5 stats that defined 49ers’ loss to Eagles in NFC Championship
By Peter Panacy
49ers glaring stat vs. Eagles: First downs from penalties
It’s one thing to be flagged a lot during a game.
It’s another when the nature and context of those penalties add up to something detrimental. In the 49ers’ case, it did and then some.
Not only were the Niners flagged a bunch, but check out the number of penalties that resulted in a Philly first down:
- Penalties against 49ers that result in an Eagles first down: 7
- Penalties against Eagles that result in a 49ers first down: 0
Yes, Philadelphia had seven first downs granted by penalty, while the Niners had none.
49ers had 11 accepted penalties, more than referee John Hussey's regular-season crew had per game (for both teams) in 2002.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 29, 2023
Eagles got 7 first downs via penalty. Per @ESPNStatsInfo, that's the most in a playoff game since 2002. (Titans, also 7.)
If the 49ers had a reputation for being a heavily penalized team entering the playoffs, that might have made sense. But the Niners were a middle-of-the-pack squad in this department.
While it’s never going to be proven that the officials were “out to get” San Francisco in the NFC Championship game, the overall results aren’t going to quell the chorus of conspiracy theorists who think the NFL is rigged.
Or that the officials simply like Eagles football better than 49ers football.
Either way, the above stat wasn’t pretty for anyone involved.
Next. 49ers' 10 most painful playoff losses in franchise history. dark