The 49ers (2-3) travel to Lincoln Financial Field for a 10:00 PT kickoff against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-2).
Donovan McNabb starts at quarterback for Philadelphia. Brian Westbrook runs the ball; Correll Buckhalter the change-of-pace back. DeSean Jackson the rookie WR1. J.T. O'Sullivan starts for the 49ers; Frank Gore at running back; Isaac Bruce at receiver.
Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles host the 49ers Sunday morning at Lincoln Financial Field. The 49ers (2-3) bring the year's competitive question into one of the league's tougher road environments. The Eagles are 3-2 and look like the kind of NFC East team that has been the league's standard at the position.
J.T. O'Sullivan stays the starter. Frank Gore the lead back. Isaac Bruce the WR1. The kind of cross-conference road game where, even in a loss, a credible 49ers performance would keep the year alive at 2-4.
Favored by the Eagles by 9.5 on the road. The kind of road game where the box score will be unfair if the loss happens.
Week 6 across the NFC sees the conference contenders pulling further apart. The Giants (5-0), Cowboys, Cardinals, and Eagles lead the divisions. The 49ers (2-3) trail the Cardinals (4-1) in the NFC West. Around the AFC the Titans, Patriots, Bills, and Steelers compete for the top tier. The Sunday road game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against a real NFC playoff team, would either authenticate the early-season talk or fold the year's competitive question.
Through five games the 49ers are 2-3 with a -12 point differential. J.T. O'Sullivan averages 7.5 yards per attempt with seven TDs and six INTs. Frank Gore averages 84 rushing yards per game. Isaac Bruce averages 78 receiving yards per game with three touchdowns. The defense allows 25.6 points a game. The Eagles are 3-2 with Donovan McNabb averaging 240 passing yards a game and 9 TDs/3 INTs. Brian Westbrook averages 95 rushing yards a game. Vegas opens the Eagles as 9.5-point home favorites; total 45.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 4-1 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 3-1 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 2-2 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 2-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-1 | W2 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2-2 | L2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1-3 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans | 5-0 | W5 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2-2 | W1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2-3 | L1 |
| Houston Texans | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 4-1 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-3 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 1-3 | L2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-4 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 3-2 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-3 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1-3 | L1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 4-0 | W4 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-1 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 4-1 | W4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-3 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 3-2 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-3 | L3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-3 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 4-1 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-2 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-2 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-3 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 32 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Eagles | Correll Buckhalter 1 yard rush ( David Akers kick) | 7-3 |
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 37 yard field goal | 7-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Eagles | Hank Baskett 2 yard pass from Donovan McNabb ( David Akers kick) | 14-6 |
| Eagles | David Akers 19 yard field goal | 17-6 |
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 53 yard field goal | 17-9 |
| 49ers | Donald Strickland 41 yard blocked field goal return ( Joe Nedney kick) | 17-16 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Frank Gore 6 yard rush ( Joe Nedney kick) | 17-23 |
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 29 yard field goal | 17-26 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Eagles | L.J. Smith 2 yard pass from Donovan McNabb ( David Akers kick) | 24-26 |
| Eagles | David Akers 38 yard field goal | 27-26 |
| Eagles | David Akers 25 yard field goal | 30-26 |
| Eagles | David Akers 28 yard field goal | 33-26 |
| Eagles | Juqua Parker 55 yard interception return ( David Akers kick) | 40-26 |
Donovan McNabb threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the 49ers 40-26 at Lincoln Financial Field. Correll Buckhalter ran for 93. J.T. O'Sullivan threw two interceptions and finished for 199. Frank Gore ran for 101 and a touchdown. Vernon Davis caught six for 75. The Eagles scored 23 fourth-quarter points to pull away. The 49ers fell to 2-4 with the loss.[1][2][3]
Donovan McNabb went for 280 yards and two touchdowns Sunday morning at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles scored 23 fourth-quarter points and beat the 49ers 40-26 in the kind of road loss where the 49ers' competitive year, at 2-4, took its real fade. The Eagles' fourth quarter was the kind of pull-away offensive period the league's playoff teams produce against teams that cannot defend a lead.
Frank Gore ran for 101 yards and a touchdown. Vernon Davis caught six passes for 75 (his most productive day of the year). J.T. O'Sullivan threw for 199 with two interceptions. Isaac Bruce caught three for 51. The kind of road loss where the offense produced 26 but the defense could not get the Eagles off the field.
2-4. The kind of road loss that, after the Patriots home loss, has the year's competitive identity functionally over. The New York Giants on the road next Sunday in another NFC East matchup. The kind of October where Mike Nolan's coaching tenure becomes the lead Monday-morning question.
Eagles 40, 49ers 26. Margin: -14. Six-game record: 2-4, -26 differential.
* Donovan McNabb: 23-of-36 for 280, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
* Brian Westbrook: limited (back); Correll Buckhalter 18 carries for 93, 1 TD.
* J.T. O'Sullivan: 17-of-30 for 199, 0 TD, 2 INTs.
* Frank Gore: 19 carries for 101, 1 TD.
* Vernon Davis: 6 catches for 75.
* Eagles' 23 4Q points.
* 49ers 2-4; Eagles 4-2.
A 40-26 road loss at Lincoln Financial Field. The 49ers fall to 2-4.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored on their opening drive with a Joe Nedney field goal. The Eagles answered with a McNabb touchdown to make it 7-3. The 49ers added another Nedney field goal to make it 7-6. The second quarter was a Frank Gore touchdown to give the 49ers a 13-7 lead, then a Correll Buckhalter touchdown for the Eagles to retake the lead 14-13. The third quarter was a Joe Nedney field goal and a Vernon Davis touchdown for the 49ers, making it 23-14. The fourth quarter is where the game went off the rails: the Eagles scored 23 unanswered (touchdown, field goal, touchdown drive, touchdown drive) to pull away. The 49ers added a field goal to close it 40-26.
The turning point
The Eagles' fourth-quarter pull-away run. With the 49ers up 23-14 entering the final period, the Eagles' 23-3 fourth quarter was the kind of late-game collapse the year's competitive arc has been producing. The 49ers' defense, on the field for almost the entire 15-minute period, could not get McNabb off the field.
By the numbers
O'Sullivan 199 passing on 30 attempts with no TD and two INTs. Gore 101 rushing on 19 carries with a TD. Davis 75 receiving on 6 catches with a TD. Bruce 51 receiving on 3 catches. McNabb 280 on 36 attempts with two TDs. Buckhalter 93 rushing with a TD.
Personnel watch
Frank Gore in his fourth 100-yard game (counting the receiving game). Vernon Davis with his most productive game of the year (6 catches, 75 yards, a TD). The defense's late-game collapse, the kind of fourth-quarter failure the Mike Nolan tenure has produced multiple times. Mike Nolan's job security now the lead conversation in the press.
What it means
2-4 with the Giants on the road next Sunday. The kind of road loss where the year's competitive identity has dipped below the kind of result the standings will support. Mike Nolan's coaching watch is now official.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| J.T. O'Sullivan | 17/30 | 199 | 0 | 2 | |
| PHI | |||||
| Donovan McNabb | 23/36 | 280 | 2 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 19 | 101 | 1 | 25 |
| J.T. O'Sullivan | 3 | 31 | 0 | 11 |
| Michael Robinson | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| DeShaun Foster | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Delanie Walker | 1 | -10 | 0 | -10 |
| PHI | ||||
| Correll Buckhalter | 18 | 93 | 1 | 28 |
| Lorenzo Booker | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Donovan McNabb | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| DeSean Jackson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Vernon Davis | 6 | 75 | 0 | 57 |
| Arnaz Battle | 3 | 39 | 0 | 26 |
| Isaac Bruce | 2 | 28 | 0 | 21 |
| Josh Morgan | 1 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| Frank Gore | 3 | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| Michael Robinson | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Allen Rossum | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| PHI | ||||
| DeSean Jackson | 6 | 98 | 0 | 27 |
| Correll Buckhalter | 7 | 85 | 0 | 25 |
| Hank Baskett | 4 | 38 | 1 | 16 |
| Greg Lewis | 3 | 38 | 0 | 16 |
| Jason Avant | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Dan Klecko | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| L.J. Smith | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
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