The Philadelphia Eagles have had a unique way of getting to 10-1, overcoming four straight second-half deficits to control of the NFC's best record at 10-1. Philadelphia has trailed by double digits four times and came out on top in all four. The Eagles are the first team in NFL history to win their first four games of the season when trailing by 10-plus points, finding ways to win in spite of the deficits they face.
The San Francisco 49ers have done the exact opposite to get to 8-3. San Francisco has won seven of its eight games by double digits, as the 49ers' point differential of +140 is second-best in the NFL. The 49ers have a +102 point differential against teams currently with winning records, despite only being 4-2 against such teams.
Why are the Eagles unbeaten against teams that currently have winning records (3-0)? As dominant as the 49ers have been, why did they have a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season?
The play of the quarterbacks when facing adversity gives plenty of reason why the Eagles have a two-game lead over the 49ers at this point. Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy have been significantly different quarterbacks when tied or trailing in the second half.
Take a look at these passing numbers between Hurts and Purdy and where they rank amongst their NFL counterparts:
Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy (tied or trailing)
| Completion rate | TD | INT | YPA | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Hurts | 71.0% (2nd) | 14 (T-4th) | 1 (T-1st) | 8.0 (5th) | 114.4 (1st) |
Brock Purdy | 69.1% (6th) | 8 (T-18th) | 5 (T-13th) | 9.0 (1st) | 101.4 (8th) |
Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy (tied or trailing in second half/OT)
| Completion rate | TD | INT | YPA | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Hurts | 67.6% (6th) | 10 (T-1st) | 0 (T-1st) | 9.3 (2nd) | 136.6 (1st) |
Brock Purdy | 58.2% (29th) | 2 (T-22nd) | 5 (T-27th) | 8.6 (3rd) | 60.8 (32nd) |
The difference between Hurts and Purdy when tied or trailing in the second half is massive, especially considering the stretch of games the Eagles and 49ers have been in when facing adversity. During the 49ers' three-game losing streak, Purdy was 29 of 50 (58%) for 444 yards with two touchdowns to five interceptions for a 61.1 rating when tied or trailing in the second half.
In this Eagles' four-game winning streak -- each of which they trailed by double digits -- Hurts is 33 of 46 (71.7%) for 449 yards with seven touchdowns to zero interceptions for a 141.1 rating when tied or trailing in the second half.
Of course, the game plan may be for the Eagles to take a first-half lead in order to avoid Hurts' heroics against a 49ers front four that has been dominant since Chase Young arrived. Philadelphia knows it is never out of a game with Hurts at quarterback.
The 49ers will have to find out if Purdy can do the same at some point.
