behind Johnson, the 49ers turned to Christian McCaffrey to get on the board. He broke three tackles on a 23-yard touchdown run that made it 7-7 in the second quarter.
With no quarterbacks who could throw, however, the 49ers managed just 164 yards and 11 first downs.
“I hurt for these guys,” Shanahan said. “We felt really good about this game. It was tough circumstances.”
IN THE HOUSE
First lady Jill Biden, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, actor Bradley Cooper, comedian Kevin Hart and several 76ers, including Joel Embiid, attended the game.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
