National Football Conference Championship Game cheering guide

Good morning!
Once the Vikings season ends, I routinely bandwagon for another team during the playoffs in the run up to the Super Bowl. Generally I’ll pick a team that hasn’t won it all or hasn’t had much success in recent years or a team that looks like they are having fun and playing like they having nothing to lose. I thought I’d come up with a guide for all the Vikings fans who feel like riding the coattails of a successful team until its time for us to start arguing about free agency and the draft.

NFC Championship Game: 49ers at Eagles

Sunday 3pm ET in Philadelphia

The Visiting Team: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers had an interesting season, starting the year 3-4 with a player they traded a boat load of picks for under center in Trey Lance only to see him injured and replaced by Handsome Jimmy Garoppolo only for him to get injured and replaced by their 3rd string QB Brock “Mr. Irrelevant” Purdy. Since their bye week the 49ers reeled off 10 consecutive wins, captured the NFC West and swept their division for the first time since 2011. Purdy finished the regular season 5-0 with a 67.1% completion rate, 13 touchdowns to 4 interceptions and a 107.3 rating.

49ers Offense:

As a team the 49ers offense finished 6th in points, Purdy’s rise should make for some interesting offseason decisions at QB particularly if he can play well and propel the 49ers to the Super Bowl.
Purdy wasn’t the sole reason for the 49ers success this year on offense; with AP All-Pro Trent Williams at LT, TE George Kittle, WR Deebo Samuel, FB Kyle Juszczyk, and newly acquired RB Christian McCaffrey the 49ers offense played well enough to win.

49ers Defense:

The 49ers defense finished 1st overall per pro football reference allowing 277 points against in 17 regular season games, were 1st against the pass and 2nd vs the run. Lead by Edge Nick Bosa, DT’s Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armistead, MLB Fred Warner and SS Talanoa Hufanga should give the Eagles all they can handle defensively.

Pros:

They haven’t won a Super Bowl in a long time.
Brock Purdy makes for a nice story.
HC Kyle Shanahan has been nominated for COY and did an excellent job navigating this season, particularly with injuries to the QB position.

Cons:

They aren’t the Vikings.

The Home Team: Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles looked to boat race the entire league at one point this season, but an injury to QB Jalen Hurts lead to the Eagles to starting QB Gardner Minshew for two games, (which they lost) but Hurts was able to come back and guide the Eagles to the 1st seed and the coveted playoff bye week.

Eagles Offense:

Jalen Hurts has been stellar this season in 16 starts this season (playoffs included) completing 66.5% of his passes for 3,855 yards and 24 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions for a 102.1 passer rating. He had a bonus of 794 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
The story of the Eagles offense isn’t Hurts though, the Eagles offensive line is the best in the league right now. As a group they combined to allow a league low in sacks, 14 and lowest pressure rate, 3.5%.  They’ll also get their All Pro RT Lane Johnson back with a week’s rest from groin injury.

Eagles Defense:

The Eagles defense aren’t a bunch of slouches. However, they collected 70 sacks (third best since the statistic was measured) and had 4 players with 10 or more sacks lead by OLB Hasson Reddick with 16 sacks to go with 5 forced fumbles. Additionally, the Eagles defense sack rate was 1st at 11.7% and second in pressures, 38.4%

Pros:

They aren’t the Packers or Cowboys.

Cons:

Come on, it’s the damn Eagles.

Consensus for the NFC Championship Game:

Go 49ers.