Jason Kelce offered his verdict on the Wild Card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers on Thursday in his appearance on “WIP Morning Show.” Set to take place at Lincoln Financial Field, it’s one of the most anticipated games of the first round.
Kelce believes the Eagles will come out victorious over the 49ers in the Sunday matchup. Offering an analytic take on the game, the former Eagles offensive lineman believes the team will take advantage of its offensive strength despite admitting how strong the 49ers are.
“I think we’re going to come out here and run the ball pretty well,” Kelce said. “I think we’re going to play actions off it. I think we’re going to run Jalen Hurts, which is an advantage. That’s a major advantage for us … This offense opens up when Jalen Hurts is a threat.
“I think he will be in this playoff. I think the offensive line is going to play better. And I think our defense is very, very good. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. San Fran’s a great team. But I do think that the Philadelphia Eagles are every bit up to the task. I think they’ll win.”
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The oddsmakers are on the side of Jason Kelce, with Nick Sirianni men opening as a 4.5-point favorite. The two NFC rivals last met at the Wild Card in 1996 with the 49ers securing a 14-0 win. Overall, the 49ers lead the series with a 21-15-1 record, intending to extend it on Sunday.
Jason Kelce believes the Eagles’ defense can stop the 49ers
Aside from the confidence he has in the offense ahead of the Wild Card game, Jason Kelce believes the Eagles’ defense has what it takes to stop the 49ers. He believes the team can copy the framework used by the Seattle Seahawks, who recently defeated the 49ers 13-3.
“I think the defense has rebounded extremely well from that game,” Kelce said. “I think that we are very healthy, healthier than we were back then. I think that if you watch that Seattle game, if you can shut down Christian McCaffrey, especially in the run game, if you can put them in third and long situations, the way Seattle’s built.
“I love watching their defense, and hopefully, we get to watch a third Seattle game late in the season, that’d be outstanding. They’re almost like a modern-day NBA defense. They’re long and fast and they close the distance so well. And I really do think Philly does that very well.”
The Eagles’ defense did quite well in the regular season, bailing the team out in a couple of games. They allowed 314.2 yards and conceded 19.1 points per game. Jason Kelce believes they can be at their best on Sunday as the quest to retain the Super Bowl begins.