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After two rounds of the NFL Playoffs, just four teams remain alive for a trip to Super Bowl LVII. This Sunday's Conference Championship games will determine who will travel to Glendale, Arizona to fight for the Lombardi Trophy.
The San Francisco 49ers have battled adversity throughout 2022, losing not one, but two starting quarterbacks during the regular season. With rookie Brock Purdy at the helm, the Niners will now travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in the NFC Conference Championship game.
Let's take a look at how the San Francisco 49ers got to this year's NFC Conference Championship game and why they can defeat the Eagles to make the 2023 Super Bowl.
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How Did The 49ers Get Here?
Having lost not one but two starting quarterbacks to season-ending injuries this season, 2022 is perhaps head coach Kyle Shanahan's finest work, as he and the Niners have now won eight games in a row with unheralded rookie QB Brock Purdy at the helm and 12 straight overall.
The last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy has shredded the infamous "Mr. Irrelevant" moniker to bits by throwing for 1,374 yards and 13 TDs to just four INTs during the regular season.
The Iowa State product has helped ease the pain of losing both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo for the season. The 23-year-old has cooly led the Niners to the NFC West crown, as well as playoff victories over the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.
Why The 49ers Will Make The Super Bowl
With head coach Kyle Shanahan's consistently-productive zone-blocking scheme on offense and a ferocious defense that was the NFL's best in 2022, the San Francisco 49ers just seem built for the postseason. The proof is in the pudding, as Shanahan is no stranger to playoff success. In his sixth season in the Bay he reached a Super Bowl with the Niners in 2019 and the NFC Championship game last year.
The rookie QB Purdy has looked poised in the pocket while steadily delivering the ball to San Fran's game-breaking tight end George Kittle – whose production has actually improved with Purdy at the helm – as well as their constantly-improving wideout Brandon Aiyuk. San Francisco fans are also breathing a huge sigh of relief, as dynamic receiver Deebo Samuel has returned from an MCL sprain and looked as explosive as ever in the team's Wild Card victory over Seattle.
The Niners swung a midseason blockbuster trade with the Carolina Panthers for dynamic dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey and the Stanford alum has been as good as advertised since returning to the Bay area.
Since making his Niners debut in Week 7, CMC posted 1,210 all-purpose yards and 11 total TDs for San Fran in the regular season and 193 scrimmage yards and two scores across their two playoff games. McCaffrey has recently been spelled by Elijah Mitchell, a back that's been consistently picking up chunk gains for this rushing attacked and whose value shouldn't be underestimated.
As good as this Niners offense has been, their defense has been even better. Led by defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans - who will likely be a head coach as soon as the team's season ends - San Fran has rolled out a savage unit in 2022.
This group finished the season first in the NFL in Total Defense DVOA, allowing the fewest average points and total yards per game in the league. Though susceptible at times, this Niners secondary led the NFL with 20 interceptions, while all-world Edge rusher Nick Bosa led the defense to 44 team sacks in 2022.
Traveling to Philadelphia for a Conference Championship game with a rookie quarterback is no easy task. Still, the Niners possess tons of postseason experience, a proven playoff scheme, and a deep roster that gives them explosive players all over the field.
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