Deebo Samuel spent the offseason taking shots at the Eagles’ secondary and barking that the NFC title game would have turned out differently had Brock Purdy never injured his throwing arm.
The 49ers wide receiver backed up his words by giving the Eagles plenty of fits in Sunday’s showdown, as San Francisco crushed its NFC rival, 42–19. The 49ers will probably leapfrog the Eagles as the No. 1 team on football pundits’ power rankings come Tuesday morning.
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The Lions (9–3) are a level behind the 49ers (9–3) and Eagles (10–2), but they kept pace with a victory against the Saints (5–7). Also, don’t forget about the Rams (6–6), who are now in the playoff picture after an impressive win against the Browns (7–5).
As for another surprise, the AFC South might have three playoff teams this season. Here’s what we learned about the 49ers, Rams, Lions, Texans and Colts in Week 13.
49ers get signature win against Eagles
The 49ers handled unfinished business by leaving Philadelphia with an impressive victory, but Sunday’s win is more about what’s to come for the league’s best team. And that’s clearly the 49ers after beating the Eagles at their own game, but more on that later.
San Francisco can finally turn the page on the what-could-have-been NFC title game loss to the Eagles, thanks to Purdy’s standout performance in a hostile environment. (The quarterback finished 19-of-27 for 314 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.) Purdy missed most of last January’s NFC title game because of an injury to his throwing hand, leaving many to wonder whether the outcome would have been with him healthy. But the 49ers should no longer look back, because they have a better team than the Eagles in 2023.
Even if the Eagles hold on to the No. 1 seed, the 49ers now know they can go into Philadelphia and win in the postseason, especially with a healthy offense. Purdy picked apart the Eagles’ secondary with tight end George Kittle and wide receivers Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. The Eagles had no answers for the mismatches Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey created. When the momentum was on the verge of changing, Samuel broke a tackle en route to a 48-yard catch-and-run touchdown to give the 49ers a 28–13 advantage in the third quarter.
Not even head of security “Big Dom” could help the Eagles against the offensive juggernaut that is the 49ers. The 49ers flashed their physical side on defense and didn’t mind getting into shoving matches with the gritty Eagles. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw was impressive before getting ejected, and the San Francisco secondary stepped up after a few shaky weeks.
Perhaps the Eagles were due for a letdown after getting two thrilling wins against the Chiefs and Bills in a six-day span. The 49ers, on the other hand, had a 10-day break after beating the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football in Week 12. Being well-rested helped, but San Francisco dominated Philadelphia for more reasons than just a scheduling advantage.
Rams defeat Browns and extend winning streak to three games
The Rams’ 2023 season appeared over after being held to three points in an ugly loss to the Packers that dropped Los Angeles to 3–6 on the season.
Three games later, the Rams are 6–6 and in good shape to make the postseason after beating Joe Flacco and the Browns, 36–19, on Sunday. The Rams put together a complete performance, with an offense that gained more than 400 yards against one of the best defenses in the league. Los Angeles’s defense shutdown Cleveland’s running game and forced Flacco to throw a fourth-quarter interception (that was then converted into a Cooper Kupp touchdown). All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald recorded a late safety for another two points.
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Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sensational with three touchdown passes, while running back Kyren Williams, and wide receivers Puka Nacua and Kupp, contributed as well. If the Rams advance to the postseason, they could be dangerous, mixing a veteran group that won the Super Bowl two seasons ago with a surging group of newer players.
Lions survive second-half scare from Saints
The Lions’ terrific start was forgotten after they nearly blew a three-touchdown lead, but Dan Campbell’s crew did enough to hold off the Saints, 33–28. After jumping to a 21–0 lead in the opening quarter, the Lions only generated nine points in the second half and saw their lead dwindle to three points in the third quarter.
Detroit’s lone highlight in the second half was a trick-play reverse pitch to wide receiver Jameson Williams, who accelerated through an opening for a 19-yard touchdown run in the final quarter. That stellar play highlighted why Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be a hot commodity for head-coaching jobs after the season. But first, Johnson and Campbell are going to need the offense to deliver complete performances after a few rough weeks, including a loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving and a sluggish win against the Bears in Week 11. Luckily for Detroit, rookie tight end Sam LaPorta kept many pivotal drives alive in New Orleans. LaPorta recorded nine catches for 140 yards and one touchdown.
But the bigger problem for the Lions is on the defensive side, with a unit that allowed three touchdowns to the Saints in the second half. Derek Carr and Chris Olave knifed through the Lions’ secondary with ease as the receiver recorded five catches for 119 yards. New Orleans is staring at a disappointing 5–7 record, but it still has a chance to win the lackluster NFC South. (The 6–6 Falcons currently lead the division.) The Lions are in a good spot to win the NFC North, but they still have plenty to fix on both sides of the ball if they want to be viewed in the same class as the Eagles, 49ers and Cowboys in the conference.
Texans’ defense gets game-saving stop vs. Broncos
The inexperienced Texans displayed plenty of fight and growth during their 22–17 victory over the Broncos. A week after losing on a last-second missed field goal vs. the Jaguars, the Texans’ defense stepped up with Jimmie Ward’s game-saving interception of Russell Wilson in the end zone. Houston snapped the Broncos’ five-game winning streak, holding them to 282 yards and forcing three turnovers. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., the 2022 No. 3 pick, had two interceptions, while edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., this year’s No. 3 pick, added two sacks and five tackles.
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DeMeco Ryans might be the front-runner for Coach of the Year after quickly turning the Texans (7–5) into a playoff contender during his first season in Houston. But his team will have to make its playoff push without rookie wide receiver Tank Dell, who reportedly sustained a season-ending leg injury after exiting Sunday’s win on a cart. Dell was C.J. Stroud’s go-to target downfield, averaging 15.1 yards per reception entering Week 13. But Stroud, the rookie MVP candidate, has excelled at getting various playmakers involved, and will now likely lean heavily on wide receivers Nico Collins, Noah Brown and Robert Woods. Collins had a monster performance against the Broncos, contributing nine catches for 191 yards and one touchdown. Second-year wideout John Metchie III could also see more playing time due to Dell’s injury. The Texans’ play the Jets, Titans (twice), Browns and Colts to end the regular season.
Minshew guides Colts to OT victory over Titans
The Colts (7–5) have had a similar season to the Texans. Both are surprising playoff contenders with a first-year head coach, and both opened the year with starting rookie quarterbacks. But the Colts haven’t had Anthony Richardson (the No. 4 pick) in nearly two months due to injury, and yet they have stayed afloat with backup Gardner Minshew—who didn’t play like a second-stringer in Sunday’s 31–28 OT win against the Titans.
Minshew went 26-of-42 for 312 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and threw the game-winning four-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. in overtime. Indianapolis also had a momentum-changing punt block from Nick Cross that led to a scoop-and-score touchdown from Grant Stuard, giving the Colts a 22–17 advantage late in the third quarter.
Shane Steichen might be more deserving of Coach of the Year than Ryans simply because of what he’s done without Richardson. The Colts also beat the Titans without star running back Jonathan Taylor, who’s dealing with a thumb injury. Indianapolis is currently in the playoff picture and holds the tiebreaker over the Texans thanks to a September head-to-head win. (The two AFC South foes meet again in Week 18.)
Times have changed. With the Colts and Texans, along with the first-place Jaguars, who play the Bengals on Monday Night, NFL fans could see the division send three teams to the postseason in 2023.
