The Eagles are a desperate team right now and they are also banged up as Reggie Brown (groin) and Brian Westbrook (fractured ribs) are both out this week.  Still, look for the Eagles to air it out with Donovan McNabb and his capable WR corps against the Niners who are allowing 215.6 yards passing per game.  McNabb has been sacked 10 times this season so the Eagles will need to protect him to give him time to get the ball downfield.  That is easier said than done against a Niners’ defense that has 13 sacks this season and 7 interceptions.  Correll Buckhalter is a capable replacement for Brian Westbrook but he’s also a downgrade for the Eagles there.  The Niners are allowing 128.4 yards rushing per game and 3.8 yards per carry so Buckhalter could have a good game.

The 49ers have to run the football in this football game as the Eagles will be putting huge pressure on J.T. O’Sullivan who has been sacked 20 times already this season.  The Eagles have 18 sacks this season as they start blitzing when they get off the team bus and O’Sullivan tends to get rattled when he gets popped a few times.  The way they will try to slow the pass rush is by throwing screens to Frank Gore and also letting him run the ball alot.  He is averaging 120.6 yards rushing and receiving per game this season so look for him to be busy. 

PREDICTION:  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 20, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 16

The 49ers just couldn’t keep up with the ball hogging Patriots last week.  After all, it’s very hard to win a game when you only have the football for 20:08 like the Niners did last week.  The Patriots ran 75 offensive plays resulting in 377 total yards while the Niners only could muster 199 yards on 47 offensive plays.  Linebackers Patrick Willis (18 tackles, sack) and Takeo Spikes (14 tackles, interception) both did their part to help the Niners but they needed more help.  J.T. O’Sullivan made some good plays (3 TD passes) and some bad ones (3 interceptions) and they did not even out.  He completed 14 of 29 passes for 130 yards.  Frank Gore was essentially taken out of the gameplan when the Niners fell behind.  He rushed for 54 yards on 12 carries (4.5 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 24 yards (6.0 avg) with a TD grab.  Isaac Bruce pitched in with 3 catches for 49 yards (16.3 avg) but two of them went for TDs.  The 49ers are now 2-3 on the season.

The Patriots and 49ers are both coming off losses and need this football game so we will see what happens on Sunday.  The Patriots will likely shift gears on offense and come out running the football against the Niners.  Sammy Morris, LaMont Jordan and Laurence Maroney will likely split carries against a Niners’ D that is allowing 124.5 yards rushing per game and 4.0 ypc.  The Patriots must protect Cassel better if he is to have any success throwing the ball against the Niners who have solid corners as Patriots’ QBs have been sacked 10 times in three games this season.  It appears as if Cassel prefers to throw to Wes Welker over Randy Moss.

The Patriots are allowing a stunning 140.7 yards rushing per game and 5.0 yards per carry so look for Frank Gore to be the focal point of the offense for the Niners.  Make no mistake though, the Niners will put the ball in the air some with J.T. O’Sullivan spreading the ball around to WRs Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson.  The Niners’ O-Line must protect O’Sullivan better as they have allowed 19 sacks already this season and that has led to big mistakes.

PREDICTION:  SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 21, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 17

The Niners will be without starting RT Jonas Jennings again this week due to a shoulder injury.  Barry Sims will start and that’s not a good thing for J.T. O’Sullivan against the Patriots.

The 49ers will be without starting OLB Manny Lawson due to a hamstring injury.  Lawson has 8 tackles this season for the Niners.  Parys Haralson will replace Lawson in the starting lineup and that’s not a bad thing as he has 7 tackles and 3 sacks this season.