The Philadelphia Eagles' title defense campaign has been well underway, but this is the time when things get real: the playoffs. Their path to becoming the 10th team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls starts with a home game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite entering the postseason as the NFC's No. 3 seed, the vibes surrounding Philadelphia have been off all season, to say the least. They even tried putting a "positivity rabbit" in the locker room, which ostensibly only exacerbated the problem. With that in mind, many have put the Eagles on upset alert, especially with a well-oiled machine like the 49ers coming to town.
Team morale (or lack thereof) aside, the 49ers are a stiff opponent for anyone. However, signs point to them being without star left tackle Trent Williams and standout wide receiver Ricky Pearsall for their upcoming bout with the Eagles. Whether they manage to suit up or not will have a significant impact on both sides' chances of surviving and advancing.
Eagles could benefit big-time from concerning injury updates to 49ers' Trent Williams, Ricky Pearsall
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Williams and Pearsall won't partake in the team's first practice of Wild Card Weekend. The updates were vague, but their logging DNP status to start the week is far from ideal for San Francisco, albeit opportunistic for the Eagles.
There's still time to return to the field in any capacity before facing the Eagles, yet it's fair to consider Pearsall and Williams highly questionable. They both missed the 49ers' pivotal regular-season finale loss to the Seattle Seahawks due to their respective injuries. Neither seems to be progressing well in recovery, considering they'd probably be on the field if so.
Williams' importance against the Eagles can't be overstated. The 12-time Pro Bowler has a legitimate case as the best offensive lineman in football. Without him, Philly's disruptive front seven, headlined by linebacker Zack Baun and defensive tackle Jalen Carter, could blow up the 49ers' game plan.
Read more: Eagles fans must hope for long playoff run (but not the reason they would think)
Pearsall suffered a PCL sprain in Week 4 that forced him to sit out six straight contests. He reaggravated the issue in the 49ers' 42-38 win over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 28. Not having to prepare for his savvy route-running ability or field-stretching prowess would give the Eagles one less thing to worry about.