The China Mail - Purdy leads 49ers against Eagles in NFL showdown

The 23-year-old signal caller will be too busy trying to lift the Niners (8-3) within a game of the Eagles (10-1) in the fight for a first-round bye in this season's NFC playoff race.

The showdown of division leaders tops this weekend's NFL matchups as the Eagles look to clinch a playoff spot with a victory and either a loss by the Los Angeles Rams or losses by Detroit and Green Bay.

"It's going to be a heck of a battle," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. "We feel like we'll be ready to go."

Philadelphia routed the Niners 31-7 in last season's NFC final before losing to Kansas City in the Super Bowl, with Purdy suffering a torn right elbow ligament in the defeat.

Now Purdy, 13-3 as a 49ers starter, is back on the same field where he was injured but matter-of-fact about the matter.

"Yeah I got hurt there but for me it's week 13 and we're on the road in a hostile environment," Purdy said Thursday. "We're late in the season so every game is big for us. That's where I'm at with my mindset.

"Am I going to go back in and feel a certain way? None of that. It's a new year, new teams. That's how I'm looking at it.

"Am I going to go in there and get all sentimental? Man, I've come a long way since. It's not like that. We have a goal in mind and I'm trying to be the best version of myself.

"Am I going to go in the game saying I want revenge and all this kind of stuff? It's not like that. I'm going to just go and try and do my job, be the best Brock I can be for this team."

That has been pretty good so far this season. San Francisco ranks third in NFL offensive yards at 386.1 a game, Christian McCaffrey leads the league with 939 rushing yards and Purdy leads the NFL with a 70.2% completion rate for 2,871 yards and 19 touchdowns with only six interceptions.

"He's a winner," Sirianni said of Purdy. "He has got good athleticism. He knows where to go with the football in a timely fashion and I think he's accurate going there."

San Francisco's defenders share the NFL lead by forcing 11 turnovers so far this season and in three games since trading for star defensive end Chase Young have made 15 sacks, at least four in each game.

"They are a really, really, really really good defense," Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. "They have a lot of players on that D-line, very unique players, so we have to be ready for that challenge.

"You have to be ready for everything and so confident in what you're doing and execute the fundamentals."

- Lions visit New Orleans -

NFC North leader Detroit (8-3) will visit NFC South co-leader New Orleans (5-6) while the Rams (5-6) will entertain Cleveland (7-4).

AFC-leading Baltimore (9-3) has a bye week but three 8-3 clubs will try to beats clubs with losing records to match the Ravens for the top spot in the fight for that top seed and playoff first-round bye.

Defending champion Kansas City will visit Green Bay (5-6) while the Miami Dolphins travel to Washington (4-6) and on Monday the Jacksonville Jaguars will host Cincinnati (5-6).

Sunday's other games find the Los Angeles Chargers at New England, Atlanta at the New York Jets, Arizona at Pittsburgh, Indianapolis at Tennessee, Denver at Houston and Carolina at Tampa Bay.

C.Fong--ThChM