postseason – Page 2 – Syndication Server

NFL playoffs: Previewing the 49ers at Eagles NFC Championship Game

Previewing and predicting the 2023 NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

We are down to the NFL’s Final Four, and what a weekend of football it should be. Here we have arguably the four best teams left in the league, and all have earned their way to the precipice of a Super Bowl. First on the docket will be the NFC Championship, with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the San Francisco 49ers.

On the heels of a 9-8 season resulting in a blowout loss in the wild-card round last year, the Eagles came storming out of the gates in 2022. Philadelphia’s 14 wins in the regular season is the most the Eagles have won in their 89-year history. Since 2000, no one has made the NFC Championship more than the Eagles, who will be playing in their seventh this century.

Meanwhile, their opponents, the 49ers, are no strangers to this game either. Sunday will mark their sixth appearance since the 2011 season and second consecutive trip. San Francisco narrowly lost 20-17 to the Rams last year but is a far more complete team this time around. The addition of running back Christian McCaffrey has made the 49ers offense more dynamic and quarterback Brock Purdy is an upgrade over Jimmy Garoppolo.

The 49ers are a wagon, and it is hard to imagine the Eagles keeping pace against San Francisco’s elite defense. I have said the 49ers will eventually represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, and that opinion isn’t changing now.

Prediction: 49ers over Eagles 24-21

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2023 NFL playoffs: How to watch NFC Championship game 49ers at Eagles

Here’s everything you need to know to watch the Philadelphia Eagles host the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 NFC Championship Game.

Championship Sunday is almost here! Below is everything you need to know to catch the NFC Championship Game.

WHO: The No.1 seed and NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles vs. the No. 2 seed and NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers.

WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 29 at 12:00 p.m. PT

WHERE: Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TV: FOX, channel 13 in the Seattle area

CREW: Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play), Greg Olsen (analyst), Erin Andrews (reporter), Tom Rinaldi (reporter), Mike Pereira (rules analyst)

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Ravens GM Eric DeCosta denies speculation that contract status of QB Lamar Jackson played into postseason absence

Ravens general manager Eric Decosta denied that Lamar Jackson sat out of Baltimore’s postseason loss because of his contract situation

The Baltimore Ravens lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round, ending their 2022 season after a 10-7 regular season campaign. After the loss Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta denied speculation that quarterback Lamar Jackson sat out in the team’s postseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals because of his contract situation, though speculation remains surrounding the true nature of the quarterback’s decision to sit.

For his part, DeCosta reiterated his belief that Jackson was injured, and made the most prudent decision possible when he decided not to play. In comments during the Ravens’ end-of-season press conference, DeCosta didn’t hold back in his analysis of the situation.

“I think Lamar was hurt,” he explained. “We see him every single day – he’s hurt. And his unique style as a player, as a quarterback, but as a mobile quarterback, as, really, a freaky-type of athlete out there on the field, having a knee injury – a serious knee injury – makes it difficult. And so, it’s just unfortunate that he got hurt [and] the timing of it. I know he was trying to come back. We’d see him daily. I’ve spent a lot of time over the last two years down in the training room. Lamar, along with a lot of other guys, were trying to get back and play, and it was just bad timing, and I think bad luck for us and bad luck for Lamar.”

While fans may never find out the true nature of Baltimore’s circumstances in the playoffs this year, DeCosta’s words are certainly an indication that the team has faith in their franchise quarterback as they look to solidify a long-term deal in the coming months.

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WATCH: Seahawks vs. 49ers preview for Super Wild Card Weekend

Here’s everything you need to know when the Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Wild Card Weekend on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. PT in San Francisco.

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Geno Smith on Seahawks season: ‘Not a fairytale, very much a reality’

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith on Seattle’s magical season so far: “I would say it’s not a fairytale, it’s very much a reality.”

Quarterback Geno Smith has enjoyed a magical season in his first year as a Seattle Seahawks starter. But has he told reporters this week – it’s the real deal.

Seattle clinched the final spot in the wild-card round this weekend and heads down to San Francisco to face off against the 49ers this Saturday.

“I would say it’s not a fairy-tale,” Smith said. “I’d say it’s very much reality, and where we are as a team is that we’ve been working hard. We put a lot of good stuff on tape as a team. I think we’ve came a long way since the beginning of the season, since training camp and OTAs, and it’s all just a result of the hard work and all the repetition that everyone has put in. For us that’s what it’s about, sticking to the process, staying focused on the process and making sure that’s the main focus and everything else will take care of itself.”

You can watch the clip below.

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Keenan Allen has chance to set Chargers’ postseason receiving touchdown record vs. Jaguars

Keenan Allen could write his name into the Chargers’ record book.

With two touchdowns against the Jaguars in the Wild Card Round on Saturday night, wide receiver Keenan Allen could set the Chargers’ all-time postseason receiving touchdown record, currently at five.

Additionally, a performance with two touchdown catches would tie for the most by a Charger in a single postseason game. Allen last set it in the 2013 AFC Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos.

Injuries limited him to 10 games, but Allen still had 66 catches for 752 yards and four touchdowns. And last weekend, in the season finale game against the Broncos, Allen had eight catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacksonville heads into this contest 30th in passing defense DVOA, which could result in Allen having a big game and potentially writing his name into the team’s record book.

Allen, who has been with the Chargers since he entered the league as a third-round pick in 2013, has been one of the most steady presences on the team’s offense for the better part of a decade and is sure to be motivated to break this record with an outstanding showing in the postseason.

Seahawks vs. 49ers wild-card game will be ‘chess match’ for coaches

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll views the wild-card matchup between Seattle and the San Francisco 49ers as a “chess match” for the coaches.

The Seattle Seahawks are set to square off against the 49ers in San Francisco this Saturday to kick off Wild Card Weekend. Coach Pete Carroll is busy preparing his team to battle the familiar foe for the third time this year.

Having dropped both regular-season matchups, Carroll and his squad are now fortunate enough to have another shot to finally come out ahead.

“Well, it’s exciting to be going here and still playing football,” Carroll said Tuesday. “Our guys are really tuned into it as they should be and we all deserve to be. It’s a terrific matchup. You play a team that’s this good in your division and with this much familiarity, this is really a chess match in a lot of ways for the coaches. It’s just ball for the players.”

The division rivalry between the two teams is real and the Seahawks know exactly how difficult facing off against the 49ers can be – especially on the road.

“But a lot of respect for who we are playing and how they have done in their season and the guys they have on their team, and what they have accomplished,” Carroll continued. “Being division champs is a big deal around here. So we understand that.”

Hoping the third time is the charm, the Seahawks vs. 49ers showdown is set for 1:30 p.m. PT on Saturday.

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If Seahawks beat Rams, will become ‘biggest Detroit fans in the world’

If the Seahawks beat the Rams in Week 18, they’ll be rooting for the Lions to topple the Packers in order to advance to the playoffs.

The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up for their final regular-season game of the year this Sunday, a must-win over the Los Angeles Rams to have any chance of advancing to the playoffs.

Quarterback Geno Smith talked about the state of the team with a playoff berth on the line.

“The entire locker room is focused,” Smith told reporters Thursday. “Everyone is ready to prepare and get ready for the week. Over the course of the season, we have done some good things to put ourselves in this position. Obviously, I wish we could’ve done a lot better, but it is what you want at the end of the year to be playing meaningful games.

“We’ve got one coming up this Sunday.”

But even with a win over the Rams, the Seahawks need a little help from the Lions, who must either win or tie with the Packers for Seattle to advance.

“Obviously, we have to take care of our business first and after that, it comes down to that Detroit–Packers game,” Smith said of the Sunday Night Football matchup. “We can’t control that. All we’ve got is what we can do and that’s going out there and winning this game on Sunday and becoming the biggest Detroit fans in the world after that.”

First, Seattle needs to take care of business at Lumen Field. The Seahawks and Rams are set to kick off at 1:25 p.m. PT.

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All 49ers playoff scenarios for seeding and possible 1st-round opponent

We laid out all the scenarios for the 49ers with seeding and potential 1st-round matchups:

The 49ers can’t fall further than the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff picture, but some late-season chaos has launched their potential postseason path into flux.

They could wind up as low as the third seed, but they could also finish as high as No. 1 in the NFC. There are also four different opponents they’ll face on wild card weekend assuming they don’t have a first-round bye, of course.

Here’s a quick list of all the different scenarios for the 49ers and which Week 18 outcomes impact them:

Lions get help to start Week 15 in their postseason quest

The 49ers beat the Seahawks on Thursday night, which helps the Detroit Lions inch closer to a potential playoff berth

The Detroit Lions players will wake up on Friday morning knowing they have a chance to move closer to the final NFC playoff spot. Or perhaps they went to bed on Thursday night aware of their potential after watching the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Seattle Seahawks.

San Francisco’s 21-13 win drops the Seahawks to a 7-7 record. The 6-7 Lions can move into a tie with Seattle if Detroit can manage to beat the New York Jets on Sunday.

Alas, the tie still doesn’t get the Lions into the postseason driver’s seat. The Seahawks own the tiebreaker over Dan Campbell’s team by virtue of the 48-45 win in Detroit back in Week 4. Both teams are now chasing the loser of Sunday’s game between the Commanders and Giants, who are tied at 7-5-1.

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