Eagles reach Super Bowl LVII after defense buries 49ers, injures 2 quarterbacks

PHILADELPHIA − Officially, the Eagles' Super Bowl celebration began at 6:07 p.m. Eastern, when the final seconds melted off the clock and the players rushed out into the middle of the field in jubilation while the fans at Lincoln Financial Field jumped up and down amid green fireworks and confetti.

But really, the celebration began much earlier, like before the sun came up when fans started lining up in their cars waiting to get into the Lincoln Financial Field parking lots. Then finally, once the game started, when the Eagles' defense swarmed all over quarterback Brock Purdy, then Josh Johnson, sending both out of the game with injuries.

Purdy, on an injured elbow, had to come back in after Johnson left with a concussion, but he couldn't throw.

The Eagles, like sharks smelling blood, continued to attack until their Super Bowl arrival was confirmed with their 31-7 win Sunday.

And that was true on both offense and defense.

"They weren’t physical. We were physical," said running back Kenny Gainwell, who led the Eagles with 48 hard-earned rushing yards. "We took our physicality that we’ve been playing with all year to those guys. They sat back and they lost (their composure)."

The Eagles didn't, enduring one last skirmish on the field with 4:13 left.

Then the celebrating began, with the green confetti on the field, with FOX commentator Terry Bradshaw and the Eagles' on the makeshift podium singing "Fly, Eagles, Fly" with the fans staying in their seats throughout, and the victory cigars in the locker room.

The Eagles (16-3) will play in the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, for the first time since winning the only Super Bowl in team history five years ago. They'll next play on Feb. 12 against the winner of the AFC championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals later Sunday night.

“We put a lot of work in to have this opportunity, and to be here it’s a moment we want to enjoy as a team," said quarterback Jalen Hurts, who personified that toughness right from the start, while once again playing through a sore shoulder.

"We’re reflecting on everything we’ve overcome to have this opportunity right in front of us, and we want to take advantage of it," Hurts added. "The atmosphere here tonight was amazing. The fans showed up with the energy, and we need to bring that to Arizona.”

“It’s a beautiful thing.”

Early on, it wasn't that beautiful, even with the 49ers down to their fourth QB of the season in Johnson, a 36-year-old journeyman on his 14th NFL team over 15 seasons spent between the NFL and other outpost leagues.

The Eagles scored on the opening drive after DeVonta Smith's acrobatic 29-yard catch on fourth down gave the Eagles a first down at the 49ers' 6-yard line.

It might not have been a catch, but the Eagles rushed to the line of scrimmage and got a play off before the 49ers could challenge the call.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni called it "smart football," adding: "I don't know if he caught it or not. I haven't seen the TV copy."

When he was told that replays showed Smith might not have come down with it, Sirianni said: "Well, then, that was even better of a play."

Then on the 49ers' first series, Purdy was injured as he was hit on a strip-sack by Eagles' pass rusher Haason Reddick. The Eagles recovered the ball as Purdy left the game. That sent Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field into a frenzy.

But that quickly turned into nervous energy as the Eagles sputtered on offense as the 49ers’ defense tightened up, and Christian McCaffrey's 23-yard TD run in the second quarter tied the game.

It took a while before the Eagles finally took over, scoring twice in the last 1:36 of the half to take a 21-7 lead, just 30 minutes away from the Super Bowl.

Miles Sanders started it with a 13-yard TD run. Long before that, however, the Eagles decided to go for it on 4th-and-1 from their only 34.

Hurts snuck the ball up the middle, barely getting past the first-down marker.

"I don’t know how Sirianni walks around with the set of cojones that he has," Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata said. "That’s crazy. Fourth down, in a big playoff game? Kudos to him."

The 49ers still had time to tie the game, but Johnson fumbled the snap, and the Eagles recovered at San Francisco's 30. Boston Scott scored on a 10-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left in the half.

Until then, it was tough sledding for the Eagles against the NFL's top-ranked defense. From the start of the second drive until the final two drives of the half, the Eagles had just 5 yards of total offense and one first down.

"That Niner defense, they were the No. 1 defense for a reason,' Mailata said. "They play physical. They play tough. Consistent, man. Their physical-ness and toughness was there the whole game."

So was the Eagles'.

Hurts and Sanders had little running room. Hurts had minus-1 yard on four carries in the first half. And the 49ers had good coverage on A.J. Brown and Smith, although Hurts did overthrow an open Brown on one play that could've gone for a TD.

And when Hurts completed passes over the middle, the 49ers tackled right away.

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But the two-touchdown deficit was too much to overcome without a quarterback who could throw the ball. Purdy attempted only two short passes well into the fourth quarter after he replaced Johnson, who left with a concussion early in the third quarter.

Then the Eagles put the game away, keeping possession after the 49ers were called for roughing the kicker on Brett Kern's punt from midfield midway through the third quarter.

Hurts, bottled up all game, had his longest run to that point for 12 yards, although he appeared to take a hard hit on his shoulder, which was injured Dec. 18.

Hurts winced, and maybe to prove a point, ran the ball on the next two plays. The second was for 14 yards to the 49ers' 7, with 4 yards tacked on for a late hit on Hurts out of bounds.

Hurts eventually snuck in from the 1 for a 28-7 lead with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.

Hurts was 15 of 25 for 121 yards passing. He added 39 yards rushing on 11 carries. Gainwell led the Eagles with 48 yards rushing.

That was more than enough to bury the 49ers, who had just 164 yards of total offense.

Then it was just a matter of time from then before the Eagles could start celebrating for real.

"From OTAs to camp to now, these guys came in every day and they busted their (butt)," said Smith, who led the Eagles with only 36 yards receiving. "That’s what it came down to, executing and doing the things we’ve been doing.

"We’re just cherishing each moment with each other, and let’s go make the most of it (in the Super Bowl)."

Eagles knock out Brock Purdy, and then his backup

Purdy had completed his first two passes, but the 49ers faced a third-and-6 from the 50. Purdy dropped back to pass and Reddick hit him as he threw. The ball fluttered into the air and fell incomplete as T.J. Edwards dove trying to intercept it.

But the Eagles challenged the ruling, saying Reddick hit Purdy's arm before it went forward. The replay review confirmed the Eagles' challenge and the Eagles took over.

Purdy left the game with an elbow injury and didn't return in the first half.

Then Johnson left and Purdy had to come back in.

The only other QB on the 49ers' roster is Jimmy Garoppolo, who's out indefinitely with a foot injury suffered nearly two months ago.

What a catch by DeVonta Smith

The Eagles got on the board first, taking the opening kickoff and driving down the field. But it was Smith who saved the Eagles with an acrobatic catch that set up Miles Sanders' 6-yard run.

The Eagles faced a third-and-10 from the 49ers' 42 when Hurts a short pass to Dallas Goedert for 7 yards, setting up fourth-and-3.

The Eagles passed on a 53-yard field goal attempt. Instead, Hurts dropped back, moved to his left and threw a high-arching pass down the left sideline. It appeared too far for Smith, who turned and reached up with his left hand, somehow hauling in the 29-yard pass at the 6-yard line for a first down.

Sanders scored on the next play.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eagles postgame analysis as Jalen Hurts, defense going to Super Bowl LVII