While the San Francisco 49ers engaged in talking about the Philadelphia Eagles' victory in the NFC Championship Game last season, the Eagles have challenged them to back up their talk. Through all the banter, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni isn't engaging in what happened last year.
A firery coach himself, Sirianni wanted to remind everyone that the 2023 matchup is different. The NFC Championship Game is in the past.
"This is a different -- this is 2023, right? It's not 2022," Sirianni said Wednesday. "Very similar to what we responded with the Chiefs' stuff, like going into the Chiefs' game, right? There are different players on this team. There are different players on their team. Shoot, one of our better players from last year is on their team.
"So, this is about the 2023 Eagles versus the 2023 Niners. Both teams are doing well. It's going to be a heck of a battle."
The 49ers will have Brock Purdy starting in this one again. Purdy didn't finish last game, which ended up being a 31-7 rout by Philadelphia. Purdy leads the NFL in completion percentage (70.2%), yards per attempt (9.4), and passer rating (12.3). The 49ers are a different team in games Purdy starts and finishes, going 14-3 in those games.
"I think he's a winner," Sirianni said. "He's a winner and just continues to win. I think you saw that all last year, and also what he's doing this year.
"I think he's got good athleticism, I think he knows where to go with the football in a timely fashion, and I think he is accurate going there. Those are the things you want in a quarterback, and so hats off to him and Kyle (Shanahan) and their staff of putting him in good positions and continuing to develop this guy."
The Eagles are 10-1, possessing the best record in the NFL. The 49ers are the No. 2 seed at 8-3, hindered by a three-game hiccup in October. The 49ers are 3-0 since the bye week, averaging 30.7 points per game and allowing just 10.0 points per game with a plus-seven turnover differential.
San Francisco is scorching hot right now, similar to how the 49ers were the last time the Eagles faced them.
"I just know this game is going to be about two good teams coming in here and having a good game," Sirianni said. "I got a lot of respect for the guys over there and Coach Shanahan and his coaches.
"There are a lot of good players on the San Francisco 49ers, some of best players in the world over there."
