Jan 11 (Reuters) – The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles were eliminated from the NFL playoffs at the first hurdle on Sunday with a 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles, who denied the Kansas City Chiefs from a Super Bowl three-peat last February, moved deep into 49ers territory late in the game but were unable to find the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy capped a late 66-yard drive with a short touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey that put the 49ers ahead 23-19 with just under three minutes remaining.
Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was named most valuable player of the Super Bowl last year, led the Eagles to the 49ers’ 20-yard line with a fresh set of downs but was then sacked before three straight incomplete passes ended their season.
“We knew it was going to be a 12-round fight and that’s what we kept saying and we just had to stick to it,” said McCaffrey. “No matter what happened during the game, good or bad, we just kept trusting each other and ended up winning.”
The 49ers, three wins away from hoisting the championship Vince Lombardi Trophy on their home field in the February 8 Super Bowl, will play at the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the playoffs next week.
Earlier in the game, 49ers tight end George Kittle was taken off the field on a cart after suffering a right Achilles injury.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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