Today, the San Francisco 49ers will try to win their first regular season game at Levi's Stadium. They will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Santa Clara, California.
Last week, the 49ers (1-2) lost 23-14 on the road to the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles (3-0) beat the Washington Redskins 37-34 at home.
The 49ers are looking to rebound after losing their second straight game. Penalties and a lack of second half production have really hurt San Francisco during this early part of the season. With the NFC West being very competitive, a win against the Eagles would be a huge boost for the team.
On a good note for the 49ers, it looks like quarterback Colin Kaepernick and wide receiver Stevie Johnson may finally be clicking. Johnson had nine catches for 103 yards against the Cardinals during week 3. That is great news for a team that already has Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree at wide receiver.
As mentioned, penalties have really hurt the 49ers. During week one, the team was penalized eleven times for 78 yards. During week two, it was sixteen times for 118 yards. Week three had nine for 107 yards. Boldin has publicly criticized the officiating during their losses.
The 49ers' defense will try to slow down the Eagles' fast paced offense. However, the unit is still without linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith for much of the season. Bowman is recovering from an injury suffered in last season's NFC Championship game. Smith is serving a league issued suspension. The defense is also without defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who is also recovering from an injury. Cornerback Tramaine Brock, who is recovering from a toe injury, is not expected to play against the Eagles.
On offense, tight ends Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald are both listed as questionable. However, McDonald has said that he will play while Davis' status is more uncertain.
The Eagles are 6-1 during their last seven road games. Quarterback Nick Foles has a QB rating of 127.8 during those games. Running back LeSean McCoy struggled last week against the Redskins, gaining only 22 yards on 19 carries.
The Eagles have been dealing with issues along their offensive line. Tackle Lane Johnson will miss the game against the 49ers due to a suspension. Allen Barber, who was supposed to fill in for Johnson, broke his ankle during the team's opener. Center Jason Kelce will miss eight weeks because of a hernia. Guard Evan Mathis will miss a good deal of time with a knee injury.
This is good news for the 49ers, who have been unable to generate a consistent pass rush on defense. They may be able to get something started against the Eagles.
Last season's 49ers also started out 1-2. That team would end up winning 11 of their final 13 games and appearing in the NFC Championship game for the third season in a row. A big difference is how they have been playing during the second half of each of their games this season. The 49ers have outscored opponents 59-16 during the first halves. During the second halves, they have been outscored by opponents 52-3 and are the league's only team to not score in the fourth quarter.
As usual, you can visit 49erswebzone.com for the latest news and updates during and after the game.
Offensive Rankings:
The 49ers rank 20th with 332 yards per game. The Eagles rank 6th with 419 yards per game.
Defensive Rankings:
The 49ers rank 6th, allowing 312 yards per game. The Eagles rank 26th, allowing 386 yards per game.
Last Meeting:
The 49ers beat the Eagles 24-23 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Kickoff:
The game kicks off at 1:25 PM PT.
Betting:
The 49ers are 5 point favorites.
Fan Picks:
At Yahoo! Sports, 52% of fans believe that the 49ers will win this game. Within our
Pick 'em contest, 83% of fans believe that the 49ers will win this game.
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Television:
The game will be televised on FOX.
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Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz reports that the San Francisco 49ers were among several NFL teams in attendance for former Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton's pro day workout. The defender also goes by the name "Johnny."
Illinois DT Johnny Newton, a projected 1st-round pick, just wrapped up an impressive Pro Day — showcasing elite explosion and power after a Jones fracture that he's fully healed from.I'm told the following teams were in attendance, among others:BillsCowboys49ersJets… pic.twitter.com/ggMIiIBkub—
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
