PHILADELPHIA – Brock Purdy’s magical run from the last pick in the NFL draft to winning his first seven starts for the San Francisco 49ers ended when Haason Reddick knocked him out in the first quarter of the NFC Championship game.
Purdy was forced to return in the second half despite an elbow injury after Josh Johnson left with a concussion. But he only threw two passes and gave up the rest of the game.
At that point, the 49ers were already 21-7 behind the Eagles and couldn’t get anything going in Sunday’s 31-7 loss.
From Trey Lance to Jimmy Garoppolo to Purdy, the 49ers overcame quarterback injuries all season and won 12 straight games to reach their third conference title game in four years.
The 49ers (15-5) didn’t stand a chance against the Eagles (16-3) except for their quart QB for nearly two quarters.
Purdy, the seven-round pick from Iowa State, was outstanding after joining the lineup in December. He threw for 1,374 yards, 13 TDs and four interceptions in the regular season and was a finalist for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Purdy completed both of his passes before Reddick drilled his right arm on a play ruled a fumble. The Eagles recovered from the fumble and the injury proved to be a turning point.
Johnson, 36, was dropped from Denver’s practice team for his fourth stint with the 49ers after Garoppolo was injured in December. He had thrown just two passes this season before facing off against Philadelphia’s fierce defense.
Johnson was 7 of 13 for 74 turnover yards before Ndamukong Suh’s hit put him out of the game.
Johnson was a fifth-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2008 and finished 1-8 in 15 seasons with 14 different teams as a starter, the most for a player in league history. He also played in the United Football League, Alliance of American Football and XFL.
Johnson was overwhelmed in his first playoff experience.
The 49ers played without discipline and committed costly penalties throughout the game. They were flagged 11 times, including a couple of penalties that switched possession.
On Philadelphia’s second shot on goal, a pass interference call to San Francisco’s Jimmie Ward on an incomplete pass in 3rd and 7th place gave the Eagles a first down. An illegal contact penalty on Charvarius Ward gave the Eagles another first down later in the drive and Miles Sanders ran in from the 13 for a 14-7 lead.
Johnson fumbled two games later, the Eagles recovered at the 49ers 30 and Boston Scott scored on a 10-yard run to make it 21-7 just before halftime.
A roughing-the-punter penalty on San Francisco’s Jordan Mason gave the Eagles a first down at the 49ers 35 in the third quarter. Jalen Hurts ended that drive with a 1-yard TD run for a 28-7 lead.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan made a mistake on the opening drive that resulted in Philadelphia’s first touchdown. He did not challenge a 29-yard catch by DeVonta Smith in fourth and third for the 49ers 6. Smith immediately signaled the Eagles to play a game without a scrum, and they quickly rushed to the line of scrimmage to do so.
Replays showed the ball appeared to touch the ground, causing Shanahan to miss an opportunity to reverse the call and switch possession. Sanders then hit a 6-yard run.
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