Philadelphia Eagles vs San Francisco 49ers odds, predictions, and betting tips – Philly’s title defence on the line

The two most recent NFC champions collide in week one of the playoffs as the San Francisco 49ers begin a long and winding road to what they hope will be a home Super Bowl. They head to Philadelphia.

The twelve-win 49ers came up short in their final game against the Seattle Seahawks meaning that, despite having the joint second-best record in the entire NFC, they were forced to settle for third place in the NFC West. 

Had they won that game, they’d have been sitting on the couch this weekend awaiting their Divisional Round opponent. Instead, it’s Seattle enjoying that luxury and it’s Kyle Shanahan’s team who are needing to dust themselves down and travel the breadth of the country to take on the defending Super Bowl champs.

Their hosts haven’t always convinced this season, despite being the first team to defend the NFC East in twenty years. They lost twice as many games this time around as they did last season, and suffered three defeats in a row in late November and early December. Fans and analysts in Philly were beginning to fear a similar collapse which ended their 2023 campaign. They would eventually win three of their last four to finish 11-6.

Eagles vs 49ers best bets

• Saquon Barkley to have a rush for over 17.5 yards – 22/25 with BetMGM
• Jalen Hurts to have fewer than 208.5 passing yards – 5/6 with Paddy Power
• Christian McCaffrey to have more than 17.5 rushing attempts – 8/11 with Sky Bet

Prior to their week 18 loss, the Niners had won six in-a-row to set up the showdown for the number 1 seed and had scored 127 points in the most recent three of those. The Seahawks, however, held them to a solitary field goal and 173 total yards. You’d have to rewind over a year – to week 15 of last season – for the last time Shanahan’s team were held to single digits.

San Fran’s strong performances and consistent results in 2025 have been all the more remarkable given that their starting signal caller, Brock Purdy, has missed around half of their games and their roster has been one of the more banged up in general. 

Key defensive pieces Nick Bosa and Fred Warner have also been long-term absentees. The former is out of action until next season with an ACL, the latter may have a chance to return this season if the Niners can progress deep into the playoffs.

The Eagles haven’t been the same juggernaut that crushed all before them en route to the Lombardi Trophy last season. Fans and players alike have been critical of the offensive playcalling, with receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown being particularly vocal – the latter suggested at one point that those who drafted him in Fantasy Football should bench him, citing his lack of involvement. 

Running back Saquon Barkley, who won Offensive Player of The Year and was named a First Team All-Pro in 2024, didn’t even come close to matching his 2,000+ yard debut season with the team. He had just four 100 all-purpose yard outings. Even the usually unstoppable ‘Tush Push’ has been poorly executed at times.

Find more great offers at our best rated NFL betting sites.

Eagles vs 49ers preview

These two have crossed paths in the postseason twice before. The 49ers won a scrappy Wild Card game back in 1996, 14-0. More recently, they contested the NFC Championship Game three years ago where an early injury to Purdy completely shattered the Niners’ hopes. Philly flew to the Super Bowl with an easy 31-7 victory.

Purdy and the Niners would bounce back the following season and reach the big game themselves, only to suffer the same fate – losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. They also started the Eagles’ downward spiral that season, destroying them 42-19 in their own back yard – which led to four more defeats in Philly’s last five regular season games, and a complete no-show in the Wild Card Round.

Overall, the 49ers have held the upper hand – winning 21 games to 15 against the Eagles, with one tie. The Eagles, however, have won eight of the last twelve.

Eagles vs 49ers betting tips

Find the latest odds for the Philadelphia Eagles vs San Francisco 49ers courtesy of BetMGM. Odds are subject to change.

The bookies believe that the Eagles have a number of advantages heading into this one. Not only are they at home against a team travelling a great distance, they were also at home last week and were able to rest several of their starters – including quarterback Jalen Hurts as well as offensive skill players Barkley and Brown. 

The Niners, meanwhile, had to go all out against the Seahawks. Their injured stars could be sorely missed against an Eagles team who, when at their best, have a formidable rushing attack and operate a quick passing game. 

I like the under on the points total. The Eagles have been involved in several low-scoring games this season, leaning on their defence to grind out wins against the likes of the Green Bay Packers (10-7), Detroit Lions (16-9) and Buffalo Bills (13-12). The 49ers were involved in a gritty 13-3 battle a week ago.

Here are three props I’m backing to come in during this Wild Card matchup.

Saquon to add to playoff highlight reel

A big reason as to why Saquon Barkley’s rushing yards reduced by almost half this season compared to last was the lack of “home run hits”. This year’s Madden cover star had just four 20+ yard carries – last year he had seventeen. For additional context, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and Baker Mayfield – all quarterbacks – had five.

Playoff football, however, is known for being more attritional and teams which run the ball often and effectively tend to have more success. This has been the Eagles’ DNA since, and before, Barkley’s switch from the New York Giants. Nick Sirianni’s team prefers a game script with fewer Jalen Hurts passes. 

The 49ers could be severely shorthanded on defence – we already know the household names of Bosa and Warner are out. Four other linebackers are either on injured reserve or are questionable for this week’s game, and the defensive line could be similarly depleted – with the availability of three more players, who’d at least rotate in for some snaps, up in the air.

That would put a lot of strain on the likes of Bryce Huff and Alfred Collins against an elite Eagles offensive line – who I would back to create at least one big gap for Barkley to surge through to what could be a threadbare second level. Veteran Eric Kendricks may be the only recognisable name there.

BetMGM are offering an over/under market for each running back’s longest carry of the game. For Barkley, it’s 17.5. I can definitely see him breaking one.

Back Saquon Barkley to have a rush of at least 18 yards against the San Francisco 49ers at 22/25 with BetMGM

Eagles passing game to take back seat

Given that I expect the Eagles to run the ball plenty of times, especially on early downs, I would also anticipate fewer throws from Jalen Hurts. The Eagles are demonstrably more successful when he plays more of a ‘game manager’ role, which will do little to quell their playmakers’ frustrations.

They are 9-0 in games this season where Hurts has registered under 200 passing yards, and are 2-5 when he records more than that. It would’ve been 1-6 had they not blocked and returned a field goal to beat the LA Rams back in September.

The 49ers had the fewest sacks in the NFL with just 20, and the Eagles won’t give them much of an opportunity to add any more here. Expect them to keep it on the ground, including designed carries for Hurts, scrambles and a few quick passes – very few drop backs.

For all those reasons, I’m taking the under on Hurts’ passing yards line of 206.5

Take the under on Jalen Hurts’ passing yards of 208.5 at 5/6 with Paddy Power

Niners to also adopt run-first approach, CMC to profit

Christian McCaffrey has had one of his most productive years running the ball in San Francisco – especially considering he was coming off a PCL sprain which wrecked his 2024 campaign. 

The ex-Carolina Panther was handed 311 attempts, eclipsing his previous high of 287 with his former employers, which he converted into 1,202 yards (his third best total) and 10 rushing touchdowns (also his third most in a regular season).

Much like the Eagles being unbeaten when Hurts throws the ball less often, the 49ers are 9-0 when ‘CMC’ is given at least 20 carries – and are 3-5 when he’s had less than 20. Feeding him, and avoiding obvious passing situations against a fearsome Eagles front surely has to be Shanahan’s plan here. 

It was certainly the formula for success in their Super Bowl run two years ago. McCaffrey rushed 17 times in the Divisional Round, 20 times in the Championship Game and 22 times in the Vegas finale. Sky Bet have set his line at 17.5 attempts – if the Niners are to advance, they will likely need him to go over.

Bet on the over of 17.5 rushing attempts for Christian McCaffrey at 8/11 with Sky Bet

Eagles vs 49ers injury report

Here are all the notable outs and doubts ahead of this Wild Card matchup:

Philadelphia Eagles

• Out: Azeez Ojulari (linebacker) – hamstring, Andrew Mukuba (safety) – ankle.
• Questionable: Lane Johnson (offensive tackle) – foot, Jalen Carter (defensive tackle) – hip, Dallas Goedert (tight end) – knee, Nakobe Dean (linebacker) – hamstring, Marcus Epps (safety) – concussion, Grant Calcaterra (tight end) – ankle/knee.
• Doubtful: N/A

San Francisco 49ers

• Out: Nick Bosa (edge rusher) – ACL, Fred Warner (linebacker) – ankle, Brandon Aiyuk (wide receiver) – knee, Mykel Williams (edge rusher) – knee, Tatum Bethune (linebacker) – groin, Nick Martin (linebacker) – concussion.
• Questionable: Trent Williams (offensive tackle) – hamstring, George Kittle (tight end) – ankle, Ricky Pearsall (wide receiver) – PCL, Dee Winters (linebacker) – ankle, Yetur Gross-Matos (edge rusher) – ankle, Keion White (edge rusher) – hamstring.
• Doubtful: N/A

Eagles vs 49ers game info

• Date: Sunday 11th January
• Time: 9:30pm GMT
• Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Where to watch: Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports NFL

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.