The NFL schedule was released last week, and the San Francisco 49ers have a very tough stretch to end the season. The Athletic released its "must-watch" games for every team in the NFL, and Matt Barrows chose San Francisco's Week 17 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The game will be at Levi's Stadium, which is the first time the Niners will play the Eagles at home since 2020. All of those other matchups were in Philadelphia, which led to some memorable moments.
The NFC Championship game in early 2023 saw quarterback Brock Purdy get his elbow injured and, the Niners ended that game without a quarterback who could throw the ball after backup Josh Johnson left with a concussion.
That was a not-so-fond memory for the Niners, but they got redemption the next season by destroying the Eagles, even though there was that infamous dustup between linebacker Dre Greenlaw and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni's emotional-support bodyguard "Big Dom" on the sideline.
Greenlaw is back in the fold after a year away with the Denver Broncos, so that will add some intrigue to the matchup.
San Francisco and Philadelphia met again last season in the playoffs. Tight end George Kittle blew out his Achilles in the game, but the 49ers were still able to emerge victorious, which was remarkable because of how banged up they were.
It provided at least a little bit of solace for the Niners to take down the defending Super Bowl champions, which will add even more intrigue to their meeting in early January of 2027.
There is a decent chance that game will have some major ramifications for the NFC. Perhaps the Niners will be in the hunt for the NFC West and will need that game to win the division. Or maybe the Eagles and 49ers will be battling for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
It could be a must-win for the Niners, too, since it comes at the end of a stretch in which they will face the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs.
No matter what, it can always be explosive when these two teams meet. There is certainly no love lost between the two of them, and it would not be a shock if it is a chippy game with some big hits and lots of trash talk on both sides.
Expect it to be a must-watch meeting, indeed.
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