The NFC’s top two teams are on a collision course and the outcome will be decided on Sunday afternoon.
The Niners intercepted Dak Prescott twice and used a balanced attack on offense to hold on for a 19-12 win on Sunday over the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game.
With the win, San Francisco will descend on Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game against the top-seeded Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The 49ers have won 12 consecutive games, including seven with rookie Brock Purdy, and will potentially offer the toughest test of the season.
With Preparation underway on both sides, here are 12 things to know about the Niners.
1. 13-4
The San Francisco 49ers finished the regular season 13-4, marking their best regular season record since 2019 (13-3) and the third time since 1998 that the team won 13 or more games in a single season.
2. 10 straight
The 49ers have won 10 consecutive games, marking the team’s longest win streak since 1997 (11 games – Weeks 2-13; Week 6 Bye).
3. Shanahan
Kyle Shanahan improved to 6-2 as a head coach in the postseason, including a 2-0 record against Dallas.
4. 30+
The 49ers’ offense registered 30 or more points in eight games this season, including five of the last six games.
San Francisco’s eight games with 30-or-more points are tied for the fourth most in franchise history since at least 1970 and mark the first time since 2019 they accomplished the feat.
5. 277
San Francisco held their opponents to 277 points on the season, the fewest in the NFL and by a 49ers team since 2013 (272 points).
It is now the sixth time that the Niners have held its opponents to under 300 points in a season since 2000 and for the first time since 2013.
6. Run at your own risk
San Francisco has held their opponents to 77.7 rushing yards per game this season, the third-fewest allowed by a 49ers team since 1970.
7. Christian McCaffrey is streaking
McCaffrey scored the only touchdown of the game for his team with a two-yard rushing score to extend the 49ers’ lead to 16-9.
marks the ninth consecutive game that Christian McCaffrey has scored a touchdown. It puts him in some rare company in the 49ers’ history. It’s the longest touchdown streak since Terrell Owens in 1998.
Christian McCaffrey has scored a touchdown in eight straight games, the longest streak by a @49ers player since Terrell Owens in 1998. pic.twitter.com/6qKFYzPGzE
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 23, 2023
8. 6th
Looking at the 49ers’ offense vs. Eagles’ defense (defense-adjusted value over average), Brock Purdy has actually helped San Francisco’s sixth-ranked offense improve.
Per The Athletic
Brock Purdy has literally never lost an NFL game as a starting quarterback, and the San Francisco offense improved once he took over — it went from 0.21 expected points added (EPA) per drive in Weeks 1-12 to 0.43 since Week 13, including the playoffs. That 0.43 EPA per drive would have been good for No. 4 in the league over the course of the season.
9. 2.78
That’s Brock Purdy’s average time per throw according to TruMedia.
Targeting quick and short throws over the middle of the field, Purdy’s average time to throw, per TruMedia, is 2.78 seconds, which would rank 25th of 34 qualifying quarterbacks. His average depth of target is 7.61 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, good for 20th.
10. 69.6
That’s the percentage of time the Niners allow teams to convert on third and short this season.
San Francisco ranks 31st in third-and-short defense, allowing opponents to convert 69.6 percent of the time, including in the playoffs. Philadelphia ranks No. 3 in third-and-short conversion rate (68.5 percent).
11. 24th
Quez Watkins fans should be excited because there are opportunities for the deep ball against the 49ers’ defense.
According to Football Outsiders, San Francisco ranked 24th in DVOA against deep passes. In the same stat from TruMedia, it ranked 26th in EPA per play and 23rd in defensive success rate against passes that traveled at least 20 yards downfield.
12. 143.3
That’s the passer rating when a 49ers quarterback has targeted tight end George Kittle since Week 13.
Kittle hauled in all five of his targets for 95 yards and four first down against Dallas.
