vs. 
The 49ers return home desperately seeking their first win of the season against an Eagles squad with a several question marks of their own due to injuries. The game marks the 49ers first appearance on Sunday night since playing Arizona in Mexico City, on 10/2/05. This marks the second time this season that the Niners have played in prime time. San Francisco is 35-14 overall when playing at home in prime time games, including an 8-4 record when playing at Candlestick Park on Sunday night. The 49ers hold the overall series advantage against Philadelphia, 17-11-1, with an 8-7 record against the Eagles at home. This will be the third consecutive season the two teams have met, with the Eagles winning last season's meeting, 27-13, in Philadelphia.
The Niners lost in disappointing fashion last week as the Falcons hit a 42-yard go-ahead FG with 0:02 remaining to deflate the 49ers hopes. In that game, rookie S Taylor Mays caught a deflected blocked punt by WR Dominique Zeigler for a TD in the first quarter, the 49ers first special teams TD since 1987.
49ers-Eagles Connections
Coaches
49ers offensive coordinator Mike Johnson was the quarterbacks coach for the Falcons from 2003-05 where he coached Eagles QB Michael Vick. In 2003, interim head coach Wade Phillips asked Johnson to call the offensive plays for the final two games of the season. In those two contests, Vick compiled his second-highest quarterback rankings of the year (119.2 at Tampa Bay, 12/20/03, and vs. Jacksonville, 12/28/03.
Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Morhinweg was the 49ers offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 1997-2000. Mornhinweg attended Oak Grove HS in San Jose, where he was the Northern California POY and an all-state performer.
49ers running backs coach Tom Rathman coached with Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Morhinweg with the the 49ers from 1997—2000. Coach Rathman also coached with Eagles defensive backs coach Dick Jauron while the two were with the Lions from 2004-05.
49ers secondary coach Johnnie Lynn and Eagles WRs coach David Culley coached together with the Tampa Bay Bucs from 1994-95.
49ers special assistant to the head coach Bill Nayes held the position of administrative assistant of football ops. for Green Bay while Eagles offensive quality control coach Doug Pederson was a quarterback with the Packers in 1998. 49ers special teams coordinator Kurt Schottenheimer also coached the defensive backs for Green Bay in 2004 while Pederson was a quarterback there.
49ers wide receiver coach Jerry Sullivan coached with Eagles special teams coordinator Bobby April while at Ohio State University during the 1991 season.
49ers pass rush specialist coach Al Harris played with the Eagles for two seasons (1989-90).
49ers head strength and conditioning coach Duane Carlisle served two stints with the Eagles. One as the Eagles speed development consultant from 2000-04 and the other as the seasonal strength and conditioning assistant from 1995-97. Eagles CB Joselio Hanson, a native of Playa del Rey, CA, was originally signed by the 49ers as a rookie free agent in 2003. He appeared in 13 games for the 49ers.
EAGLES-NOR CAL CONNECTIONS: Eagles head coach Andy Reid was the offensive coordinator at San Francisco State from 1983-85 ... Eagles tight ends coach Tom Melvin is a native of Redwood City, CA. He began his coaching career at San Francisco State from 1982-85 and attended Cubberley HS in Palo Alto ... Eagles WR DeSean Jackson played at the University of California, Berkeley and is a native of Long Beach, CA.
49ERS - PHILADELPHIA CONNECTIONS: 49ers RB Brian Westbrook spent his first 8 seasons in Philadelphia, where he owns numerous franchise records as well as earning two Pro Bowl invitations in 2005 and 2008. Westbrook left as the all-time leader in total yards from scrimmage, most touches, and 2nd leading rusher all-time in franchise history ... 49ers LB Takeo Spikes spent the 2007 season with the Eagles, starting 14 games ... 49ers director of pro personnel Tom Gamble entered the NFL as an assistant for the Eagles player personnel department in 1996. He is the son of former Eagles president Harry Gamble ... 49ers area scout Todd Brunner first joined the Eagles as a scouting intern in 1992 and worked as a scouting assistant in 1993.
49ERS - PENNSYLVANIA CONNECTIONS: Rookie LB NaVorro Bowman played at Penn State University ... Rookie TE Nate Byham is a native of Franklin, PA and played at the University of Pittsburgh ... CB Shawntae Spencer is a native of Rankin, PA ... Byham, Spencer, and 49ers P Andy Lee all played at the University of Pittsburgh.
FORMER 49ERS: Eagles CB Joselio Hanson, a native of Playa del Rey, CA, was originally signed by the 49ers as a rookie free agent in 2003. He appeared in 13 games for the 49ers.
TROJAN TIES - 49ers G Chilo Rachal, Eagles T Winston Justince, and LDT Mike Patterson all played together while at USC during the 2004 season.
GOOD OL' ROCKY TOP - 49ers LB Parys Haralson and Eagles LB Omar Gaither were teammates together while at the University of Tennessee from 2002-04.
PANTHER PRIDE - 49ers TE Nate Byham, Eagles G Mike McGlynn, and RB LeSean McCoy all were teammates while at the University of Pittsburgh from 2007-08.
MICHIGAN MEN - 49ers C David Baas and Eagles WR Jason Avant were teammates at the University of Michigan from 2002-03.
Series Highlights
Matchups: 29
Series Record: 49ers lead series 17-11-1
49ers Home Record vs. Eagles: 49ers Lead Series 8-7
First Meeting: 10/6/51, Eagles win, 21-14, at Philadelphia
Last Meeting: 12/20/09, Eagles win, 27-13, at Philadelphia
Current Streak: Lost 4
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (9/23/84-11/29/92)
Longest Eagles Win Streak: 4 (9/18/05-Present)
Most 49ers Points: 38 (Two Times), Last: 38-28, at San Francisco
Most Eagles Points: 42 (9/18/05), 42-3, at San Francisco
49ers Shutouts: 1 (12/29/96), 49ers win 14-0, at San Francisco
Eagles Shutouts: None
PHILADELPHIA 27, SAN FRANCISCO 13
At Philadelphia, PA, December 20, 2009
Philadelphia's big-play offense and it's attacking, blitz-happy defense proved to be too much for the inconsistent visitors to handle. The scoring opened as Philly systematically drove the length of the field on the opening drive, to post a 19-yard QB Donovan McNabb TD pass to WR DeSean Jackson. The 49ers answered quickly with points of their own as K Joe Nedney drilled a FG from 51 yards on their first possession.
Both teams were stymied for the rest of the first quarter as the defenses put on a clinic, but on the first play of the second quarter, 49ers TE Delanie Walker fumbled on the Eagles 8, thwarting a go-ahead score. The Eagles capitalized on the mishap and drove 94 yards to paydirt as McNabb scrambled 8 yards for the score and an 11-point lead.
San Fran's bad luck continued on the next series as CB Asante Samuel stepped in front of a QB Alex Smith pass to haul in the INT. The Eagles translated the takeaway into 3 points as K David Akers connected from 22 yards. After the teams traded another INT each, Akers hit from 26 yards, giving the Eagles a 20-3, halftime lead.
The 49ers started the 2nd half with the ball and capitalized with another Nedney FG, this time from 25 yds. On the very next play, CB Dre' Bly capitalized on an errant McNabb pass, hauling in an INT with a tremendous effort to set the 49ers up at the Eagles 35. The Niners Smith made sure his team would walk away with 7 points this time, completing 4-of-4 pass attempts, including a 12 yarder to WR Josh Morgan, bringing his squad within 7 points of the home team.
As the fourth quarter began, the Eagles embarked on an 89-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard TD run by rookie RB LeSean McCoy. The score upped Philadelphia's lead to 14 points, sealing their spot in the 2009 playoffs and dashing the 49ers hopes of making noise in the postseason in 2009.
2010 Statistics
| 49ERS (rank) | EAGLES (rank) | |
| 0-4 (4th NFCW) | Record | 2-2 (t-1st NFCE) |
| 13.0 (31st) | Points per game | 23.8 (8th) |
| 298.3 (23rd) | Total Offense | 364.0 (9th) |
| 78.8 (28th) | Rushing Offense | 131.8 (11th) |
| 219.5 (17th) | Passing Offense | 232.3 (12th) |
| 29:14 (4th) | Possession Avg | 29:45 (22nd) |
| 25.8 (26th) | Points allowed/gm | 19.8 (t-19th) |
| 335.8 (21st) | Total Defense | 306.8 (11th) |
| 108.0 (16th) | Rushing Defense | 138.8 (27th) |
| 227.8 (20th) | Passing Defense | 168.0 (5th) |
| 6 (t-21st) | Sacks | 13 (t-5th) |
| 44.7 (t-12th) | Punting Avg (Gross) | 48.1 (2nd) |
| -6 (t-30th) | Turnover Differential | +3 (t-5th) |