Where the 49ers can Surprisingly Exploit the Eagles

The Eagles will be a tough team for the 49ers to beat, but there is a weakness they can attack.

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) runs past Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (90) the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The season is on the line for the San Francisco 49ers when they face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card playoff matchup.

Defeating them will not be easy. The Eagles boast one of the better defenses in the NFL. However, there is one area of their defense that the 49ers can surprisingly exploit to lead them to victory.

49ers need to successfully attack this weakness

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

It's by running it against them. You would think that since the Eagles have such a physical defensive front that they would be sturdy against the run, but they're not. It's actually a weakness.

Philadelphia allows 124.4 rushing yards per game, the 11th most in the NFL. They also have the fourth-worst team run stuff rate at 133 percent and have allowed the 11th-most runs of 10 yards or more (55).

It seems the Eagles' defensive front is only astute at rushing the passer. To keep the Eagles from using their greatest strength, the 49ers need to exploit Philadelphia's defensive weakness.

They have to run the ball and run it often. Thankfully, you never need to tell Kyle Shanahan twice to run the football. It's coded in his DNA. It doesn't matter who his running back is.

But in this case, it's good to have Christian McCaffrey and most likely Trent Williams back in the lineup. This makes the game plan obvious for the 49ers.

Run it down the Eagles' throats. Even if they're getting stuffed a few times early, do it again. Running the ball slows the game down and balances the offense.

Not to mention that it will give the 49ers' defense longer breaks, especially if the 49ers are successful with running it. Failure to do so is not an option for them.

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) runs the ball against Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (90) and linebacker Jalyx Hunt (58) during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The 49ers shouldn't get into a heavy passing attack game against the Eagles. That is exactly what they want. The Eagles are elite at defending against in-breaking routes, which is a staple of the 49ers.

They're also proficient against intermediate routes. Brock Purdy thrives throwing in that range of 10 to 20 yards. He shouldn't be making too many throws in that range.

Vic Fangio will surely have that covered up or a trap set for Purdy to throw an interception. If not, they will happily let their pass rush take over.

It's what the Seattle Seahawks did to the 49ers last week. Fangio certainly took note of that and will want to replicate what the Seahawks did. All of that can be mitigated if the 49ers succeed in running the ball.

They are strong at doing so, while the Eagles are weak against it. There's no reason the 49ers shouldn't be efficient at it, even if they aren't popping off as much as they should.

Defeating the Eagles will come down to how successful the offense will be. That success will largely be predicated on whether the 49ers can stampede over the Eagles.

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