Joel Wilson – Staff Writer

jnw5443@psu.edu

On Sunday afternoon, the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles met at Lincoln Financial Field to determine who would punch their ticket to Super Bowl LVII. 

San Francisco won the toss and deferred to the second half. On their first possession, the Eagles found themselves on 4th down and 3. They decided to go for a first down. 

Their gamble paid off when WR DeVonta Smith made a phenomenal one-handed catch good for a fresh set of downs. The Eagles proceeded to score a 6-yard rushing touchdown, carried in by Miles Sanders. The extra point was good. 

It should not go without saying that the catch made by Smith did not qualify as a legal catch, but the replay did not reach San Francisco’s sidelines in time for the team to initiate a challenge. 

While that call may seem controversial, it ultimately did not affect the outcome of the game and serves more as a harbinger for the fate of the 49ers. 

Nothing came up in San Francisco’s favor the entire game. 

The 49ers QB1, Jimmy Garoppolo, has been out with an injury since December. Brock Purdy has since taken over the position and has proved himself to be more than competent. 

On the 49ers first possession, Philadelphia’s defense tackled Mr. Irrelevant 2022, causing him to fumble the ball. While the Eagles did not score from that turnover, the hit injured Purdy’s elbow, forcing San Francisco to activate Josh Johnson. 

Immediately, Johnson was sacked. After getting set at the line of scrimmage with worse field position, the 49ers were penalized for a delay of game. Another 5 yards lost.  

The same two events, swapped in order, were repeated during San Francisco’s first possession in the second quarter. They were also called for illegal formation, but that penalty was declined due to an incomplete pass. 

The only bright spot for the 49ers was a 23-yard rushing touchdown from Christian McCaffrey. That touchdown and extra point were the only time San Francisco scored all game. 

The Eagles would score 3 more touchdowns and kick an extra point to make the final score 31-7. 

It is difficult to say how the 49ers might have fared had Purdy not been injured so early in the game. He did return to game action after Johnson himself was injured, but Purdy, hindered by penalties and an aching arm, could not save his team from themselves. 

When the game clock hit 0, America turned their televisions from FOX to CBS to see who would advance to meet the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. 

There was a considerable amount of trash talk between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs before Sunday. Joe Burrow had a cocky air about him after defeating the Buffalo Bills, and Eli Apple spent the week taunting whoever he could on Twitter. 

The fans at Arrowhead Stadium witnessed a much closer game than their Philadelphian counterparts. A pair of Kansas City field goals from the foot of Butker and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Kelce gave the Chiefs 13 points, but Joe Burrow did not roll over. At the half, the score stood 13-6, but the Bengals quickly tied the score in the 3rd quarter. 

Each team would score another touchdown, leading to an intense final minute. 

With less than 60 seconds remaining in regulation on 4th down, Patrick Mahomes took the snap and ran with it. Just after he crossed out of bounds, Bengals DE, Joseph Ossai, made a late hit on the KC QB. He was penalized for unnecessary roughness. A 15-yard offense. 

With the Chiefs close enough to kick a field goal, Butker was called on for a 45-yard attempt. The kick was good with 3 seconds remaining on the clock. 

The Bengals return attempt did not even make the 20-yard line. 

So, for the third time in 4 years, the Kansas City Chiefs will play in the Super Bowl. Their most recent ring came in 2019. The Philadelphia Eagles will be trying to replicate their 2017 winning ways. There is added pressure on the Eagles to win a championship as their baseball counterparts lost the World Series only a few months ago. 

The Super Bowl will be played Sunday, February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST.