What Makes the NFC Championship Loss to the Eagles Sting the 49ers the Most

It is always gut wrenching to lose in the NFC championship, but this loss has an extra sting to it for the 49ers.

So close, yet so far.

That is kind of how it felt for the 49ers to once again knock on the door of a Super Bowl appearance.

This was easily their best chance to win a Super Bowl this year versus previous seasons given how loaded they were on offense with a quarterback who can actually make plays. Not to mention yet another season having an elite defense. It was right there for the 49ers. Unfortunately, the NFC championship game versus the Eagles wasn't much of a contest due to an elbow injury to Brock Purdy.

Losing 31-7 is indicative of a lopsided game, but the score doesn't tell the whole story. The 49ers were competitive for most of the matchup and the Eagles didn't start to pull away until the third-quarter. It was insane to see how close the game was even when Purdy went out, which is a testament to the incredible level of the 49ers. Losing the game to miss yet another chance at making the Super Bowl is devastating.

But what makes the NFC championship loss to the Eagles sting the 49ers the most is that they couldn't battle at their best.

As soon as Purdy sustained his injury on the opening offensive series of the game, the game was over. There was no way the 49ers were going to emerge victorious with Josh Johnson or a one-armed Purdy. It's one thing to lose when a team can hang their hat on giving it their all. That is a loss that a team can stomach because it leaves no doubt. It is another thing to have the game over before it even started. Everything becomes a hypothetical with "what if's" constantly occurring.

This was supposed to be a juggernaut NFC championship battle. It was hyped up all week as the 49ers and Eagles were the clear-cut best teams in the NFC. That all ended when an injury to Purdy ruined the whole trajectory of the game along with the 49ers' chances of winning the game. It made the 49ers completely predictable in what they wanted to do offensively, which meant less time of possession. How the 49ers defense were able to maintain a strong position for a portion of the game given lack of rest was an achievement in it of itself. 

It could've been a closer matchup score wise, the 49ers could've won, or maybe they still get blown out. Judging by how tight the game was for over two-quarters, I would guess that having a healthy Purdy makes this a down to the wire game. Losing a conference game will always be gut wrenching with the Super Bowl right there in front. It'll never be an easy defeat to stomach, but the fact that the 49ers never had a shot at the very beginning with Purdy's injury just adds a massive layer of disappointment. And that is what makes this sting the most. 

The forever "what if" NFC championship loss is how this will be remembered for the 49ers.