Player evaluations and scouting never stop in the NFL, and as Week 18 comes to a close, The Athletic's Zach Berman reported that the Philadelphia Eagles had two guests at the Eagles-Commanders regular-season finale. Berman noted that two advance scouts from the San Francisco 49ers were in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field.
For those who aren't familiar, advance scouts prepare their respective NFL teams for upcoming opponents. Advance scouts will begin providing scouting reports, opponent analysis, and strategy support, in addition to giving live-game analysis in person.
The 49ers finished their regular season with a 13-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, solidifying their playoff berth as a Wild Card team and allowing Seattle to clinch the number one seed in the NFC West. With the 49ers seemingly the sixth seed, it appears San Francisco has begun proactive scouting, preparing to face the Eagles during the NFL's Wild Card weekend.
49ers trying to get the upper hand on Eagles before playoff game
While the 49ers and Eagles are now scheduled to play Sunday, January 11, at 4:30 pm EST, as the Eagles prepare to defend their 2024 Super Bowl victory, despite the 49ers' proactive approach to the playoffs, it is worth noting that if the Tanner McKee-led Eagles were to defeat the Commanders, San Francisco would be facing Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.
The last time the Eagles and 49ers met was in December of 2023, when San Francisco defeated Philadelphia 42-19. San Francisco and Philadelphia also matched up in the playoffs during the 2022 NFC championship game, where 49ers quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson both suffered injuries, forcing the 49ers to rely on the running game.
Read more: Tanner McKee was brutal on himself after subpar performance in Eagles loss
With over two years removed from their last matchups, the 49ers have taken a proactive approach in ensuring they can remain competitive, especially with an extra day to prepare for the defending champs. With both teams setting high expectations for the 2025 season, whatever edge San Francisco can get over Philadelphia is something they'll take advantage of.