The 49ers fell behind early, then dominated the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon en route to a 42-19 win.
Deebo Samuel scored three touchdowns, Christian McCaffrey racked up 133 yards and Brock Purdy was 19-of-27 for 314 yards and four scores as the Niners avenged their NFC Championship Game loss in January.
Here is what the 49ers said after the big victory:
Kyle Shanahan
On the poor start:
The coolest part was they were moving the ball, doing a lot. We only had six plays and didn’t do well with any of them. And when it was all said and done, it was only 6-0, so we were able to weather the storm and get our rhythm back.
On Purdy:
When our whole offense, everybody, settled down, which included Brock, too, myself, I thought he played a hell of a game.
On the Greenlaw ejection:
I tried my hardest not to lose my mind. Hopefully I didn’t embarrass myself too bad. But yeah, I didn’t get to see it all from where I’m at but when I start hearing people explain it to me and stuff, I just can’t believe someone not involved in a football game can taunt our players like that and put their hands in our guys’ face. From what I was told, Dre did it back to him and I was told he kind of mashed him in the face a little bit so he got ejected but it was a very frustrating play.
On Eagles coach Nick Sirianni apologizing to him postgame:
He wasn’t a fan of what happened on the play either and he handled it with total class. It was cool.
On whether Purdy felt anything extra coming back to Philly, where he was injured:
I don’t think the emotions were there like you would think. I mean, I think if we would have opened up Week 1 here I think that would have been a real big deal. But I just think going through the season, he’s played a lot of football, his arm has felt great.
On the Eagles’ d-line:
We were able to stick with the run and get it going there in the second half, especially. That’s as big of a challenge (as any), that group, I mean they really got some good players.
On the difference to play well after two bad starting drives:
There wasn’t any big difference. It was just our defense keeping us in the game and allowing us to be patient and continue to do well. We play to play good football and we didn’t do that for two drives.
On improving:
After our skid, I think that we’re taking a step each week and getting a little bit better. I thought we were a little bit better today than we were last week and by no means do I think we’re (at) our best.
On Purdy:
One of the best things he did when we were down, he didn’t try to make too much stuff up and try to overcompensate.
Fred Warner
On the start:
It felt like they were having their way early. We knew coming in that they were having their way early. We knew coming in that we had to stop the run game. I think we did a great job of that all throughout the game. … I can’t speak enough to hold them to three on those red zone opportunities.
On the win:
The thing I’m most proud of is the resilience throughout the game.
On the Greenlaw ejection:
Not quite sure. I didn’t see it. He was talking to me saying he didn’t do anything and then I’m seeing their sideline waving goodbye to him and all this other stuff. But yeah, it was such a big loss in that moment to lose him, but I can’t speak enough to how big (Oren Burks) was.
On defending the Eagles:
We knew we had to stop them in the run game and then obviously when he had to pass the ball, we had to keep them contained and for the most part we did that.
Nick Bosa
On the game plan:
It was definitely an assignment-focused game. We had to make Jalen focus on the rush more than looking downfield, and we knew that was the key to the game. So our whole mentality was ‘We’re not trying t to set the record on sacks, we’re trying to close the pocket, we’re trying to get his eyes on us.
On the plan against Hurts:
You get a push and then he sees that, so his eyes immediately go off his receivers and he’s dipping and dodging. You have a guy in front of you, you’re trying to keep him in the pocket and it’s tough. Obviously, you don’t want to be blocked for 10 seconds on a play but it was an unselfish mentality from everybody.
On avenging the NFC title game loss:
It means a lot. Obviously, we wanted some payback. We tried not to think too much about last year but we knew we could match up with them and more than that, so I think we proved a good point. Obviously, we might have to do it again against them. They’re a really good team.
On the Greenlaw ejection:
I definitely don’t like when other people get involved. I don’t know exactly what happened. Dre has been the enforcer for this defense since he got here in ’19 and that’s what makes him who he is. So we’re not trying to knock him for being him but in that situation, he knows he can’t do that and it was a perfect learning lesson at this moment.
On Deebo:
I think he’s the epitome of unselfishness. He got paid and obviously that comes with a lot of the pressure to be the guy and when you have so many dudes, you’re not going to get those opps very often. But I just love the fact that he could talk and set the stage and walk into a hostile environment and thrive. That’s what greatness is made of for sure.
Arik Armstead
On the defense:
Definitely proud of the group effort today — 46 yards rushing for one of the best rushing teams in the NFL. It was a great performance by everybody.
On complementary football:
Our goal was to get the ball back in their hands and put pressure on the (Eagles’) defense so our offense can wear them down and once they start extending drives and we’re able to get a first down, it kind of opened up the floodgates.
Deebo Samuel
On the trash talk:
They beat us in the NFC Championship where we wanted to get back but at the end of the day, it’s just football. We talking trash, having fun and just came out here and got the win.
On wanting revenge:
I ain’t gonna lie, I was in that zone all week long for us. They beat us in the NFC Championship and at the end of the day, like talking trash, it’s just part of the game. Hopefully nobody took it to heart because it’s all fun and games.
On whether there was animosity from the Eagles:
I wasn’t even listening to them, to be honest. I was just locked in, ignoring the noise.
On the physicality:
We play our style of football and that’s real physical, and that’s what we went out and did.
On the start:
We went two three-and-outs so I think we had like negative-six yards or whatever happened. Nobody was frustrated. Nobody was too high, too low.
Trent Williams
On the black outfits he and Samuel wore:
Great minds think alike.
On the rematch:
I had full confidence that we would have this type of game from the jump. We got a quarterback, so made it a lot easier this time.
On little recognition for offensive line:
It’s a young group. Obviously, I’ve been around a long time so people seem to know me. Obviously, 14 years but you look at Colt in his third or fourth year, Spencer in his second year … It’s going to take some time, it’s going to take performances like this. and you know, honestly, that group ain’t even worried about recognition.
On Deebo:
You notice that cornerbacks and safeties aren’t very excited to tackle him and he knows that as well. He knows that once he gets that full head of steam, you don’t gotta bring a lot of finesse to the party.
Brock Purdy
On the rematch:
It was sort of in my mind, yeah I got hurt here. You know, that was this year, late January. But was it going to be a revenge game or anything like that? No, for me it was Week 13. We’re going into a whole new year, hostile environment. We needed this game. … I didn’t want to get distracted by ‘I gotta go back and show everybody what could have happened or what could have been.’
On the performance:
Outside of those first two drives, that’s the Niner football that we know, that’s the offense that we know, when everyone’s doing their part.
On Deebo:
Going into the week, obviously Deebo had a little something to him. That’s just who he is and he can do that, he’s good enough to do that but was it a distraction or anything like that? No … He was pumped about it and stoked and ready to go. And man, all I had to do was get the ball in some space and he did the rest.
On his physical scramble:
I was just trying to extend the play and everything. I felt like I could shake him once he tried wrapping up, so I broke that tackle and after that I guess I laid my shoulder down on, I think it was Blankenship. But it was just a scramble, it wasn’t anything like ‘I’m gonna pull a Deebo here.’
On the focus after tough start:
No one was freaking out or anything, it was more like ‘Man, we just gotta get the ball rolling. We need a positive play. We need to envision and see a positive play and have some momentum be created off that. Especially for myself as a quarterback, I just needed to see myself completing a ball, get a completion, get things rolling.
On Haason Reddick and the injury:
That was a football play. It happened. He was trying to get the ball last game, that’s just how it all happened.
On Deebo’s talk:
Deebo’s Deebo, man. He’s fun to be around, he’s electric. Within meetings and then obviously out on the practice field, in the locker room and stuff, maybe he was saying some stuff that fun for all of us to hear. … We all knew he was ready for this game. He’s been waiting for a long time and that was that. His play did the rest.
