49ers vs Eagles: Playoff revenge as rising teams look to make their mark in Week 13 of the NFL season

CNN
—

Week 13 of 2023 NFL The season started off strong on Thursday with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Seattle Seahawks.

With six difference Bye – Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants – It’s an abbreviated schedule but there’s still plenty for fans to give their best effort to.

Here’s what to look out for this week.

The Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers are two of the best teams in the NFL this season, and Sunday’s matchup could be a feisty one.

After the Eagles beat the 49ers in the NFC Championship game last season to book their spot in the Super Bowl, San Francisco wide receiver Deebo Samuel called Philadelphia’s James Bradberry “trash.”

When asked before the teams’ match on Sunday whether he regretted his choice of words, Samuel was in no mood to take back what he said.

“I don’t regret anything I said,” the 27-year-old Pro Bowler said. NBC Sports. Although Bradbury downplayed these comments, telling reporters, “It is what it is,” the rivalry between the two teams is clear. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field can be a melting pot of drama, scores and excellent football.

The Eagles enter with the best record in the league at 10-1 and with quarterback Jalen Hurts coming off his best performance of the season by contributing a team-high five touchdowns. Week 12 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills.

After falling just short of the Super Bowl last season, Philadelphia looks well-positioned once again to make another deep run in the postseason with its entire roster getting closer to shape in time. Hurts and his skill sets have a buzzing attitude offensively, while the defense has stepped up its disruption of the opposition.

But the Eagles’ defense will have a serious task ahead of it to stop a San Francisco offense that enters as the No. 1 offense in the NFL so far this season.

Second-year quarterback Brock Purdy — who suffered a serious elbow injury during last season’s game against the Eagles — has had his ups and downs this year, but he’s been helped by his excellent linebacker Christian McCaffrey, and his pass rushers — Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle — are all having good years. .

But before the highly-anticipated rematch, coach Kyle Shanahan said last season’s matchup had no impact on Sunday’s game.

“You throw it in and start from scratch. If it’s early in the year, but when you have that amount of tape, you don’t want to watch what they were doing last year,” Shanahan told reporters. “I think we’re just two different teams, different styles.” Different. You’re improving all the time, improving every week.

Sunday will see two of the league’s rising teams face off at NRG Stadium in Houston in a showdown that could reveal which team is a true playoff contender.

The Denver Broncos travel to take on the Houston Texans as both organizations have seen recent improvement in form to give their fans hope for an unexpected playoff run.

Denver is in the midst of a five-game winning streak that has taken them from disappointment to genuine postseason contenders.

After a season opener that left many thinking it might be another lost year for the historic franchise — especially after its record-setting 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins — the team’s improvement has dramatically changed views.

Led by coordinator Vance Joseph, the Broncos’ defense has played a vital role in their recent form, as they have committed 15 turnovers in their winning streak while also allowing just over 16 points per game.

With cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Justin Simmons leading the secondary in shutting down opposing pass catchers and Baron Browning contributing with three sacks and two forced fumbles in five games, they have become a daunting contender for opposing teams.

On the other hand, the Texans are arguably the surprise of the season.

With a first-year head coach, a rookie quarterback, and unproven perimeter talent, there wasn’t much to expect, but behind the historic performance of C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, the Texans have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.

Stroud and his corps of young wide receivers have dominated the league, and Broncos head coach Sean Payton says trying to slow Stroud down will be a “unique” task.

“He’s playing well. When you watch him play you feel like you’re watching someone who’s savvy and experienced,” Payton told reporters. “You don’t necessarily feel like you’re watching someone in their first year.

“He’s confident, and it’s a dangerous team that way. You’ve got young players. I’ve been through that before with a draft where they have the young receiver.” [Texans WR] tank [Dell]Who is playing well, the defensive end from Alabama who is playing well and the quarterback.

“They’re having success, and they’re 6-5. You definitely see the explosiveness on tape. They came down late and came back. There’s a confidence they have that’s definitely contagious, and you can see that on film. It’s been impressive.”

Sunday Night Football in Week 13 also sees one of the NFL’s hottest teams, the Green Bay Packers, take the field as they take on the Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

After a disappointing opener to the season in which they lost five of their first seven games, the Packers have now won three of their last four.

Quarterback Jordan Love – in his first season since the departure of Aaron Rodgers – looked like a renewed man, with his best performance of the season coming last week in the team’s impressive win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.

The 25-year-old quarterback scored his third game with three touchdowns and no interceptions, the most for a Packers quarterback in his first 12 games.

“I think we’re growing together,” Love said of the offense’s recent success, per the Packers. “Guys feel more comfortable in the system, they understand our roles, and now we’re going out and making plays and making plays, and guys are making plays. I think we have a better focus now on how we’re going to start the game.”

Love and the Packers’ offense will face a tough test against the Chiefs’ defense, one of the strongest groups in the NFL this season.

Led by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones, they have collected 37 sacks in 11 games and played a crucial role in Kansas City’s success this season with the offense uncharacteristically struggling.

Despite being led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the team has failed to live up to the high-scoring offensive production in recent years. But Mahomes believes the team is doing well.

“At the end of the day, you’re working toward that ultimate goal, which is to win the Super Bowl,” Mahomes told reporters. “You take it week by week, but your mentality has to be, ‘I’m going to do this today to be better the next day and the next day until the Super Bowl comes.’

“We have a great game this week, a great challenge and a great atmosphere against a great football team. For us, how can we get better today, so we play this football game and we can find a way to win it that will be toward our ultimate goal which is the Super Bowl.”

Sunday

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m. ET

Detroit Lions & New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM ET

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets, 1:00 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals & Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET

Miami Dolphins @ Washington Commanders, 1:00 PM ET

Denver Broncos & Houston Texans – 1:00 PM ET

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:05 p.m. ET

Cleveland Browns & Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. EST

San Francisco 49ers & Philadelphia Eagles: 4:25 p.m. EST

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET

Monday

Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:15 p.m. ET