1997 Game 150 (Week 11) San Francisco at Philadelphia

49ers blowout the Eagles on Monday Night

The San Francisco 49ers couldn’t have started the season any worse. They lost their first two games. They lost their future Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice for the season with a torn ACL, and their starting QB Steve Young was knocked out the first game with a concussion and missed the second.

Since then, the 49ers have turned things around and are back as an elite team in the NFL. They have won 8 consecutive games with a Monday Night blowout of the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-3, at Veteran’s Stadium, and trail only the Green Bay Packers for the best record in the NFC. QB Steve Young is back and has the best passer rating in the NFL. However, it’s been the offenses’ running game and the defense that has propelled the Niners back into the land of the elites and that was never more evident than the Monday Night drubbing of the Eagles.

The Niners running game racked up 240 yards on the ground on 38 attempts. Garrison Hearst led the Niners with 138 yards on 18 carries with 2 TDs. Terry Kirby had 45 yards on 10 carries and FG William “Bar None” Floyd had 48 yards on just six carries. On the season, the 49ers are averaging 141.5 yards per game.

As for the defense, they dominated the Eagles. They held the Eagles to just 164 total yards, which includes 63 on the ground and only 101 through the air. They sacked Eagles’ QBs three times and picked them off three times.

On the season, the 49ers lead the NFL in the top four categories. They only give up 189 yards per game, which includes only 70 yards on the ground and 119 net passing yards. They also only give up 11.6 points per game as well.

The 49ers will try to keep their winning streak alive next Sunday when they host the Carolina Panthers. They beat Carolina earlier this season, 31-6, on a Monday Night.

As for the Eagles, they are now 4-6 on the season and will go on the road next weekend to face the Baltimore Ravens.

1997 Game 150 Stats

1997 Game 132 (Week 10) Philadelphia at Arizona

Eagles soar past the Cardinals

Two weeks ago, the Arizona Cardinals shocked the Philadelphia Eagles to pick up their first win of the season. On Sunday, the Eagles got their revenge, but this time, it was in Sun Devil Stadium.

Eagles’ QB Ty Detmer had his best game of the season as he torched the Cardinals in the desert with 238 yards passing and 3 TDs. The Cardinals took away Detmer’s top target in Irving Fryar, who was held to one catch, but he spread the ball around to his tight ends and running backs. Detmer hit TD passes to TE Jimmy Johnson and running backs Ricky Watters and Deuce Staley.

Defensively, the Eagles produced their best pass rushing day of the season. They sacked Cardinal QBs eight times and held the Cardinals to just 144 passing yards on the day and 194 total yards in the 27-13 victory.

The Eagles have now won two in a row and are now 4-5 on the season and are back in the NFC East race. Next week, they will host the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. As for the Cardinas (1-8), they will travel to take on the struggling Dallas Cowboys.

1997 Game 132 Stats