Ground and Pound: Barkley Carries Eagles Past 49ers in Brutal 28-24 Win

Key Takeaways

• Final Score: Philadelphia Eagles 28, San Francisco 49ers 24.
• The MVP: Saquon Barkley erupted for 162 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.
• The Turning Point: A 4th-and-1 goal-line stand by the Eagles’ defense with 1:12 remaining.
• Injury Report: Deebo Samuel left in the 3rd quarter (hamstring) and did not return.

SANTA CLARA — Physicality isn’t just a buzzword for the Philadelphia Eagles; it’s a weapon. And on Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium, they bludgeoned the San Francisco 49ers with it.

In a rematch of bitter rivals, the Eagles ignored the noise and the oddsmakers, leaning heavily on their offensive line to grind out a 28-24 victory. The win propels Philadelphia into the Divisional Round and sends a shell-shocked 49ers team into an offseason full of questions.

Barkley Erupts in the Bay

San Francisco knew it was coming. They still couldn’t stop it.

Saquon Barkley put together a masterclass in vision and violence. He didn’t just find holes; he created them. On the Eagles’ go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter, Barkley touched the ball on six consecutive plays, culminating in a 12-yard touchdown run where he dragged All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner into the end zone.

“We wanted to test their will,” Barkley said on the field immediately after the game. “We said in the locker room, ‘Don’t run out of bounds. Make them tackle us every single play.'”

The Stand

Despite Barkley’s dominance, the 49ers had a chance to steal it. Brock Purdy, shaking off a slow start, marched San Francisco to the Eagles’ 4-yard line with under two minutes to play.

First down: Christian McCaffrey stuffed.
Second down: Incomplete pass.
Third down: Purdy scrambled, stopped at the 1.
Fourth down: The play of the season.

Purdy looked for George Kittle on a quick out, but rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell jumped the route, batting the ball down and silencing the faithful at Levi’s Stadium. Turnover on downs. Ball game.

By The Numbers: Trenches Won

• Rushing Yards: Eagles (210), 49ers (84)
• Time of Possession: Eagles 36:15, 49ers 23:45
• Jalen Hurts: 14/22, 145 Yards, 1 Passing TD, 1 Rushing TD (“Tush Push”)
• Nick Bosa: 2 Sacks (Lone bright spot for SF defense)

What They Said

“They beat us up front. Simple as that. You can’t win playoff games when you get pushed around for 60 minutes.” — Kyle Shanahan, 49ers Head Coach

Up Next: Divisional Round Drama

The bracket is set. With the Eagles (No. 5 seed) advancing, they will travel to Detroit to face the Lions in a blockbuster rematch of last year’s playoffs. Meanwhile, the lowest-seeded Chicago Bears will head to Seattle to face the No. 1 Seahawks.

The road to the Super Bowl just got a lot rockier, and the Eagles look ready for the climb.